reformat + reinstall

Hi Grampy Pete No worries Let us know if we can do anything extra to help Ztruker should be able to find your posts as well! Regards paws

Paws For learning purposes I also found the manual by Googling the name and #. It is in my flash drive. I have read the manual from front to back especially the part about format but there is no mention of it. That is like my desktop manual. No mention of format. I did see a word format on the screen when I was trying but I could not get it to work. Can you find any mention of format there, or is this something we are not given support for? Thank you

Hi GP
Have a look at page 95 of the manual,
This will start by explaining how to do a "non destructive reinstall on top" This is called a "Repair" and sometimes does not result in data loss, no format ( wiping of the drive) is involved and the fresh installation, the "Repair "is placed on top of the old one, filling in any missing bits so to speak! This Repair is initiated from within Windows

The other option although not using the word "format" does just that, it wipes everything on your machine, so all your data is wiped out, Yes everything, good and bad! This procedure is initiated by booting your computer with the CD ROM in the drive and not from within Windows. This is how you return the machine to the state it was in when it left the factory.

For "destructive" option to work, you normally have to set the Boot Priority in the BIOS, to CD-ROM first, Hard Drive second, etc. (See post 2 for further info on boot priority)
Hope this helps.
Regards
paws

I see what you mean - Dell certainly is a maverick. I will reread that page and follow through with the destructive choice. Also I need to reread the boot order although I think it is ok. You have been very helpful. May I add that when I needed instructions for formatting for my machine, I wrote to Dell telling them it was missing from the manual and they sent the steps. it only dawned on me this a.m. while reading your letter. I will write them today. I'll let you know how things go and thank you once again.

Good luck Regards paws

Just for your readers information, I have tried everything to get the format steps from Dell to no avail; I guess they no longer provide this service. They used to do it as that is how I got my Dimension 4600 format steps which neither were in the manuel. I'm still going to try for that destructive install.

Just for your readers information, I have tried everything to get the format steps from Dell to no avail; I guess they no longer provide this service. They used to do it as that is how I got my Dimension 4600 format steps which neither were in the manuel. I'm still going to try for that destructive install.

You all have been so helpful I thought I owed you an explanation as to how I got to format and reinstall xp.
With the os dic in the pc, I tap F12 + set boot order to cd. Next, as the pc restarts, I quickly press any key to get to prompts that make sense to format -that word is never used.

Thank you paws and all for your help.
If you want deteails for other 5150 Inspirons I'd be happy to comply.