Comments on: Dell no longer ships WinXP CD’s with laptops? http://www.terminally-incoherent.com/blog/2005/07/07/dell-no-longer-ships-winxp-cds-with-laptops/ Utterly random, incoherent and disjointed rants and ramblings... Fri, 05 Dec 2008 12:18:27 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.5 by: Luke http://www.terminally-incoherent.com/blog/2005/07/07/dell-no-longer-ships-winxp-cds-with-laptops/#comment-4798 Sat, 16 Jun 2007 00:28:15 +0000 http://www.terminally-incoherent.com/blog/2005/07/07/dell-no-longer-ships-winxp-cds-with-laptops/#comment-4798 Mike, there might be many reasons for this. I would do the usual troubleshooting: - make sure speakers are on and plugged in (yes, unplug them and plug them back in) - make sure you didn't mute it - make sure no 3rd party software muted it (some software may - make sure that the sound card appears in the device manager - uninstall the sound card via device manager and then scan for hardware changes and let the system re-discover and install it - download and install the latest sound card drivers from Dell's website - if your sound card is not built into the mobo make sure your card is seated properly - if necessary remove it, and re-set it - boot the system into the diagnostic partition and run extended tests on the sound system If none of that works it might mean your sound card is fried. I would highly recommend calling the Dell tech support with this issue. They most likely will walk you through the above steps and perhaps some other ones. Btw, if the machine is still on warranty don't open it and start messing around inside - that's an easy way to void your warranty. Call them first. Mike, there might be many reasons for this. I would do the usual troubleshooting:

- make sure speakers are on and plugged in (yes, unplug them and plug them back in)
- make sure you didn’t mute it
- make sure no 3rd party software muted it (some software may
- make sure that the sound card appears in the device manager
- uninstall the sound card via device manager and then scan for hardware changes and let the system re-discover and install it
- download and install the latest sound card drivers from Dell’s website
- if your sound card is not built into the mobo make sure your card is seated properly
- if necessary remove it, and re-set it
- boot the system into the diagnostic partition and run extended tests on the sound system

If none of that works it might mean your sound card is fried.

I would highly recommend calling the Dell tech support with this issue. They most likely will walk you through the above steps and perhaps some other ones.

Btw, if the machine is still on warranty don’t open it and start messing around inside - that’s an easy way to void your warranty. Call them first.

]]> by: mike http://www.terminally-incoherent.com/blog/2005/07/07/dell-no-longer-ships-winxp-cds-with-laptops/#comment-4797 Fri, 15 Jun 2007 23:41:56 +0000 http://www.terminally-incoherent.com/blog/2005/07/07/dell-no-longer-ships-winxp-cds-with-laptops/#comment-4797 i do not have any sound from my dell dimension e510.i have windows xp home media edition.my computer savvy is limited somewhat.any help on this problem would be appreciated. i do not have any sound from my dell dimension e510.i have windows xp home media edition.my computer savvy is limited somewhat.any help on this problem would be appreciated.

]]> by: Luke http://www.terminally-incoherent.com/blog/2005/07/07/dell-no-longer-ships-winxp-cds-with-laptops/#comment-831 Tue, 22 Aug 2006 23:04:43 +0000 http://www.terminally-incoherent.com/blog/2005/07/07/dell-no-longer-ships-winxp-cds-with-laptops/#comment-831 Yeah, put big HD in the old desktop, and create a share. Mount the share as a network drive on the laptop and then use it as destination drive for ntbackup or whatever you are using. Heh, this actually gives me an idea. I could build a backup server for my household. :) Yeah, put big HD in the old desktop, and create a share. Mount the share as a network drive on the laptop and then use it as destination drive for ntbackup or whatever you are using.

Heh, this actually gives me an idea. I could build a backup server for my household. )

]]> by: Matt http://www.terminally-incoherent.com/blog/2005/07/07/dell-no-longer-ships-winxp-cds-with-laptops/#comment-830 Tue, 22 Aug 2006 21:51:44 +0000 http://www.terminally-incoherent.com/blog/2005/07/07/dell-no-longer-ships-winxp-cds-with-laptops/#comment-830 yeah, I know I should but Im just really lazy hehe... Only problem with getting a second internal is that Im using a laptop, not a lot of options there, an external one would solve the problems or maybe putting one in the (ancient) desktop and sharing it over a network to keep the majority of my files on Im sort of meaning to get a new desktop as well, maybe build it from scratch (always wanted to do that) so I could get a big-ass hard drive then partition it or put the OS on the old one from the current desktop (only 12 gb but more than enough for windows) wow.. lots of brackets in that reply, I guess Im not thinking in straight lines right now :P yeah, I know I should but Im just really lazy hehe…

Only problem with getting a second internal is that Im using a laptop, not a lot of options there, an external one would solve the problems

or maybe putting one in the (ancient) desktop and sharing it over a network to keep the majority of my files on

Im sort of meaning to get a new desktop as well, maybe build it from scratch (always wanted to do that) so I could get a big-ass hard drive then partition it or put the OS on the old one from the current desktop (only 12 gb but more than enough for windows)

wow.. lots of brackets in that reply, I guess Im not thinking in straight lines right now P

]]> by: Luke http://www.terminally-incoherent.com/blog/2005/07/07/dell-no-longer-ships-winxp-cds-with-laptops/#comment-829 Tue, 22 Aug 2006 21:32:35 +0000 http://www.terminally-incoherent.com/blog/2005/07/07/dell-no-longer-ships-winxp-cds-with-laptops/#comment-829 Buy a secondary hard drive. A decent sized internal piece will cost you under $100. Keep your data on one HD, and the OS/Apps on the other. If shit hits the fan, roll back the OS without touching data. If you do have a large HD you can achieve the same thing with partitioning. For redundancy I would recomend external USB/Firewire drives. You should have two. Do a weekly backup of your data, and rotate the drives each weak. It would be really a freak accident if 3 of your drives would die on the same day. In worst case (primary data drive dies, and your recent backup goes to shit) you end up with a two week old backup. The downside of CD/DVD is that it is really hard to do unattended backups with them. Buy a secondary hard drive. A decent sized internal piece will cost you under $100. Keep your data on one HD, and the OS/Apps on the other. If shit hits the fan, roll back the OS without touching data.

If you do have a large HD you can achieve the same thing with partitioning.

For redundancy I would recomend external USB/Firewire drives. You should have two. Do a weekly backup of your data, and rotate the drives each weak. It would be really a freak accident if 3 of your drives would die on the same day. In worst case (primary data drive dies, and your recent backup goes to shit) you end up with a two week old backup.

The downside of CD/DVD is that it is really hard to do unattended backups with them.

]]> by: Matt http://www.terminally-incoherent.com/blog/2005/07/07/dell-no-longer-ships-winxp-cds-with-laptops/#comment-827 Tue, 22 Aug 2006 20:30:50 +0000 http://www.terminally-incoherent.com/blog/2005/07/07/dell-no-longer-ships-winxp-cds-with-laptops/#comment-827 Thanks, found it (Start > All Programs > Dell Accessories > Dell OS Recovery CD) Im really bad at making backups at everything, sooner or later Im going to get infected with the latest day-spoiling piece of virus crap and itll all come tumbling down :( I dont really have anywhere to put a backup though.. I dont have other hard drives or tape drives or anything, maybe I'll find a free file-storage site or something Thanks, found it
(Start > All Programs > Dell Accessories > Dell OS Recovery CD)

Im really bad at making backups at everything, sooner or later Im going to get infected with the latest day-spoiling piece of virus crap and itll all come tumbling down (

I dont really have anywhere to put a backup though.. I dont have other hard drives or tape drives or anything, maybe I’ll find a free file-storage site or something

]]> by: Luke http://www.terminally-incoherent.com/blog/2005/07/07/dell-no-longer-ships-winxp-cds-with-laptops/#comment-807 Tue, 22 Aug 2006 04:29:28 +0000 http://www.terminally-incoherent.com/blog/2005/07/07/dell-no-longer-ships-winxp-cds-with-laptops/#comment-807 I think it is located under Start->All Programs->Dell Utilities or something like that. I don't remember exactly at the moment. It is a one-use only application though. If you can't find it, call Dell tech support and they will send you a OEM windows CD. I think it is located under Start->All Programs->Dell Utilities or something like that. I don’t remember exactly at the moment.

It is a one-use only application though. If you can’t find it, call Dell tech support and they will send you a OEM windows CD.

]]> by: Matt http://www.terminally-incoherent.com/blog/2005/07/07/dell-no-longer-ships-winxp-cds-with-laptops/#comment-806 Tue, 22 Aug 2006 04:21:15 +0000 http://www.terminally-incoherent.com/blog/2005/07/07/dell-no-longer-ships-winxp-cds-with-laptops/#comment-806 "Fortunately dell now bundles an app which will build and burn a complete Dell OEM WinXP cd for you" Which application and where do I find it? I'm not completely ignorant of computer stuff but the more basic you can make the explanation the better ;) “Fortunately dell now bundles an app which will build and burn a complete Dell OEM WinXP cd for you”

Which application and where do I find it? I’m not completely ignorant of computer stuff but the more basic you can make the explanation the better )

]]> by: Luke http://www.terminally-incoherent.com/blog/2005/07/07/dell-no-longer-ships-winxp-cds-with-laptops/#comment-6 Sun, 10 Jul 2005 05:06:00 +0000 http://www.terminally-incoherent.com/blog/2005/07/07/dell-no-longer-ships-winxp-cds-with-laptops/#comment-6 Yeah, I think you are right... I had an issue with one of the laptops, and after they told me to reimage it 2 times from the backup partition, and it wouldnt help, they decided to send me the CD's. Still, this is an unnecessary delay. As I told the tech on the phone - this is simply not practical. It will double the time they keep the problem case open, and they will end up paying more for postage. On the other hand though, maybe this is a good thing. If you loose or damage your burned CD they might now be more willing to send you a replacement. Yeah, I think you are right… I had an issue with one of the laptops, and after they told me to reimage it 2 times from the backup partition, and it wouldnt help, they decided to send me the CD’s.

Still, this is an unnecessary delay. As I told the tech on the phone - this is simply not practical. It will double the time they keep the problem case open, and they will end up paying more for postage.

On the other hand though, maybe this is a good thing. If you loose or damage your burned CD they might now be more willing to send you a replacement.

]]> by: Anonymous http://www.terminally-incoherent.com/blog/2005/07/07/dell-no-longer-ships-winxp-cds-with-laptops/#comment-5 Sat, 09 Jul 2005 11:58:00 +0000 http://www.terminally-incoherent.com/blog/2005/07/07/dell-no-longer-ships-winxp-cds-with-laptops/#comment-5 They will send you a CD if you contact them. It might take a few replies (to get past their automated 'support' system), but they'll eventually send it. I got shipped a Dimension desktop configured without a CD-RW, so I sent an e-mail explaining that it wouldn't be possible to burn a backup copy. I received the CD the next day. No problem. They will send you a CD if you contact them. It might take a few replies (to get past their automated ’support’ system), but they’ll eventually send it. I got shipped a Dimension desktop configured without a CD-RW, so I sent an e-mail explaining that it wouldn’t be possible to burn a backup copy. I received the CD the next day. No problem.

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