https://www.dell.com/support/home/uk/en/ukbsdt1/drivers/osiso/recoverytool

1 hour ago, Aspman said:

https://www.dell.com/support/home/uk/en/ukbsdt1/drivers/osiso/recoverytool

Ta very muchly. I started jumping through hoops on the Dell website last night, but it got a bit late and I’m now not around for a couple of days. Will be back on to it towards the end of the week.

 

Gaz

Well I've got both 32 and 64 bit images on a USB flash drive (Cheers Bod!).

 

And I've now jumped through every hoop on the Dell website, without success and only arriving consistently at the point of having to contact them for out of warranty support.

 

I can get as far as Repair options, but when I select this, it just goes to a black screen.  Left it on overnight again just in case it needed time, but there was no change by the morning.

 

I can get it to 'Starting Windows', but that's where it stops: at a black screen, with just those two words on it, with the HDD LED doing a single blink every six seconds.

 

Not looking hopeful.  Darn 

 

Thanks for all your help and input chaps 

 

Gaz

Edited 23 September, 20187 yr by V6TDI

Can you access the BIOS setup screen on the machine to see if it is actually detecting the hard drive, and that it see's it as the size of the actual drive rather than a confused mess of odd cluster counts?.

 

The low flash count would tend to suggest the drive is not spinning up for some reason, maybe the read head has got stuck somewhere on the drive?.

Think you're right Phil.  I can't hear any spinning HD or the usual I'm-busy-doing-something sounds you'd expect to hear.  There's also now no cursor movement, so any navigation is limited.

 

I ordered an SSD yesterday and will swap it out to see if that'll give it  new lease of life.  Time will tell.

 

It's quite interesting tinkering, though quite time consuming.  Rattling around the Dell website was like wading through treacle.  I suppose it was helpful in making sure i'd at least tried, even though the outcome wasn't particularly productive.

 

Gaz

On 23/09/2018 at 11:48, V6TDI said:

 

It's quite interesting tinkering, though quite time consuming.  Rattling around the Dell website was like wading through treacle.  I suppose it was helpful in making sure i'd at least tried, even though the outcome wasn't particularly productive.

 

Gaz

 

they've made sooo many bits of kit over the years their sites must be drowning with specs and notes

Hi,

 

do you have the Dell asset code, this is the bit that lets you get things off the site, PM me and I will see what I can get for you. It is usually 7 characters.

 

John

New SSD arrived today, installed and the laptop knows it's there:

 

 

Installing Windows is next on the agenda.

 

Gaz 

Edited 26 September, 20187 yr by V6TDI

DVD will be on its way soon

 

John

Oh my word!

 

I'm merrily bobbing along, installing Windows and have got here:

 

 

Which is great, but until Windows is installed, I can't use the trackpad, or keyboard, to hit the 'Next' button.

 

I can apparently do this with an ordinary USB Mouse and and ordinary USB Keyboard.  Which I of course don't own 

 

It seems like lots of people on the interwebnet have experienced exactly the same problem.

 

And we talk about Skoda being simply clever!

 

Off out now to see if any neighbours possess a Mouse I can borrow to facilitate the requisite click!

 

Gaz

 

Edited 27 September, 20187 yr by V6TDI

Can you not use the tab key to move the highlight round the screen until you set the correct options with the up and down arrows, then tab to the enter key?. Windows usually allows basic keyboard funtions until you get the full options after install.

Edited 27 September, 20187 yr by kentphil1

4 minutes ago, kentphil1 said:

Can you not use the tab key to move the highlight round the screen until you set the correct options with the up and down arrows, then tab to the enter key?. Windows usually allows basic keyboard funtions until you get the full options after install.

It being a dell, it doesnt shock me.. the trackpad and keyboard drivers are probably part of the "Dell" installer version disc...

24 minutes ago, kentphil1 said:

Can you not use the tab key to move the highlight round the screen until you set the correct options with the up and down arrows, then tab to the enter key?. Windows usually allows basic keyboard funtions until you get the full options after install.

 

Nope.  Tried all that and nothing doing 

 

Will probably take it to work tomorrow where we have meeces and keyboards in abundance.

 

G

Sounds like a plan

Progress report:

 

 

Glad to see we have progress, once it is all loaded up it will have a few updates to do, and then the big update to 1803.

 

John

 

 

 

Stopped at 21%. Lunch break over now too, so on hold til home time.

 

Gaz

Edited 28 September, 20187 yr by V6TDI

Strange, I tested the DVD fully and did an install from it before I sent it to you, it may be that the laptop DVD drive may have a problem.

 

John

3 hours ago, jjc said:

Strange, I tested the DVD fully and did an install from it before I sent it to you, it may be that the laptop DVD drive may have a problem.

 

John

 

Thanks John, that'd be just my luck!

 

Might it work if I copy the entire DVD to a USB flash drive and then used the USB instead?

 

It's a real case of so close, yet so far....

 

I've just got home, so I'll give it another go from scratch first.

 

Gaz

Update, it's only gone and done it 

 

Didn't stop, no hesitation and just like it should've done first time.

 

Windows now fully installed and working.  The trackpad isn't, so I'll open it back up in case I've dislodged something.

 

Next step to install MS Office, which I've got an OEM disk of.

 

Typically we're babysitting tonight, so I might leave having 16 tiny screws on the table until the house is a kid-free zone.

 

Looking good though.

 

Gaz

Before you open it back up, make sure you have a driver installed for it in device manager, as you may not. It might just be a case of getting the correct driver as a download from the Dell support website.

Think I may have found the problem with the touchpad :

 

Looks fiddly!

 

Gaz

Edited 30 September, 20187 yr by V6TDI

Checking with an inspection mirror - tiny black locking tab open:

 

 

Much fiddling and use of long-reach tweezers and Mrs V6TDI's small and nimble handsies:

 

 

Think that might've got it:

 

 

Laptop now running diagnostics, so having to be patient about if the touchpad works yet.  Patience isn't one of my virtues 

 

Gaz

 

Edited 30 September, 20187 yr by V6TDI

Hey everyone, it's me, Gaz  (PC Gaz, not MBP Gaz)

 

How do I look in this fully functioning Dell laptop, with SSD HD and swish working touchpad, running Windows 10? 

 

Just a word of thanks to everyone for the comments, hints, links and help.  All very much appreciated 

 

Gaz

Glad it is a good outcome, enjoy

 

John