Q. My Dell Inspiron 8100 is acting up. It reads dvd's and no music cd's or data cd-roms. So I did some research and downloaded driver updates including firmware, bios, virus scans, etc. and nothing works. So my next step is to start fresh and reimage it to factory settings but I can't use my cd/dvd drive since it only reads dvd's. So I can't use my recovery cd's that the laptop came with. Which brings me back to my question. How do I return everything to factory/original settings without having to use a data cd-rom. I can't afford to take it to a repair shop and my warranty is long expired. Please help.
Dell Inspiron 8100 Laptop, Windows XP, SP2, cd-r/dvd, Pentium 3, Toshiba C2502, cd-r/dvd drive, diskette.
Sorry, forgot to mention that I already did the sytem restore step, but my laptop wont let me. I click on system restore and a blank window opens.
Dell Inspiron 8100 Laptop, Windows XP, SP2, cd-r/dvd, Pentium 3, Toshiba C2502, cd-r/dvd drive, diskette.
Sorry, forgot to mention that I already did the sytem restore step, but my laptop wont let me. I click on system restore and a blank window opens.
A. I think the two most likely possibilities are a physically damaged cd/dvd drive or damaged or corrupt system files controlling the drive. First thing I'd try is a diagnostic scan to see if any problem areas involving the cd/dvd drive can be detected. Dell has a couple of free utilities on their support site (tech support tools tab):
http://support.dell.com/support/topics/global.aspx/support/product_support/en/product_support_central?c=us&l=en&s=gen
And there's another free utility from Belarc Advisor:
http://www.belarc.com/free_download.html
Some Inspiron computers shipped with a special restore feature. Your Inspiron might be so configured. This article gives instructions on how to access the restore feature:
http://support.dell.com/support/topics/global.aspx/support/dsn/en/document?c=us&dl=true&docid=DC47E7957E35BBC0E030A68F27280D16&journalid=9AF9A7226EC411DC80D94DDA4FEC1C21&l=en&s=gen
If all else fails and nothing gets the drive to work, my only other suggestion is to buy a USB external cd drive. I've seen readers for about $10. and that should let you use your restore CDs:
http://cgi.ebay.com/NEW-Black-USB-Slim-External-PC-Notebook-CD-ROM-Drive_W0QQitemZ250170588011QQihZ015QQcategoryZ80198QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
wwbgd
http://support.dell.com/support/topics/global.aspx/support/product_support/en/product_support_central?c=us&l=en&s=gen
And there's another free utility from Belarc Advisor:
http://www.belarc.com/free_download.html
Some Inspiron computers shipped with a special restore feature. Your Inspiron might be so configured. This article gives instructions on how to access the restore feature:
http://support.dell.com/support/topics/global.aspx/support/dsn/en/document?c=us&dl=true&docid=DC47E7957E35BBC0E030A68F27280D16&journalid=9AF9A7226EC411DC80D94DDA4FEC1C21&l=en&s=gen
If all else fails and nothing gets the drive to work, my only other suggestion is to buy a USB external cd drive. I've seen readers for about $10. and that should let you use your restore CDs:
http://cgi.ebay.com/NEW-Black-USB-Slim-External-PC-Notebook-CD-ROM-Drive_W0QQitemZ250170588011QQihZ015QQcategoryZ80198QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
wwbgd
How can i make recovery disc to my laptop or my desktop pc?
Q. hi guys
How can i make bootable recovery cd or dvd disc my laptop or my desktop pc which includes my c: drive my factory setting my drivers and software and my complete window all complete setup.
is that possible so pls tell me it will very helpful for me.
i have norton ghost 14 but i can't make recovery disc.
pls tell me complete solution for that. urgent
thanks in advance.
How can i make bootable recovery cd or dvd disc my laptop or my desktop pc which includes my c: drive my factory setting my drivers and software and my complete window all complete setup.
is that possible so pls tell me it will very helpful for me.
i have norton ghost 14 but i can't make recovery disc.
pls tell me complete solution for that. urgent
thanks in advance.
A. First, what kind of computer do you have - Dell and HP have on their websites instructions on how to make recovery disks that will reinstall the computer's original software as the factory did it.
I don't have Norton Ghost running - I use Acronis True Image - but I assume the Norton Ghost software can be booted from the CD, so that the Windows software does not load.
From this boot, you should be able to make a set of disks that contain the image of your drive - for any computer. When it becomes necessary to reinstall the image, you boot with the Ghost CD and follow the screens to get the data from the image disks back onto your computer.
Wish I could help you more.
.
I don't have Norton Ghost running - I use Acronis True Image - but I assume the Norton Ghost software can be booted from the CD, so that the Windows software does not load.
From this boot, you should be able to make a set of disks that contain the image of your drive - for any computer. When it becomes necessary to reinstall the image, you boot with the Ghost CD and follow the screens to get the data from the image disks back onto your computer.
Wish I could help you more.
.
Are there any good data recovery programs for Ubuntu?
Q. I'm able to see that my computer recognizes that the drive is plugged in, but Windows can't see it, nor can any data recovery programs for Vista, so Ubuntu is my only other option.
I'm able to see that my computer recognizes that the drive is plugged in through the BIOS, but Windows can't see it, nor can any data recovery programs for Vista, so Ubuntu is my only other option.
I'm able to see that my computer recognizes that the drive is plugged in through the BIOS, but Windows can't see it, nor can any data recovery programs for Vista, so Ubuntu is my only other option.
A. Ubuntu is not necessarily your only other option. There is also a Linux Live CD called Knoppix which is superficially similar to Kubuntu, but is nobable for the technical tools installed -- it was originally created by a computer consultant named Klaus Knopper for his own personal use as a desktop when working on client's computers.
I want to suggest you spend some money. Roughly $40 US. Barnes and Noble, the last time I went in there (anywhere) had Kyle Rankin's Knoppix hacks, which includes a copy of the CD in the back and is thorough about how to use the tools on it for things like doing backups. The oldest way would be using programs like Tar you can create an archive you can write to removable media (I once backed up two Gigabytes onto floppies). The reason I don't recommend doing some research into tools for Ubuntu is, unfortunately, that because it is for people who don't know much about computers, it doesn't have some basic tools which even moderately difficult programs like Fedora have. I don't use Ubuntu much and when I do I tend to install what I need on the fly using the command line and apt, so I can't tell you what it does have.
Kyle Rankin's book is really more useful than most of the software out there. I recommend it highly as a way to get what you want done.
You can get Knoppix without buying it, and get more information at:
http://www.knoppix.com
I want to suggest you spend some money. Roughly $40 US. Barnes and Noble, the last time I went in there (anywhere) had Kyle Rankin's Knoppix hacks, which includes a copy of the CD in the back and is thorough about how to use the tools on it for things like doing backups. The oldest way would be using programs like Tar you can create an archive you can write to removable media (I once backed up two Gigabytes onto floppies). The reason I don't recommend doing some research into tools for Ubuntu is, unfortunately, that because it is for people who don't know much about computers, it doesn't have some basic tools which even moderately difficult programs like Fedora have. I don't use Ubuntu much and when I do I tend to install what I need on the fly using the command line and apt, so I can't tell you what it does have.
Kyle Rankin's book is really more useful than most of the software out there. I recommend it highly as a way to get what you want done.
You can get Knoppix without buying it, and get more information at:
http://www.knoppix.com
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