Help!!! Windows 7 re-installing...

[epeople]

Hi, I hope everyone is doing good here. I am using Dell Inspiron 1440 with windows 7 home premium 64 bit having 2GB of RAM on it. I have some software to be installed on it for educational purpose. But the software is not compatible with windows 7 and is with XP.

Though I can install something like VMware and intall XP and then the software but since I have only 2 gigs of RAM my machine gets slower. I have decided to get rid of the windows 7 and install windows XP for time being and then back to windows 7 after my work.

But the the question is I don't have the windows 7 CD with me to re-install. Dell did not provide me the windows 7 CD during the time of purchase. My question is how do I get beck to my original windows 7? Please provide me with a solution and any other suggestions are appreciated. Awaiting to hear from you guys. Thank you!

 

[theog]

   Information

We always assume you have made your Recovery Disks using the OEM manufacturer's Recovery Media Creator app the first day you had your new PC.
& made the Startup Repair CD.
startup repair disc-create
​

Did you make the OEM manufacturer's Recovery Disks?


How to use Dell Recovery Partition,make Recovery Disks & how to order Recovery Disks.
Dell - Support

 

[seavixen32]

Welcome to Windows Seven Forums.

Dell do not provide recovery discs these days. Instead they leave a recovery partition on your hard drive, which you can use to recover your system.

You should also be able to create your own recovery discs - just check your Dell manual for details.

If you haven't already installed Windows XP, make sure you do the recovery discs first.

If you have installed Windows XP and you haven't created any recovery discs, you have three choices:

You can contact Dell and buy a set of Dell recovery discs for your computer.

You can download an ISO image for your version of Windows, burn it to a DVD, and then use that to install Windows and use your Dell product key.

If you have access to a Windows 7 DVD which is the same version as your Dell version, you can also use your Dell product key with this disc.

http://support.euro.dell.com/support/DPP/Index.aspx?c=uk&cs=ukdhs1&l=en&s=dhs

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/174907-clean-install-factory-coa-activation-key.html

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/30470-make-bootable-iso-student-d-l.html

 

[epeople]

Thank you very much guys!!

 

[seavixen32]

You're very welcome.

What is your course of action going to be?

 

[epeople]

I am yet to install the windows XP. Now I am going to create the recovery discs which I am not aware of them until now. Just doing some research on this. Thanks again for the suggestion.

 

[epeople]

You're very welcome.

What is your course of action going to be?

I was wondering what exactly the recovery discs store? Does the discs store all the applications installed until now? For example I have Skype installed in my laptop and does the disc store these application too? How exactly these recovery discs work?

 

[seavixen32]

You're very welcome.

Please keep us informed of the outcome and don't hesitate to ask for further help if you need it.

 

[seavixen32]

You're very welcome.

What is your course of action going to be?

I was wondering what exactly the recovery discs store? Does the discs store all the applications installed until now? For example I have Skype installed in my laptop and does the disc store these application too? How exactly these recovery discs work?

The Dell recovery discs format your hard drive and restore your computer to its out-of-box factory state, which will include a recovery partition.

This means you will lose any personal data you haven't backed up first, and any programs such as Skype that you installed after you first set up your computer will need to be re-installed.

If you use a Windows DVD for a clean install, you just get Windows without all the Dell bloatware.

Whichever course of action you follow, do make sure you've backed up your personal data first and that you have all the discs or downloads for any programs you have installed and will need to re-install.

 

[epeople]

Thank you very much.

 

[seavixen32]

No problem. I hope it all goes well for you.

 

[gregrocker]

Have you considered Dual Booting? Dual Boot Installation with Windows 7 and XP

Once you install XP to its new partition you create, you'll have to mark Win7 Active and run Startup Repair - Run 3 Separate Times to restart Win7, then you can install EasyBCD to add XP to a Dual Boot menu. This is an easier method than adding Win7 from XP although the steps to do so are in the tutorial. You'll also only need to delete XP when ready since Win7 will hold the boot files.

You may need to provide SATA drivers for more modern hardware if XP doesn't have them, but you'd have to do that anyway if you unnecessarily overwrite Win7 to add the older XPiring OS: SATA Drivers - Load in Windows XP Setup on Dual Boot

2gb RAM is also on the low end for 64 bit, so if you want to reinstall Win7 to try 32 bit we can help you do that as well: Reinstalling Windows 7. WMware might be a better option then.