Hi all,
I am on a very steep learning curve here from a state of almost ignorance, so please make answers simple :-)
My husband's Vostro 3500 hard drive died so I decided to put Win 7 64 bit on instead of the 32 bit. The computer is capable of running 64 as we had a choice of versions when we bought it. I say 'it' but we actually bought two at the same time and mine is still working.
So, I got 64 bit SP 1 version from Microsoft, I formatted and partitioned the drives so I had a system drive; this was all new to me but I am confident I did it right. I installed 64 bit from the disc and it all ran but wanted a cable to connect to the internet and looked like it was running in safe mode.
I then installed the Dell drivers from the 32 bit Drivers and Utilities disc, checking that they weren't 32 bit specific. The computer then looked as it should except it wouldn't set up an internet connection. In networking it didn't give me the opportunity to set up as a Home or Public, that bit just didn't appear and I couldn't get round it. No internet in any way!
I then spent another couple of days reading and following leads and eventually it seemed it could be nothing but the fact that I had not installed Dell's System Support, and had not known the order to install the drivers.
So, I downloaded the SS for Windows 7 and Vostro 3500; which I must say was very difficult to find. I reformatted the disc, partitioned, installed ..... everything good. Installed System Support and the chipset drivers, restarted. And everything grinds to a halt.
I recollect that the drivers for the chipset were listing 32 bit when installing but I wasn't paying full attention and thought I'd just missed the bit where they did the 64 and for some reason both were being installed ..... As I said I was ignorant when I started all this.
I can not do anything with the computer now. I can't get it to go to the command prompt even so I can reformat. I have ordered an enclosure so I can take the hard drive out and reformat it from my computer.
So this leaves me with problems I need your help with.
Did the System Support read the computer somehow and think it was 32?
How can I stop this happening next time?
If I don't install the System Support how do I get it to attach to the internet?
Sorry this is so long.