Can't Install Windows 8 on Replacement Hard Drive from Del

SummerBreeze

New Member
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17
I got the replacement hard drive from Dell that I was told would come with Windows 8 and drivers preinstalled. Well I installed the hard drive and it tells me that NO OS can be found. I didn't have a chance to make backup discs of my own but Dell sent a Windows 8 Recovery Media CD with the laptop and now with the replacement hard drive.

When trying to install Windows 8 onto the new hard drive I get to the part where it tells me to choose a partition to install Windows 8 on and none of them will let me. There are 5 to choose from and I don't know what to do to get past this. The biggest partition which is 5 has about 934GB of space left out of 1TB but as I mentioned I can't choose it or any of the other ones for installation.

I've never had trouble like this reinstalling other versions of Windows.

I've figured out some stuff when it comes to Win 8 but not enough to get myself out of this. Please be gentle and yes I know it was stupid not to make backup discs when I could... :zip:
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Win 8
    Computer type
    Laptop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Dell Inspiron 17 R (5720)
    CPU
    i-5 (3210) 2.50GHz
    Graphics Card(s)
    Intel HD Graphics 4000
    Browser
    Chrome
The partition descriptions are as follows.


Drive 0 Partition 1: ESP 500.0MB / 447.0MB System


Drive 0 Partition 2: DIAGS 40.0MB/ 35.0MB OEM (Reserved)


Drive 0 Partition 3: 128.0MB/128.0MB MSR (Reserved)


Drive 0 Partition 4: WINRETOOLS 492.0MB/238.MB Recovery


Drive 0 Partition 5: 930.4GB/930.2GB (Primary)
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Win 8
    Computer type
    Laptop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Dell Inspiron 17 R (5720)
    CPU
    i-5 (3210) 2.50GHz
    Graphics Card(s)
    Intel HD Graphics 4000
    Browser
    Chrome
There are 5 to choose from and I don't know what to do to get past this. The biggest partition which is 5 has about 934GB of space left out of 1TB but as I mentioned I can't choose it or any of the other ones for installation.

Do you get a message when you try to install ?
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    7/8/ubuntu/Linux Deepin
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
If Dell says the OS would be pre-installed, I would initially take them at their word. There are ways to check to see if it is true.

First, I would go into the bios setup and make sure a Windows Boot Manager, associated with the new drive, was available and set to primary boot.

You could also use the command prompt to see if the Windows 8 files were actually already on the large partition.

Would you be willing to tell us why a new drive was necessary?
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1 x64
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Home Grown
    CPU
    i7 3770K
    Motherboard
    ASUS P8Z77 -v Pro, Z87-Expert
    Memory
    16 G
    Graphics Card(s)
    EVGA GTX 680 Classified (2)
    Hard Drives
    Kingston SSD 240 GB
Drive 0 Partition 5: 930.4GB/930.2GB (Primary)

Looking at Partition 5, no windows 8 files installed.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    ME, XP,Vista,Win7,Win8,Win8.1
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Other Info
    Notebooks x 3

    Desktops x 5

    Towers x 4
If there are no files in the OS partition, and there is not a Recovery partition large enough to hold the Install image, I suppose the OP is using the Restore to Factory Settings procedure with the image being on the DVD?

I am just trying to understand why the install would not be allowed. Since I have seen such a situation when trying to do a non-OEM install on unallocated space with other partitions already created. But it does not sound like that.

I don't suppose there is some option to boot UEFI or not? But if that were the case, there should be some message about the wrong type of drive configuration.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1 x64
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Home Grown
    CPU
    i7 3770K
    Motherboard
    ASUS P8Z77 -v Pro, Z87-Expert
    Memory
    16 G
    Graphics Card(s)
    EVGA GTX 680 Classified (2)
    Hard Drives
    Kingston SSD 240 GB
The message I get when trying to install on any partition is "Windows can't be installed onto this disk. The selected disk of the GPT partition style."

I have the Dell disc to reinstall but no valid product key to put in when I reinstall.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Win 8
    Computer type
    Laptop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Dell Inspiron 17 R (5720)
    CPU
    i-5 (3210) 2.50GHz
    Graphics Card(s)
    Intel HD Graphics 4000
    Browser
    Chrome
1) Boot the DVD in UEFI.

Windows 8 Downgrade-006 SB for posting.PNG

2) No product key need, install will use the coded product key in the UEFI/BIOS firmware.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    ME, XP,Vista,Win7,Win8,Win8.1
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Other Info
    Notebooks x 3

    Desktops x 5

    Towers x 4
How do I change the settings to do that? I can't get to a boot menu like that for UEFI.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Win 8
    Computer type
    Laptop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Dell Inspiron 17 R (5720)
    CPU
    i-5 (3210) 2.50GHz
    Graphics Card(s)
    Intel HD Graphics 4000
    Browser
    Chrome
Use the One Time Boot Menu. Check your manual for the F? key.

Windows 8 Downgrade-005 SB.PNG
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    ME, XP,Vista,Win7,Win8,Win8.1
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Other Info
    Notebooks x 3

    Desktops x 5

    Towers x 4
F12 takes me to the bios and in here with UEFI on it doesn't give me a list to choose from like Legacy does.

Without pushing F12 I get this menu saying...

UEFI Boot:
Windows Boot Manager (Choosing this just keeps me on the same menu with the DVD drive revving for a minute)
+ Network Boot

Other Options:
Setup (This also takes me to the bios with no menu to choose what to boot from under the boot tab)
Diagnostics
Change boot mode setting

Windows
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Win 8
    Computer type
    Laptop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Dell Inspiron 17 R (5720)
    CPU
    i-5 (3210) 2.50GHz
    Graphics Card(s)
    Intel HD Graphics 4000
    Browser
    Chrome
Ask me if I want to change boot mode to:

Legacy Boot Mode, Secure Boot Off

UEFI Boot Mode, Secure Boot On
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Win 8
    Computer type
    Laptop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Dell Inspiron 17 R (5720)
    CPU
    i-5 (3210) 2.50GHz
    Graphics Card(s)
    Intel HD Graphics 4000
    Browser
    Chrome
F12 takes me to the bios and in here with UEFI on it doesn't give me a list to choose from like Legacy does.

Without pushing F12 I get this menu saying...

UEFI Boot:
Windows Boot Manager (Choosing this just keeps me on the same menu with the DVD drive revving for a minute)
+ Network Boot

Other Options:
Setup (This also takes me to the bios with no menu to choose what to boot from under the boot tab)
Diagnostics
Change boot mode setting

Windows

Do you have Boot OverRide?

The DVD will need to be in drive before booting the PC.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    ME, XP,Vista,Win7,Win8,Win8.1
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Other Info
    Notebooks x 3

    Desktops x 5

    Towers x 4
Not listed as on option no.

Just got this reply from Dell. The link mentioned in it is Windows 8 Upgrade and Installation Instructions | Dell US
I would like to inform you that systems shipped from Dell with Windows 8 Operating System do not require the Product Key (not being sent on the System Chassis) to register the Product/ Operating System online with Microsoft as the Product Key is being sent ?Embedded? on the Motherboard of the system. This is being done to reduce Piracy of the operating system.

The Key ?Embedded? on the Motherboard of the system (on systems having Windows 8 operating system as the default) is being used by the system ?Automatically? to register the copy of the operating system online with Microsoft. Also, in case of replacement of Hard Drive (if needed); the same product is used and does not need to be punched in again.

Hence, I would request you to kindly go ahead with the operating system reinstallation on your computer following the instructions from the web link provided in the previous email interaction.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Win 8
    Computer type
    Laptop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Dell Inspiron 17 R (5720)
    CPU
    i-5 (3210) 2.50GHz
    Graphics Card(s)
    Intel HD Graphics 4000
    Browser
    Chrome
From your Dell link.

Windows 8 Upgrade and Installation Instructions | Dell US


Dell said:
1.Insert the Windows 8 DVD into your optical drive and restart your computer. At the Dell logo screeen, tap the F12 key repeatedly until the Please Select Boot Device: menu appears. Select CD/DVD/CD-RW Device and press Enter.

Select the UEFI CD/DVD/CD-RW Device
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    ME, XP,Vista,Win7,Win8,Win8.1
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Other Info
    Notebooks x 3

    Desktops x 5

    Towers x 4
Yes and I was linked to a visual pic for that earlier in this thread. The problem is I get no menu with any option to boot from the DVD Device unless I choose Legacy and not UEFI. Should I just go ahead and delete the other partitions and do a completely clean install? That's what I was going to do but didn't want to screw everything up further and wasn't sure if I should just follow Dell's advice without asking somewhere else since I've had bad results doing that in the past.
 
Last edited:

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Win 8
    Computer type
    Laptop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Dell Inspiron 17 R (5720)
    CPU
    i-5 (3210) 2.50GHz
    Graphics Card(s)
    Intel HD Graphics 4000
    Browser
    Chrome
Thanks for all the help though. I know this all sounds confusing with my replies.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Win 8
    Computer type
    Laptop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Dell Inspiron 17 R (5720)
    CPU
    i-5 (3210) 2.50GHz
    Graphics Card(s)
    Intel HD Graphics 4000
    Browser
    Chrome
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