Dell needs help!

[Vitaliy]

Thanks for all the replies.
I think I got someone to lend me a disk, hopefully.

[Vitaliy]

I don't think that person came through... Can anyone else let me barrow a windows cd? I will get my friend to pay some money through pay pal for letting me barrow it.

[moon111]

Install Linux.

[Vitaliy]

More detail please.

[Luke122]

Why not try Linux? Its a good suggestion.. there are TONS of different builds out there, almost all free, and most are so easy/basic to use, that you would be hard pressed to find fault with them. Unless you need windows to run some specific software such as games or something (which CAN be done on Linux, but isnt always easy).

Linux Mint is a nice one, as is Ubuntu. If you want minimalist, Damn Small Linux is great (just under 50mb), or for pure bling, Sabayon.

All are free to download, though the file size can be a bit steep (up to 4.3gb DVD iso's) but most around around 700mb. Download, burn the disc, boot from the cd. The joy of these live disks is that if you dont like it, reboot, remove the disc, and you are back to what you had before.

When you are asking people to borrow their Windows cd, are they aware that you dont need their license key, or that doing so DOES NOT VOID THEIR WARRANTY OR THEIR LICENSE AGREEMENTS? They might think that giving you their CD will get them into trouble, or you'll steal their license or something. Make sure they know that you dont need their license, since you have one. Then they might be more willing to lend it to you.

[Vitaliy]

Thanks I might try the linux. But ya, I already have the license on the computer like you said, all i need is a cd to download from.


Just a question about linux, so it is pretty much like windows on a cd, and all you do is put it in and it will just run windows off that cd? so nothing is installed onto the computer. Just wondering because if im getting it right, i could burn him a cd like that and he can use the comp with the cd until i get a windows cd for him.

Anyways, ill try linux, but it would be helpful if anyone can lend me a cd.

edit: Alright, downloaded linux on a cd, but now there is a new problem. The dell has stopped trying to read disks! I press f12 to go into the menu, and when I press boot from cd, it now goes to the options for safemode. I remember it working before, but now idk what to do!

[nevermind1534]

Try a different boot CD, and see if that works.

[Vitaliy]

Doesn't seem to be reading it.

[Luke122]

Sounds like the disc wasnt burned correctly. If you open the disc on your computer you should be able to see tons of files.. if you only see one file (the ISO), then it was burned incorrectly, and that's the problem.

[nevermind1534]

Is boot from CD the first thing on the boot list when you go into the bios?