Can I use a recovery disc for a different computer?

Anonymous
2012-07-17T15:21:31+00:00

Hello 

I have two Dell computers (Dell Inspiron 5100 and a dell Demsion 4600) both (I believe) was bought in the same year both are still running today, however the dell inspiron 5100 runs to slow to get anything done and when I went looking for a recover disc I only found the dell drivers and program disc, ect but what did I not find? The Windows XP Home Edition operating system disc, but I found one for the Dell Deminsion 4600. So can I use a Dell Demsion 4600  Windows XP Reinstallation CD to restore a Dell Inspiron 5100?

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Anonymous
2012-07-17T18:51:19+00:00

You can restore your computer this way if you wish.

Save all your Documents to a external source of transfer them to the other computer first.

Then follow these instructions which are almost identical depending on the age of your computer.

Using Dell PC Restore by Symantec

NOTE: Dell PC Restore is available only on computers purchased in certain regions.

Use Dell PC Restore by Symantec only as the last method to restore your operating system. PC Restore

restores your hard drive to the operating state it was in when you purchased the computer. Any programs or

files added since you received your computer—including data files—are permanently deleted from the hard

drive. Data files include documents, spreadsheets, e-mail messages, digital photos, music files, and so on.

If possible, back up all data before using PC Restore.

NOTICE: Using PC Restore permanently deletes all data on the hard drive and removes any applications or drivers

installed after you received your computer. If possible, back up the data before using PC Restore.

To use PC Restore:

1 Turn on the computer.

During the boot process, a blue bar with www.dell.com appears at the top of the screen.

2 Immediately upon seeing the blue bar, press <Ctrl><F11>.

If you do not press <Ctrl><F11> in time, let the computer finish restarting, and then restart the

computer again.

NOTICE: If you do not want to proceed with PC Restore, click Reboot in the following step.

3 On the next screen that appears, click Restore.

4 On the next screen, click Confirm.

The restore process takes approximately 6–10 minutes to complete.

5 When prompted, click Finish to reboot the computer.

NOTE: Do not manually shut down the computer. Click Finish and let the computer completely reboot.

Dell PC Restore

Using PC Restore:

Turn on the computer.

During the boot process, a blue bar with www.dell.com appears at the top of the screen.

Immediately upon seeing the blue bar, press <Ctrl><F11>.

If you do not press <Ctrl><F11> in time, let the computer finish starting, and then restart the computer again.

  NOTICE: If you do not want to proceed with PC Restore, click Reboot.

Click Restore and click Confirm.

The restore process takes approximately 6 to 10 minutes to complete.

When prompted, click Finish to reboot the computer.

  NOTE: Do not manually shut down the computer. Click Finish and let the computer completely reboot.

When prompted, click Yes.

The computer restarts. Because the computer is restored to its original operating state, the screens that appear, such as the End User License Agreement, are the same ones that appeared the first time the computer was turned on.

Click Next.

The System Restore screen appears and the computer restarts.

After the computer restarts, click OK.

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  1. Anonymous
    2012-07-18T01:19:26+00:00

    If you would like to see who edited your post click in this case July 17 2012 at the top of your post it will show when you created it when someone edited it, ect, ect.

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  2. Anonymous
    2012-07-18T00:58:04+00:00

    I suggest you call Dell and get a little more informed.

    You are being shown much misinformation.

    You may or may not be able to do it, all you have to do is ask Dell.

    As for the person who changed my post, you are disgusting, this is a free forum and what I said did not break the rules. Even if I broke the rules you can remove the part which broke the rules but you have no right to change my words or add words I did not write as if I wrote them.

    Very easy to figure out who you are.

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  3. Anonymous
    2012-07-18T00:55:21+00:00

    Then you should call Microsoft  and call should call Dell and as a Paying or paid customer with a legitimate machine ask them what are they going to do about it.

    It is up to them and it is their job to make it right.  Their problem resolution succeeds or it fails

    Then, We can work on slowness (this is easy).

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  4. Anonymous
    2012-07-18T00:42:10+00:00

    Yes I do have the dell DRIVERS AND PROGRAMS disc just not the Windows XP disc

    Not sure who that was intended to reply to but, I will re-iterate. If you use a recovery disc that was intended for a different computer you very well may end up with a big paper weight. Even if you have the correct driver disc. The other disc contains drivers NOT intended for the computer in question.

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