[Ztruker]

You don't have a Recovery Partition so that option is out.

Your only option is to buy a copy of XP from places like Ebay or order the Recovery Disk. I've purchased several from restoredisk.com and they are very good, no problems.

I see this one: Dell Laptop Inspiron 1200 Windows XP Home 26.99

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If the OS on the notebook is the same version as the XP Home edition disk that you have you could use it for a fresh installation as long as you use the 25 digit product key that is presently in use on the Dell 1200 notebook, is the Microsoft product key sticker still on the base of the computer or possibly beneath the battery in the battery housing, if you can`t find a sticker and do not have the product key written down already you can find it by using Keyfinder, details here, make a note of the key and do not disclose it to anyone.

Before you start the fresh install make sure that you have downloaded and burned to disk all Dell drivers that you will need and that once XP has installed you install the Dell drivers in the order that you will find here

Two things that you should consider btw, support for XP from Microsoft ends next month and the small storage capacity of the present HDD will soon fill up once XP and all important updates (including service packs) are reinstalled.

[phillpower2]

If the OS on the notebook is the same version as the XP Home edition disk that you have you could use it for a fresh installation as long as you use the 25 digit product key that is presently in use on the Dell 1200 notebook, is the Microsoft product key sticker still on the base of the computer or possibly beneath the battery in the battery housing, if you can`t find a sticker and do not have the product key written down already you can find it by using Keyfinder, details here, make a note of the key and do not disclose it to anyone.

Before you start the fresh install make sure that you have downloaded and burned to disk all Dell drivers that you will need and that once XP has installed you install the Dell drivers in the order that you will find here

Two things that you should consider btw, support for XP from Microsoft ends next month and the small storage capacity of the present HDD will soon fill up once XP and all important updates (including service packs) are reinstalled.

[scottiedog92]

Phill,

many thanks for your assistance,

I do have a boxed copy of windows XP and the original key is still on the base of the laptop.

I tried following the link you supplied for the order to install the drivers but all i could find was a list of drivers available for the laptop (and many others).

Is there a set sequence i should follow to re-instal the drivers?

I have copied the drivers from the laptop (as mentioned in an earlier post) but am happy to download a 'fresh' copy from the page linked in your post if this would be the better option?

your guidance, as always, would be greatly appreciated.

fingers crossed i will try to reset my laptop this weekend.

[phillpower2]

Strange as the link takes me to How to reinstall drivers in the correct order can you try it again please.