How to format my M11X R2 with no CD-Drive?

Is it possible? I have another computer with CD-Drive connected to the same network but I don't know if that helps anything. I have the Alienware CD but is it even possible to format my system? If so how?

 

Do you have a 4 GB thumb drive? if so, you can copy the files of the CD to it and boot off of it. I'm not sure of the exact details, but you can do it.

 

As far as I know you would either need an external CD/DVD drive or you would need to make a bootable image on an external thumb/hard drive.

 

there is the windows 7 usb tool you can use to do it very easy to do can use a usb drive or a sd card at least 4gb in size. if you need the tool i can email you the original version of it they changed it later to be less helpfull

 

I actually was using that tool and then somehow it got deleted... when I went back to Microsoft the tool no longer exists...

I did some research and apprently Microsoft stole the source code for that particular "create a bootable usb tool" so they were forced to remove it or pay copyright duties. Kind of funny
The only way to get it is to find a mirror of it on Google or as you said have someone with it already e-mail it.

Or if you are feeling very savy you can use diskpart in the command prompt... follow this youtube video step-by-step
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=98xlSjTyCaQ
format using ntfs (not fat32 like in the video)

 

Can yo boot from SD??

 

the original version is only 946k the modified one is 2.59mb you want to use the smaller of the 2. I forget what but they watered down the other on.

 

sd in a usb card reader yes. not sure about the onboard sd reader. dont have my M11x yet to try that.

 

Oh ok,I dont think you can do it from the onboard..I tried.I could be missing something but it wasnt selectable from the BIOS.

 

Would you care to email that program to me? Thanks

 

i'll make everyones life easier... use this

WinToFlash - Install Windows From USB - Download Page

its a program thats turns ur usb drive into a bootable windows drive.

All you need is to have the windows CD already extracted onto a folder on your desktop and then when the program is ready, select the folder where you extracted windows you boom.. it should be ready in 10 minutes.

 

the microsoft one is easier to use im gonna host it ill post up the link

 

try this Downloads - Windows Live

 

First thanks for the all replies! You really helped me all. I've downloaded the program and I have a 8GB USB Stick. Do I need to copy all the files from the cd on the USB stick or something?

 

plug in drive run program point it to your cd drive or windows image hit usb wait and you done that easy.

 

It says choose ISO File. Do I need to make the the files from the CD into one ISO file or?

 

yeah just use imageburn , i forgot i keep iso's of all my OS's on my server. cd's get scratched and lost.

 

I get a message that it's not a valid ISO File using your program. I used ImageBurn to make it into an ISO file

 

dont rip the iso at top speed not all burners are equal i use high end plextor drives. slow the rip down for better reliability.

 

Even at 2x speed I still get an error

 

if it isnt working try these link these are legit from microsoft you use your key with the proper iso. just dl the version you have. Download Windows 7 ISO (Official 32-bit and 64-bit Direct Download Links) My Digital Life

there is more to making an iso but until i remember try that i did this a while back. this is why i keep a backup of my backups since my brain apparently has no backup. Gotta love the lasting effects of a stroke.

I did verify these isos against my own they are good and work with the usb tool. the links are the same as you would use when you buy software from MS key only like office and such.

 

How to create a Windows Vista / 7 installation disc using ImgBurn - ImgBurn Support Forum

 

OK use this ISO Recorder v3 then use the usb tool i shared earlier and that it your done once installed you browse to you windows dvd right click then create image from cd or dvd let it run and done.





then use this http://cid-26b5af07b8ad9f3b.office.live.com/browse.aspx/Downloads

 

OK I got it to work! Now one last question. Windows is telling me I have 3 partitions on my HD.
Partition 1 - 39 MB - type: OEM (Reserved)
Partition 2 - Recovery 14.6GB - type: system
Partition 3 - OS - 283.4GB - type: primary

Should I delete them all? Or format? Cuz I watched a youtube vid and he told me to press delete

 

Anyone please?

 

i would delete because you really don't need the recovery partition at all. you cannot get rid of that 39mb partition because if you right-clicked it in computer management there's no option to delete that partition nor to even format it.

deleting will only remove the OS and recovery drives (leaving you with the OEM partition and the rest of the HDD), format will just format that partition.

so delete it all and start over!

 

with a clean install you will have the small diagnostic partition and the main one that all you just delete all and start over best way to do it.

 

Okay I've succesfully formatted my M11X r2 but Iv encountered with my first problem. Probably more to come the first one is that my Wireless Networkcard isnt working. I have no acces to internet unless I plugged in the internet cable but I must have wireless internet connection too. How can I fix that?

 

If you deleted the OEM reserve I am pretty sure you cannot use AlienRespawn again (if you want that)

And regarding the wireless issue... Install the drivers from Dell's website if you haven't already.

 

You need to dl and install all the drivers from dell support site. to make sure your have all you devices installed also do all your system updates and secure your machine before you install anything else. this is all standard system install procedure.

 

This is really weird. About a month ago I checked for any new drivers and I had like 20 different drivers. Including video drivers etc when I check it now I only have 5 drivers

http://img10.imageshack.us/f/driversg.png/

 

the wireless driver you need is listed in the R1 drivers they use the same one

 

do you still have the install discs?

 

Get the video driver from Nvidia

 

Iv installed and downloaded every Network Driver from the site and still it aint working. Whats the exact driver?

When I downloaded and extracted the drivers 2 out of 4 didnt even showed a Setup or something it just got extracted dont know if thats normal

 

Drivers and Downloads

 

Thank you had it to work before you posted this haha and is there a way to get the alienware screen back when you log in to windows? The one with red in it

 

There was a thread with info on how to do it. I will edit this post if I find it.

Here you go. http://forum.notebookreview.com/ali...ook-feel-after-clean-install-windows-7-a.html

 

Thank you !

 

Here is the guide I used to make my windows 7 usb key

 

thats too much work

 

No reason to do bootsect. When you copy over all the files from the DVD it will boot just fine.

 

When you reinstall Windows 7 will it automatically reformatt my entire hard drive?

 

if you tell it to it will.