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    media direct cd

    Discussion in 'Dell' started by Patty, Sep 28, 2008.

  1. Patty

    Patty Notebook Enthusiast

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    I am trying to do a reformat and clean install of Vista on my 1720. I read the sticky thread "Reformat and Bloatware Removal Guide". I have looked everywhere for a Media direct cd, and can't find it! I'm wondering if I ever received it??? Do they send this out automatically with a new system, or do you have to specify that you want it? (it's not on the drivers and utility's cd, is it?)


    Is there any other way to reformat my hard drive without the cd?

    Thank you!
    Patty
     
    Patty, Sep 28, 2008
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  2. steb

    steb Notebook Geek

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    you do not need it. If you want to install it later - you can download the app directly from dell's website.
     
    steb, Sep 29, 2008
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  3. Ganesh Ranganathan

    Ganesh Ranganathan Notebook Consultant

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    I got the disk from Dell Itself. It was brownish in colour. You can format your Hard drive from the Windows Vista Disk you would have got from Dell.
     
    Ganesh Ranganathan, Sep 29, 2008
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  4. Patty

    Patty Notebook Enthusiast

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    I was able to reinstall Vista, but it didn't reformat my hard drive. All of my old stuff is still on the drive. Total size of C is 220 GB, after reinstalling Vista, I now only have 36 GB left. I want to be able to wipe the drive clean, and can't figure out how to do this.

    Thank you
     
    Patty, Sep 29, 2008
    #4
  5. Ganesh Ranganathan

    Ganesh Ranganathan Notebook Consultant

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    A mere reinstallation of Vista wont format your Hard disk drive. What you should do is put your Vista Disk inside and turn off the computer. Then while restarting hit the F12 key continously. you will see a boot menu where you should select Internal CD/DVD drive. This will boot from the disk from the Vista Drive and will show you the setup menu.

    For the next steps see this link.... :)... you can take a print of this if you want.

    http://vistahomepremium.windowsreinstall.com/installnewhdd/installnewhdd.htm

    Now follow the screenshots in the link till you get to the " Where do you want to Install Windows" screen. In this screen you will probably see your C drive which has the maximum space, the D drive and some unallocated space. What you have to do is to click on the C drive and click on the "drive options (advanced)" link in the bottom left. This will give you some more options and one them is Format. Click on Format, and it will display a warning or ask for confirmation. Click Ok. Then it will format the drive and all data will be wiped out from the drive. After the format completes, make sure the C drive is highlighted and click on the Next button.

    The installation is mostly automated from that point on. Just keep clicking on Next and Ok and stuff...

    hope that helped... :)
     
    Ganesh Ranganathan, Sep 29, 2008
    #5