My DELL laptop crashed and I lost Recovery DVD...What should I do?

Question

I've recently purchased DELL Inspiron N5040 Black before leaving the UK. I lost the Windows recovery DVD. Unfortunately, when it crashed, a technician in Egypt helped me by installing a new windows 7 version. The problem is that the drivers became incompatible with this new version, and therefore, I can't use Bluetooth or wireless, for example. I'd like to re-install the original version that came with the machine, but I can't find it. Pressing F8 doesn't help (as it seems to me) in getting back the original Windows, even when I continuously press it at start-up. Will DELL send me a new recovery desk? Is there a way at all to find the original recovery data on harddisk? Does installing a different version of Windows 7 automatically delete/overwrite the original windows files? I don't know what I should do. My laptop is still under warranty, and therefore, I'd like to know if DELL can send me a new recovery DVD or at least someone could kindly guide me into how I can locate the original Windows version in my laptop after it crashed. This laptop information is as follows: DELL Model: INSPIRON N5040, Model number: 5040-6078.

Answer 1

You have not said what your previous O/S was but suspect it was win 7 64bit.

First just installing a win 7 should not have destroyed your recovery software on the hard disk.

These days a hard drive comes with at least two partitions And will be seen as two separate drives "C" and possibly "D". So when the new system went on only "C" would have been formatted.

The recovery software is usually with most manufactures is in a hidden partition for security.

The recovery routine is on your laptop entered by pressing F8 several times after the Dell logo has disappeared in some cases but not in all. I refer you to this Dell web page under method 2

http://support.dell.com/support/topics/global.aspx/support/kcs/document?c=us&l=en&s=gen&docid=DSN_362029&isLegacy=true



As for the operating system you have on now. ref to this web page for all the drivers,particularly under network for your problem.

http://www.dell.com/support/drivers/us/en/19

you will have to decide which hardware you have.

As you are the legal owner of you O/S licence you can apply to dell for a copy of your recovery on disk. You will have to prove you are the registered owner there will be a charge but that depends on Dell.

If you want further help contact me and if I can I will do



If you go for the recovery you will loose all you own data on the "C" drive so backup what you do not want to loose

Answer 2

Dell Recovery Dvd

Answer 3

If he installed Windows 7 over everything else, then you are out of luck. This would've meant that he formatted your hard drive and installed Windows 7 over it. Why the drivers wouldn't work, I'm not sure. Updating your computer might help you. Go to the start menu and search "Windows Update". Here it will tell you if there are any updates available for your computer. This might resolve your driver issues. Otherwise you'd have to search for the drivers on google and test your luck there. Good luck! I hope I helped!

Answer 4

Dell will send you a new recovery disk.. For a price. Other than that if the F8 on reboot doesnt work, I'm pretty sure that is your only option. Besides calling and talking to a tech.

Answer 5

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