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Dell Recovery OS disk does not work

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7 replies

by mpleta

Closed to new repliesThis discussion is closed. It stays readable, but it takes no new replies.

My Dell HD failed so I replaced it. Now, all I have to do (I thought) is to load the re-install disk from Dell and it will run on its own..... WRONG
The reinstall disk does not read, the BIOS was changed to boot from the CD ROM. Is there a secret code Dell uses to make the disk readable? This is the second OS install disk they mailed out to me.
HELP!

7 replies

by hal 9000

Optical Drive has failed?

If this is the second Rescue CD to be sent out and it is unreadable the device set to read it would be my first suspect.

You also need to have the Optical Drive as the Master on an IDE Lead and not a slave so if that is how the computer is setup you'll need to make some changes to allow the Optical Drive to work.

Col

by mpleta

The rescue disk was tested on another compouter that is working. Just won't read.
The drive was tested by putting in another reinstall disk from Dell for a different computer. That disk worked..but had different configurations so install was aborted.

by trebyal

Kindly try to boot using the resource cd, it may also be tag as applications, drivers resource disc, this could help you determine if the optical drive you have is failing. By the way are you using a desktop or a laptop... Dell has a diagnostic tool built in the bios of the laptops it is shipping make sure you have a disc inside the cd drive then press FN + power button to initiate the test, do this while the system is turned off.

by mpleta

THis is a Dell Dimension 8400. I have others, like the 8200 and a laptop (8500) with recovery CD's so I tested it using those. Those other CDs work in the drive so the optical drive is good. I tested the dud CD on my working computers and it still does not read.

by hal 9000

It seems that Dell has got a batch of faulty CD's and that is the problem.

If they are all faulty you may have a problem as Dell will be unlikely to provide a replacement that works if that batch was faulty. You might be stuck with using an OEM CD of the right type and then finding the necessary drivers.

Col

by techsoldier

Step by Step Reinstallation of Windows on a Dell PC

Step 1: Look at the Windows Product Key sticker on your Dell PC. Write down the version of Windows.

Step 2: Take your Dell Windows Reinstallation CD/DVD and insert it into the cd/dvdrom drive.

Step 3: Press F12 during bootup. Choose boot from CD/DVDRom

Step 4: Follow onscreen instructions and reload windows

If you dont have a Reinstallation CD/DVD, you can go to: http://www.oemsoftwaresource.com or for a replacement.

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