Yes, this is the part I dont understand. How can you reformat / reinstall windows with just a REcovery Disk for Win 7 64 bit? Does it mean it will recover my XPs to factory settings, that's it? No formatting or clean reinstallation?

What I understand, can be wrong so please correct me.

I format the laptop
I put in the REcovery disk
and it's suppose to install Win 7 64 bit on its own? Where does all the installation files come from? Some secret partition in the HDD?

Please clarify.

Buy online. I got an additional Targus backpack and 3 years completecover for RM5200.

I think you got a great deal!

I have the same spec but 8GB RAM, 640GB (but 5400rpm) HDD, BDROM, 3 years warranty and a Targus backpack for RM5200.

RM555 difference.

A computer shop in Lowyat.

Guys,

Anywhere I can find the Zalman NC2000 laptop cooler? I tried to find in Lowyat few weeks back but couldnt find any. Any recommendations on where to try and how much is it anyway?

Since nowadays Dell no longer provide OS disk. I had to make my own from Dell DataSafe Backup - Create System Recovery Disk (2 DVDs). Then I also make a Repair Disk for Windows 7 64-bit.

Two days ago, while downloading Adobe Lightroom 3.2 from Adobe.com (NOT TORRENT!), I got an error message on the system tray stating "Error writing to C:\Users\Name\Downloads. Please perform CHKDSK on your next reboot."

Ok, I thought I should cancel my download but I saw it was still downloading and saving files to the location described above. When download was complete, I open Administrator command prompt and run CHKDSK C: /F /X /R. Since this is OS partition, it cannot unmount the drive. It prompted if I want to run CHKDSK on the next reboot which I replied "Y" for Yes!

So, I rebooted and I got to that CHKDSK screen which says something like:

Checking file system on C:
The type of the file system is NTFS.
Volume label is OS.

One of your disks needs to be checked for consistency. You may cancel the disk check, but it is strongly recommended that you continue.

To skip disk checking, press any key within 1 second(s).

The part in BOLD above went from a regular 10, 9, 8,... 2, 1 second countdown. It got stuck at 1 second. CHKDSK didnt execute. It stayed that way for more than 15 minutes. I had to do a hard reboot. It got to the same screen again for at least 3 - 4 more times with hard reboot. Even if I hit any key to skip CHKDSK, it would not respond. Somehow later, it got into Windows again, so I was relieved as I have working files inside.

In Windows, I saw a message in System Tray stating some .dll file was corrupted. So I proceed to take out my Repair Disk for Windows 7 64-bit. I rebooted and select boot options to CD / DVD ROM. It booted into Repair Disk but it gave me an error like 0x00008e4 (not the real error code) or something like that. So, I hard reboot AGAIN and put in the System Recovery Disk this time.

It prompted me to backup my files. It didnt let me back up the file type but only let me select the folder location. I had a folder called "Photos" on Desktop and some Windows Live Movie Maker project files on My Video. It backup the .jpg files from Photos folder but not the .cr2 (Canon DSLR RAW files). It backup my .wmv files from My Video but not my Project files.

Now my Project files and .cr2 files are gone. Is it recoverable?

I bought the 3 years warranty with CompleteCover from Dell. How long does it take for them to attend to my request? Will they come after 6pm because I am working. I would like to ask them to replace my HDD and restore my existing data. I have to do the video project again and live with the lost .cr2 files.

Anyone encountered this problem? Unable to run CHKDSK?

Anything else I need besides my Service Tag when I call them?

Thanks, I will Google and see if I can find any hotfix related to chkdsk. I called Dell and they told me to do a hardware check by powering up the machine while holding down the Fn key. I will give it a shot tonight.

---

Added on September 3, 2010, 3:17 pmLightningFist, I found the hotfix said. Thanks! I am still thinking if I should get the HDD replaced since it did said "Unable to write to C:\Users\Name\Downloads and a corrupted dll which I believed to be fixed by my re-format.

This post has been edited by Pennywise: Sep 3 2010, 03:17 PM

Finally managed to run through all the required test for more than 16 hours.

1. Hold onto Fn while powering up to run Dell test
2. CHKDSK after installing MS hotfix KB975778 (without it CHKDSK would stuck, thanks to LightningFist), log output at Eventvwr = 0 bad sector = THANK GOD
3. Restoring all my installed apps

Sad part is I have to live with lost data, some which are very important.

Yaya, you're right. Actually after all the hardware checks I've been through, the logs shows the HDD is ok.

I had that chkdsk stuck at 1 second countdown problem, forced reboot so many times (was concerned about the HDD here), then finally got in and saw the dll corrupted. I didnt know what's the difference between the REpair Disk and System Recovery Disk, I thought overwriting Windows would not overwrite my files and that's how I lost them. If I knew what each of the disk functionlities, I would have back up first.

Sheesh!

I did that but it didnt owrk for me. I went to safemode but I could not get into Windows either. It was kind off freaking me out. I need my machine for some serious work now but some time next month, I will back up everything and reformat the entire thing. Quite problematic.

I cant comment about the warranty as I dont know also. I suggest you write them a mail and ask. Better to get a black and white for these sort of thing since you are moving out.

Quick question guys, I am on the i740QM model that comes with the BDROM / DVDROM slot. I just noticed that my unit cannot burn files to DVD+R but it works fine with DVD-R. Is that normal?

Guys, what media do you use when burning a DVD? DVD+R or DVD-R? I can burn to DVD-R but not DVD+R. Anyone else having this problem.