windows exp install

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  • Start date Start date
M

md

I have a Dell 4100 and widows will not boot. I have been told it is
probably a bad hard drive. I have two hard drives in my computer. C
drive has been my boot drive with all my apps on it. The Second drive
has nothing on it. Can I install windows XP on my second drive and use
this as my boot drive. If so how do I do it.
 
Probably a bad hd?
Youve run hd diagnostics on it, obtained from HD manu.site?

If you've done the above and its deffinately bad, disconect it & remove from
sys.
Ensure new drive is fitted as master - though dont know if Dell uses cable
select -
Boot from winxp cd partition/format/install
Update chipset & other drivers from Dell driver cd or from Dell site
Update win
Ensure all ok before installing apps
 
md said:
I have a Dell 4100 and widows will not boot. I have been told it is
probably a bad hard drive. I have two hard drives in my computer. C
drive has been my boot drive with all my apps on it. The Second drive
has nothing on it. Can I install windows XP on my second drive and
use
this as my boot drive. If so how do I do it.
Click to expand...

First make sure the hard drive really is bad. You can run the Dell
Diagnostics or use a utility downloaded from the drive mftr. If the
drive is really bad, throw it out. We'll assume that it is and that the
rest of the hardware is OK.

Make sure the second hard drive is healthy by running the drive
diagnostic because there is no point in installing Windows onto a
faulty hard drive. The second drive also needs to be large enough for
Windows (not less than 40GB for instance if you want to be able to run
any programs).

So assuming all that, with the computer unplugged open the case and
remove the bad hard drive. Dells like cable select, so attach the good
hard drive to the same connector on the cable where the bad drive was.
You may or may not have to move the drive; it just depends on where it
is in the case. Reboot and go into the Dell BIOS to make sure the new
drive is seen. Be patient - many Dells take their own sweet time to
start up and get into the BIOS after a drive change.

Your next step depends on what reinstallation media you got from Dell.
If you got a Dell operating system disk or restore disk, boot with it
and install Windows onto your new drive. If you didn't get any restore
media, you have some choices:

1. Call Dell and get them to send you the necessary cd(s).
2. Take the machine to a local computer professional who will be able to
install Windows with an OEM disk and use your Product Key from the case
sticker (this will not be a BigStoreUSA type of place).
3. Purchase a full retail copy of XP from the store and install using
its Product Key.

Note: After installation you'll need to install all the Dell drivers for
your hardware. The drivers will either be on the Dell Resouce CD that
you got with the computer or can be downloaded from Dell's website for
your specific model machine. Do not connect to the Internet without the
XP Service Pack 2 firewall in place.

http://michaelstevenstech.com/cleanxpinstall.html - Clean Install How-To
http://www.elephantboycomputers.com/page2.html#Reinstalling_Windows -
What you will need on-hand

Malke
 
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