Dell M6300 Win XP Pro reinstall with USB device (how to?), CD drive broken..

Hi, i am new to the forum,

I have a Dell Precision M6300 since 2 years now, just recently splurged to buy a decent 3D software to work with it, 3 months ago i got hit by a very nasty group of viruses that proved impossible to remove after over 2 months of efforts and over a dozen of virus removal tools on a malware removal forum. So i decided to reinstall Windows XP Pro. Some people might think this is already an "old" model, but i love this machine dearly as it is very strong and have always crunshed through everything i threw at it with great ease, plus it's got superb video quality (something the M4500's i was reading about when i bought my computer do not have), and i got it for a price that was impossible to beat (and one i could afford, because i needed the pro-level graphic card for CAD).

My problems are: my machine did not come with any Windows CD when i purchased it (it is a refurbished computer), nor any Dell CD for drivers.

2nd problem, my DVD burner-reader conked out a couple months after i bought the computer after a session of some 30 CDs and one DVD. I had to dismantle both the computer and the Sony DVD reader to remove the DVD that refused to come out. Got everything back together nicely. Since then i only get a green flashing light and the driver refused to open. The computer detects the drive and declares that it does not have a problem, even though it obviously does as it no longer works. I tried a few online fixes i found on forums to no avail.

So i have learned it is possible to create something called an "image" or an ISO (whichever it is) of Windows XP Pro and put it on a USB device so i can install it again on my computer (after reformatting the HD first to get rid of the virus). I am sorry for asking as i am a total novice when it comes to reinstalling, and more so doing this from as out of the ordinary option such as the USB key method. I don<t really know how to proceed, do i have to ask Windows for a new copy of my XP Pro or to purchase a disk (?)(hopefully i don't have to purchase something, because i already have XP Pro on my computer, i don't understand why the dealer didn't supply the CD with it...).

So i would like to ask for help and guidance from people who've already done this before so i can do this myself without making mistakes as i have read reports from people trying various methods, each of them involving different little softwares to help with the process, and many of them are contradicting each other or have encountered problems.

Since i have found out that the defective Sony DVD burner-reader is a problem shared by several Dell M6300 users, i believe there must be several M6300 users who have experienced the same thing and who have had to reinstall with the USB device method.

I also tried to get a Dell CD or new drivers from Dell, but after a visit on their website i found out it is designed only for people who are still under warranty... since i don't have a case number or anything since the machine only had a 30 days warranty, i was not even able to get a direct contact with anyone at Dell about what i need...

I want to thank in advance anyone who can help me on how to proceed to reinstall from a USB, i can't wait to get back to my unfinished 3D CAD drawings and really start to earn my living with this machine, as i had to interrupt everything 3 months ago because of to the major rootkit virus that disabled my computer and my 3D CAD software.

 

Hi,

To create a bootable USB drive, you would need a Windows ISO image or a Windows CD. Though there is no warranty on the system, you may still contact the Dell Out of warranty service of your region and order the CDs. Once you get a Windows CD or an ISO image you may download a converting application to convert the same to a bootable USB. Please use the online search engines to find such applications. If you are getting a CD; rather than converting it to USB, you may use an external CD drive.

Please do write back in case you need any further assistance.

Thanks and regards,
Swapnajan M C
#iworkfordell

 

Why don't you just buy a new CD drive... they're literally dirt cheap on eBay, etc. The $20 you spend will more than cover the amount of time you'll spend messing about with XP on USB, etc. You can also buy an external USB DVD drive. They are also dirt cheap everywhere.

 

Hi ! Thank you Mr. Swapnajan and Commander Wolf,

About the make a long story story, about the external drive idea, i thought about it early on, the problem is it will cost money... and we have already spent our last dollars and we are already in the red by 4 figures since this month due to dental repair costs, medication costs for my wife for things for which we have no insurance coverage, and because i have just spent the last 2 and a half month doing 3 moves of all our things, by hand (without car or truck) because we asked the proprietary to fix Big problems in with our apartment (and mind you they did not even adress the main issue we had asked them to fix), i had to fight with them during that time to get the work done (they didn't want to initially, we had to send them legal letters to make the perform the repairs), then i got hit by the Zero Access virus, just after we spent hundreds to buy the 3D CAD software for me to earn my living, meaning we lost both the computer and use of the 3D software at the same time plus the apt trouble and moving our things out, so i made a big 0.00$ during the past 3 months and a half... Since my wife already had very reduced hours due to her illness on her already part time job, you can imagine the situation.

Since i know that the computer does not even 'see' my internal disk drive, and it also did not see the new USB mouse from Microsoft that i had bought for it so my hands would not end with carpal tunnel syndrome (it was supposed to be plug and play... but it never worked on my Dell M6300, despite all my efforts and also with help from Microsoft). Ironically it worked right away on my wife's tiny computer that have Windows 7 Starter, so i gave it to her. Not wanting to spend more money for nothing on an external drive, i'd rather invest my money in a USB key to put Windows XP on it, that's far cheaper for us.

The other thing, if i hit a wall with Microsoft with the Windows XP Pro reinstall issue and the fact i don't have a Windows disk, i will have to buy WIndows 7 Pro (the only one that can emulate XP Pro, since i have some older softwares that will only work with XP i don't want to have to purchase them again, so Win7 Pro will be something i might have to buy if i don't get the support or help for my XP Pro reinstall. So i have to keep our money for purchasing Win 7 Pro (which is quite expensive for us).

I wouldn't even think about Ebay to purchase something like a 2nd hand external drive, first my own internal drive was already kaputt after just a couple of months, and i don't have an Ebay account and don't want to end up complicating things even more than they are right now with both expenses (shipping is not free and can make it as expensive as a brand new one) and issues such as a purchase of a potentially defective drive and more time wasted trying to get reimbursed and so on. If i had all the time in the world i would maybe try that, but my computer was bought so i can make money, and now i can't, and each day that passes i lose money, and i can't afford to buy a new one (especially one with the level of performance of this one, something essential in the field in which i will now work privately from home: creating tooling from 3D files with RP 3D printing machines).

So what i would need is a detailed How To method from someone who've done a reinstall before on his Dell M6300, using a USB key (or from on a similar Dell model), because i am really a neophyte in this domain, i am new to Windows, before i we were using a Mac, it was full of viruses and we did not even know it because the OS was so strong, well, since i needed a Windows machine to do serious 3D CAD because all the good CAD softwares and pro softwares are made for Windows i got myself the Dell, and i've found viruses on it regularly since then, even my paid anti-virus provider, Avast, have completely let me down, they took days to replay to my calls for help, and when they did it was just to say, our system detects Zero Access... Yes, it detects it, but it cannot erase it !! Because it kept reappearing and self-replicating!!! We ended up with two infected computer. Now i cleaned one of them (no thanks to Avast...), but not the Dell because it's got Win XP,

Also about the external CD reader, my fear is that if my computer can't find a USB mouse and can't even find it's own internal drive as being defective (and now with a major virus that completely corrupted my system), i doubt very much it would detect the external drive, and i am not willing to corrupt someone else`s drive and computer trying.

 

Hi Mr. Swapnajan,

I would like to know what it is they call a Windows ISO image, i have no idea what it is.
About the converting application, i would like to know which one i should use, i don't want to go on a blind search and use something that could potentially make things worse, because like i said i am a neophyte when it comes to these things, i have never done that before, and i heard different people who were responding to online forums for help regarding this very issue use the method described and what could be a converting application and ultimately faii, and then other users came forward to offer to use other applications, each of them different, some saying don't use this, this one is more efficient or more rapid, and so on. You don`t know what you get online, i'd rather get info from a broad base of Dell Precision users such as here, or from people like you who are related to Dell, at least i know it is more likely to get me the results i am looking for.

 

So, does anyone have experience reformatting and reinstalling Windows XP Pro from scratch with a USB device on his Dell M6300 Precision or on a similar model from Dell Precision family ?

 

So, does anyone have experience reformatting and reinstalling Windows XP Pro from scratch with a USB device on his Dell M6300 Precision or on a similar model from Dell Precision family ?

I have just read in another forum (not this one) someone noting that you might need drivers for things like the wireless card for the internet, the Intel chipset, the touchpad, and many other things... all of them from different vendors and none of them would be included (i presume) on the CDs i would obtain from Dell or from Windows.... a real nightmare... because for someone who does not know (like me), if i end up with something missing, then my new install will not work due to a missing component... Is there a way to get A LIST of all the components needed and where should we obtain them from ? Isn't there a centralized place where one can get ALL of these things at the same time so we don't end up with a major headache and with a system that might not work if we miss something ? Shouldn't DELL provide all of these since they are the computer maker and it should be their responsability to have these listed "somewhere" so people who bought their machines might have them in cases of refurbished machines like mine that are "Service Pack 3" and that did not come with any CD whatsoever for drivers and OS ???

 

The process of installing Windows XP from a USB drive should be pretty much the same for any machine. You should be able to find general directions online. (I've never done it myself.)

As for the drivers, they are all available on Dell's support site. Go to support.dell.com and click on the "drivers and downloads" section, and then tell it which machine you have.

 

Hi,
An ISO image (International Organization for Standardization) is an archive file (also known as a disk image) of an optical disc, composed of the data contents of every written sector of an optical disc, including the optical disc file system. ISO images can be created from optical discs or from a collection of files by image creation software; images can be used to write optical discs.

You may use the below link to read more information about the ISO files.

ISO image - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

As per my knowledge Microsoft has released an ISO to USB converter application however, it is only for windows 7. For Windows XP I have personally not used any. You may find many applications online. Based on the reviews and ease of use you may download and use one of them. If you have the Windows CD you may convert it to an ISO image and then convert it to USB.

Once you prepare the bootable USB, you may follow the below mentioned steps to install the Windows.

&#8226; Turn Off the system and connect the USB.
&#8226; Turn on the machine and start tapping the F12 key.
&#8226; From the list of device displayed select USB device.
&#8226; The Windows installation starts and you may follow the on screen instructions.
&#8226; You may download the drivers from our Support web site as&#8217; Aaron44126&#8217; mentioned.

I hope this helps. Please do write back in case you have any other questions.

Thanks and regards,
Swapnajan M C
#iworkfordell

 

I had installed Windows XP from a Bootable USB before, as long you have an ISO image of Windows XP ready then you need an application called "WinSetupFromUSB". This tool will prepare a USB Flash drive into a Bootable Windows XP installer, while it splits the installation process into two parts it does seem to install XP a lot quicker than the conventional CD.