I'm building my own computer for the first time and i want to know if i need to buy an O/S even though i have some restoration disks from my old dell with windows xp
2006-10-25 07:51:28 · 13 answers · asked by Turkey 2 in Computers & Internet ➔ Programming & Design
I also have a new gateway laptop with disks i dont thinks these will help either will they?
2006-10-25 08:16:58 · update #1
It is not likely that the old Dell restore disks will work anyway. You will have to buy a copy of Windows XP for your new system.
I have used a set of Dell restore disks to repair another Dell. I was surprised that it worked. The owner had not taken care of his system disk, so I gave this a shot, and got lucky. (It usually doesn't). It is so important to HAVE the RESTORE disks, and even more important to keep all program disks together, so it is easy to do the restoration. Write down all codes. I usually use a large document Wallet to hold this together. In the old days, Dell would ship a nifty box to hold this stuff in. (I guess they want you to SCREW UP.) With DELL, buying the Restore disk is OPTIONAL, but to me, this is a vital working component of the computer.
The question is not IF your hard drive will have a melt down, it's WHEN. Good backups and restore disk is your only safty net.
Good luck
2006-10-25 07:56:53 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Have you got the Windows XP cd?
If no then attach your new Hard Disk to your old pc. (Of course, after formatting the new harddisk and creating partitions on it!) Now Copy the Windows XP, which is already installed on your old hard disk, ont the first Partition, which is generally C Drive.
Well, simply open the C Drive of your old hard disk and then Press CTRL+A to select all the contents of the C Drive and then open the First Partition of your new hard disk (here it will not be named as C because it is already in use) and then press CTRL+V to past all the contents of your C Drive onto this new Hard disk.
I think it will work!
2006-10-25 07:58:19 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Yes, the Dell disks are for that specific model of Dell. They will not work in anything else.
2006-10-25 07:52:48 · answer #3 · answered by Yoi_55 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Often those will not install on any machine that can not be detected to be a Dell machine. You will probably need to buy a new OS. The new OS will be supported by Microsoft instead of Dell anyway.
2006-10-25 07:53:47 · answer #4 · answered by Blunt Honesty 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
yes. They are restore disks not a separate disk saying that it is an operating system
2006-10-25 07:55:32 · answer #5 · answered by The gr8t alien 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
yes. you need to buy an actual OS. restoration disks will only restore on your dell
2006-10-25 07:52:50 · answer #6 · answered by weary_gamer 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
In all likelihood it would probably be to your advantage to do so. You'll probably have to re-build your startup register and and there may be some vendor/hardware considerations unless you have the means of doing full installation using the installation drivers of the old o/s. Otherwise, what you're trying to accomplish, although not impossible, would probably a headache of substantial proportion. And even after you got it up, you'll most likely have problems. Good louck
2006-10-25 08:03:44 · answer #7 · answered by el_tuxter 1 · 0⤊ 1⤋
some dell disks don't have drivers on them, go ahead and try it anyway can't hurt. if you need full version see below they have about the best price I've found
2006-10-25 08:01:15 · answer #8 · answered by zippo091 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
buy linux if u want to hack. stick with windows if you dont need anything special and get an apple comp. if you need the graphics stuff.
2006-10-25 07:53:52 · answer #9 · answered by Kri$ 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
yes you need to buy a new operating system, unless you want to run a version of linux which is a completely free operating system:
http://www.linux.org/dist/list.html
2006-10-25 07:53:07 · answer #10 · answered by piquet 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋