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| I'd give it a 70% chance it's just the hard drive.
Google "Windows 7 ISO". Then download a reputable looking version of it and use a free ISO burner software like imgburn to burn it to a high quality DVD. Burn at a speed much lower than the speed your computer can burn at to ensure that you're not going to burn a DVD with errors.
Install the hard drive, then boot from the CD. If it will boot from the CD, I would give it a 90% chance the only problem is your hard drive.
Buy a replacement hard drive, install it, mainstay Windows and see if it will take the authentication code on the sticker on your laptop.
If it won't you have two choices. Call Dell and likely pay them to send you recovery media or buy a version of Windows and install it.
It's easier when you can still access Windows. There is a program that will look for your activation verification and copy that information and then transfer it to your new installation after you have the new hard drive in. Since you cannot access Windows on the old drive, I suppose that's not an option. | |
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Son dropped his laptop, now not recognizing hard drive
