Any way to reformat pre-installed Windows?

[k0r34nguy]

Is there any way I can reformat my laptop so it will be like how it first came? It is a Dell Inspiron 6000, and It did not come with a Windows CD, but the Windows setup came installed when I received it. I do have a Windows XP Pro CD, but if I format using that, how can I get all the required drivers?

[billb]

Is there any way I can reformat my laptop so it will be like how it first came? It is a Dell Inspiron 6000, and It did not come with a Windows CD, but the Windows setup came installed when I received it. I do have a Windows XP Pro CD, but if I format using that, how can I get all the required drivers?There are drivers for most everything on the WinXP CD. They may not be the newest, but they wil work.

Reformatting is a drastic move, but sometimes necessary. You WILL have to reinstall all your software. You did save all the disks/serial Nos/activation codes/ etc.?

If the WinXP CD you have has been installed and "actuated" by microsoft you will run into trouble trying to actuate it again on a different computer.

Me thinks that a little more reading about "reformatting" is required.

[crofty83]

Have you thought about using XP's own system restore function. It won't give you a fresh installation of windows to work from but it will return it to a previous state where everything worked fine.

Also most DELL laptops/PC's come with the OS files already on the HDD in an i386 folder and the drivers in a Drivers folder. They also sometimes come with a form of system restore function (DELL's own software i think) that will let you take your laptop back to the fresh state it was in when you first unwrapped it

[crofty83]

Also as far as I know all OS CD's from Microsoft are all the same. If you wanted to use your own OS CD on your laptop with the serial number supplied for your laptop from DELL you shouldn't have any problems.

The problems would arise if you tried to install it on a different PC with the same serial number because when you register it with Microsoft it creates some form of ID Key beased on the type of hardware your using and then pairs it up with the serial used on there database so if you try to install a copy of an OS on another computer with the sama serial as your laptop but different hardware it generates a different ID key and thinks your doing something naughty.

[pwnt by pat]

Chances of the drivers being installed from the windows cd are pretty slim. You will probably have to make a cd with at least the network drivers on another computer. Then, once you install your network drivers you can go to dell.com and download all of the other drivers.

Yes, any Windows XP Pro(non-upgrade) will work if you use the provided numbers.

[crofty83]

Had a quick browse on the Dell website and found these that might be of interest to you:

http://support.euro.dell.com/support/topics/topic.aspx/emea/shared/support/kb/en/document?c=uk&cs=ukdhs1&DN=1060556&type=SRG&l=en&s=dhs

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

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

[SIX ZERO X 3]

I have re-formatted my inspiron and you have to go and put your service code in and the drivers for it will come up...

[itshondo]

It didn't come with a Restore Disc?

[Kevin007]

All the drivers you will need are here (http://support.dell.com/support/downloads/devices.aspx?c=us&l=en&s=gen&SystemID=INS_PNT_6000&os=WW1&osl=EN)