HELP??? CAN IT BE DONE?

[Buddyb]

Greetings all. ok, here we go. I updated my Dell from winXP to win7 home premium using the upgrade disk...32bit. I did this approx 2 years ago. The machine was great!, so about 2 months ago I did a stupid thing. I downloaded a crack version of win7 ultimate with a "master" key and it installed great and updated and all that. Worked great. I thought I beat the system, well guess what... after I guess 2 months or so of enjoying my "crack copy" Microsoft caught up to me and now the os is possessed. Anyway, I was wondering if I just put in my "purchased" DVD of my Windows 7 Home Premium Upgrade, 32bit, will I be able to just load that back in and all will be well? or do I need to buy the complete version and do a clean install. Any advise on this will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks to all,
and please don't be to harsh on me for the "crack" thing... I learned my lesson.

 

[Bare Foot Kid]

Hello Buddyb, welcome to Seven Forums!


You can run but you'll just die tired; it'll have to be a clean install, which can be done with the upgrade; have a look through all the information presented below and be sure to post back with any further questions you may have and to keep us informed.


After you have copied out or made back-ups of the data you need to save to external media, use Step One of this tutorial at the first link below to do a wipe (secure erase) to the entire Hard Disk Drive / Solid State Drive.

• Then if you do not want to create the new Windows 7 "System Reserved" partition use the outline in Step Two #2 to create, format and mark Active a single 100GB partition to do the installation to.
• If you do want to create the "System Reserved" partition use the outline in Step Two #3 to create, format and mark Active the System Reserved partition and then create and format the 100GB partition to do the installation to.

Either way, running the "clean all" then creating and formatting the partition(s) using diskpart will get you the best possible space to do a clean install of Windows 7 to; you can always extend the Windows partition to include the remaining unallocated space on the HDD / SSD or create additional Primary partitions or an Extended partition after the installation completes if you choose.

SSD / HDD : Optimize for Windows Reinstallation

DISKPART : At PC Startup

Do a Clean Install with a Upgrade Windows 7 Version

If you don't want to wipe the entire HDD, you can do a partition-specific wipe of the Windows partition using the Partition Wizard Bootable Disk (PWBD) have a look at Option Three in the tutorial at this link below.

Partition Wizard : Use the Bootable CD

 

[gregrocker]

Wipe the HD to overwrite any corrupt or infected code: SSD - HDD Optimize for Windows Reinstallation - Windows 7 Forums

Then boot the installer and follow these steps for getting a perfect install: Reinstalling Windows 7 - Windows 7 Forums

If you have an Upgrade version, leave the Product Key blank during install then afterwards do one of the workarounds given here to clean install Upgrade version to a wiped HD: Clean Install with a Upgrade Windows 7 Version - Windows 7 Forums

 

[Buddyb]

Great. Thanks for the really fast reply and advise. I have done several "dump & reloads" before, but I was hoping that I could just reload the good stuff back in. Oh well, I know what I am doing this weekend. Thanks again.

 

[Bare Foot Kid]

Be sure to post back here to keep us informed.

 

[Buddyb]

You Got it. I think I will also try to figure out how to make a system image restore while I am at it. Never done that B4.

 

[Bare Foot Kid]

Have a look at this tutorial at the link below, it's very easy.


Imaging with free Macrium

 

[Buddyb]

Cool. Do you suppose I can do a image to lets say my 64Gb thumb drive? just a one time thing in case something (my fault) goes nuts down the road again? I remember Dell use to have a recovery partition labeled "D" Recovery Partition. No more. Anyway, that would be nice to have,

 

[Domie]

Hi Buddyb
If you wanted your old XP back, check this if you hav'nt all ready.

Why did my Dell System not come with Disks? | Dell UK

You might get your old factory image.

 

[gregrocker]

Cool. Do you suppose I can do a image to lets say my 64Gb thumb drive? just a one time thing in case something (my fault) goes nuts down the road again? I remember Dell use to have a recovery partition labeled "D" Recovery Partition. No more. Anyway, that would be nice to have,

I don't know why not. You might want to consider keeping your OS/Programs partition lean so the image stays more compact. Do this by placing the active User's folders on another partition or HD: User Folders - Change Default Location

Running Dell Recovery Disks might reinstate the Recov Partition, but having a stored backup image is actually a better solution since it's tailored.

 

[Buddyb]

well I tried everything from trying to format the drive with wipe drive to trying to reinstall my old xp disk to just trying to install from the upgrade wun 7 disk and nothing works. I cant even boot from the f12 boot menu. it says i have no cd drives now??? anyone want a dell xps 720 for free? come get it. i quit

 

[nitroman84]

You may want to try clearing the CMOS to return the bios to factory settings. You can find information for your motherboard as to which pins to jumper. Or just take the simple route and disconnect the power and remove the CMOS battery on the motherboard cycling the power switch a few times and let set for a while.

 

[Buddyb]

I hate this thing!!!! I hades it the 1st weekend i got it. 35 hours just reloading the os and the foreign help at Dell is useless. will try your idea

 

[gregrocker]

Make sure you have the latest BIOS update. If so, reset the CMOS: Clear CMOS - 3 Ways to Clear the CMOS - Reset BIOS

While in BIOS setup set the SATA controller to AHCI to try install.

If you cannot boot the DVD, then try burning another using ImgBurn at 4x speed. How to Boot your Computer from a Bootable CD or DVD Try another DVD drive.

Or try installing with flash stick: Install UltraISO trial version, on File tab open the ISO, on Bootable tab Write DIsk Image, FOrmat, Write. Boot under USB or HD's in BIOS one-time Boot Menu.

Try install removing all but 2gb of RAM. Test your RAM - Test with Memtest86+ - Windows 7 Forums

Test your HD using maker's HD Diagnostic extended CD scan. Wipe the HD from that disk after running scan.

Unplug all other HD's and peripherals to try install.

If all else fails, move HD to another machine, install with all other HD's unplugged, then SysPrep the HD so it will start up and reinstall all drivers when returned to your Dell: SysPrep to move HD to another computer

 

[Buddyb]

thanks for all your help guys but i am just gonna chuck this thing in the garbage can. I am clueless what you all ar talking about. Say bye bye xps

 

[nitroman84]

thanks for all your help guys but i am just gonna chuck this thing in the garbage can. I am clueless what you all ar talking about. Say bye bye xps

Well It may not be that much of a loss
The company I work for (for whatever reason, I'm a field technician) put a brand new Dell desktop in my Office/Cubical. The thing has awesome specs but chokes miserably at trying to run XP + Autocad 2010. I think Dell has thrown in the towel as far as 'Good Computers' go. Flame away if you must, just my 2 cents.

 

[Buddyb]

Well I gotta tell you, at 1 am I was finally able to get the thing to boot from the CD drive to run Wipe drive. I did remove the CMOS bat. Thought all was well in the recovery process... this morning I was wrong. Put the bat back in and attempted to load the stock XP disk in and WHAM O.............blue screen . So I inserted the Wipe drive disk again and now I am going to let it go for 3 times instead of 1 and tonight see what happens. Cant seem to put my finger on wht I cant get this thing to re-load ANY OS. Not giving up yet, but getting close.

 

[Bare Foot Kid]

I thought you had an upgrade version of Windows 7 if so why re-load XPired when you can clean install Windows 7 with the disk you have after the wipe completes, have a look at this tutorial at the link below.


Do a Clean Install with a Upgrade Windows 7 Version

 

[Buddyb]

I do have a retail version of Windows 7 upgrade, but I thought it needs to see a installed "previous" version of another OS before it will load in? That's why I was going to try to load in my copy of Win XP 1st (the one that came with the system) then install the Win 7 home premium Upgrade. Remember that I have completely wiped the HD with Wipe Drive (occurring as we speak). You saying that I can do a compleate fresh install of Win 7 just by using the Win 7 upgrade disks"

 

[Bare Foot Kid]

Yes you can clean install an upgrade version to a wiped HDD using the methods listed in that tutorial, just don't enter an activation key when prompted during the install and use the info in the tutorial to activate after the install completes and Windows 7 is booting good in its own.