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help with reinstalling windows.

L

Linny40

TK LADY VETERAN
I have been given a dell insporon 1501 laptop and asked to wipe it and reformat-reinstall windows.

It came to me with no discs. Ive had a quick look on it and cannot see any utility/restore files.

Its got a key underneath saying its a windows vista home basic but is running windows xp prof

when i click on system properties its got windows xp professional V2002 service pack 3 registered to ? with a key.
Its a Mobile AMD sempron processor 3500+ 1.80 ghz 448 mb of RAM
But in the label underneath its got Windows Vista Home Basic OEMAct CT 364 with a product key.

It has also tried to update but there are a problems with 2 updates something about windows SP3.
So like my pc want to do a clean install. I do have an xp disk ( not sure what version.

I have also looked on the dell site and downloaded lots of drivers for the insperon 1501 - although not entirely sure what drivers are needed.

SO my question is can i just reinstall using the XP disc then add drivers like i did my pc, or as it originally had vista on it does it have to be reinstalled with vista?
 
With all the debacle associated with Vista, some vendors sold Vista machines with the options to downgrade to XP and maybe that's what happened in this case? If it was the case the media supplied would only work if Vista was already installed. Can you not ask the owner? Laptops are a whole different kettle of fish as far as drivers go too Linny, so make sure you put the TAG number into the Dell site and get all the drivers for it for whichever OS you install. A lot of people forget the likes of the touch-pad and card reader drivers lol
 
Ah it asked for a tag but that meant nothing to me. I downloaded drivers for xp - lots of them they are pn the laptop. I had trouble getting it to recognise my network so i could use internet. What is a tag and how do i find it?


You did say i should set up a repair shop lol but as usual ive gone the xtra mile n seem to be repairing laptops n getting involved in a business about off ice skating as well as learing how to service the skates

Sent from my iPhone using Forum Runner
 
Dell use a TAG system to identify the exact components used in a particular system, for example, you might buy a standard inspiron 1501 but I might use Dells configurator to increase ram add a card reader change the DVD writer to a blu-ray one and so on. They would both be Inspiron 1501 but with different components so Dell use the TAG number to confirm which parts were sold with any given machine.

Anyway, the TAG number it around 7 digits normally starting with a letter and will be under a bar-code.

Key that number into the Dell site and it will give exactly the driver list that shipped with that machine. It should also tell which OS was shipped with it.


help_svctag.gif
 
You can also find the tag number in the bios if it's worn off the sticker. XP is dodgy to install on the inspirons, if the drivers aren't there on Dell website for XP your gonna have to go looking for them.

HTC Desire S~Tapatalk
 
thanks guys! will look look more into the machine next week! Took a photo ( as i do) of the label and on the rh side under microsoft it has a 7 digit X??-????? take it then that would be the TAG? There is something on the machine about vista preference or something. But will look at it in the week when i have time.
hubby hates me using the pc etc at weekend - hes at work today but im off for my lesson shortly!
 
got the tag number and downloaded what i hope are the correct files when i typed in the tag it came up with analyze this system and the name of the product as Latitude D620. and the OS as XP. typed in again once i found the product and then typed in tag and instead of the 21 drivers it had earlier it now says 13, still says the OS is XP. I have saaved these 13 drivers ontp a USb stick.
Also added latptop to router for downloads and still when its trying to install updates comes up with errors some updates could not be installedms.NET framework 2.0 service pack 1 security update for windows 2000, windows server 2003, & windows XP (KB953300)
The laptop had nothing much on it other than limewire and a few photos which i have deleted

just gone back into control panel add remove progs and found vista transformation pack 8.0
 
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