Dell Laptop User Thread

[botoguy]

is the new model using the same battery as the 6400?

 

[Diavonex]

Different batteries

Dell Inspiron 1520 (number 6)

Dell Inspiron 6400 (number 4)

 

[botoguy]

wow.. the battery cell size is smaller...

 

[cheong79]

Is 6400 oso a 15.4" screen?

 

[cybernick]

Is 6400 oso a 15.4" screen?

yes it is.

 

[Diavonex]

6 cell battery

Dell Inspiron 1520=56WHr

Dell Inspiron 6400=53WHr

 

[botoguy]

eh daconex, which one better?

 

[Diavonex]

eh daconex, which one better?

56 WHr is better that 53 WHr.

 

[plexxor]

My Dell Inspiron 640m is shipped with Windows Vista but the programs that I have been using still do not support Vista. I been planning to format the laptop then install back to XP.

Some questions:

1) Can the resource cd (drivers) and the mediadirect 3 cd be used on a XP machine?

2) What is the purpose of the recovery partition on the hard disk?

3) In terms of performance, does Vista have an edge over XP?

Thanks.

 

[Diavonex]

If you mess up your C: drive, you can use F8 (if I remember correctlyly) to recover your computer back to Factory Default using the Image in the Recovery Partition.

 

[Diavonex]

Before you install Windows XP, I suggest you use the trial version of Acronis True Image 10 to backup the complete drive to an external hard disk.

Also make the Acronis Rescue CD.

If you need to revert back to Vista, you can use the Rescue CD to restore every thing.

Note: A format of the drive will wipe away your Recovery Partition which is not replaceable.

 

[addict951]

Before you install Windows XP, I suggest you use the trial version of Acronis True Image 10 to backup the complete drive to an external hard disk.

Also make the Acronis Rescue CD.

If you need to revert back to Vista, you can use the Rescue CD to restore every thing.

Note: A format of the drive will wipe away your Recovery Partition which is not replaceable.

won't right?
Unless you go delete that 6Gb recovery partition.
If you just format the very big c: then only this partition is wiped mah.

 

[Diavonex]

won't right?
Unless you go delete that 6Gb recovery partition.
If you just format the very big c: then only this partition is wiped mah.

Once you backup the complete hard disk, you can wipe everything away and do whatever you like.

If you want to revert to Vista, you just do a full recovery (Utility, Windows Vista, MediaDirect and Recovery Partition).

 

[plexxor]

Ok my plan is to restore the system back to original using the recovery partition, then I use Acronis to create an image, before I format.

But then, does the image contain the recovery partition too so next time I can still use if I want?

How do u restore a system using image btw? Just burn image to cd and boot from cd?

 

[Diavonex]

PM me your email address and I'll send you 9 screen shots on how to backup the whole hard disk.

If you backup your whole hard disk, it should consist of the following EISA partition+Vista+MediaDirect (hidden)+Recovery Partition.

 

[Diavonex]

Ok my plan is to restore the system back to original using the recovery partition, then I use Acronis to create an image, before I format.

But then, does the image contain the recovery partition too so next time I can still use if I want?

How do u restore a system using image btw? Just burn image to cd and boot from cd?

Backup to external hard disk; don't use CD/DVD very, very slow.

 

[plexxor]

There are 4 partitions originally: FAT, OS, RECOVERY and MEDIADIRECT.

If I only format the OS and RECOVERY only, can the rest of the partitions still work?

The FAT partition is the one in which they installed the Dell Diagnostics is it?

 

[Diavonex]

I've not tried it this way; won't be able to confirm if it's okay.

 

[Diavonex]

You can see it better with Disk Management:

 

[plexxor]

If I try to experiment and leave the partitions with the diagnostic and mediadirect untouched, then I format the rest and install WinXP, will I be able to delete the partitions later once I realised that they are no use? Should not affect the system right?