Dell Insprion and recovery CD's that Staples created won't work

[Donnaa]

I can not reformat the Dell Inspirion Laptop that runs windows 7 to run. Attempted to use the Operating System Recovery Disk that Staples created but can not get past the first one. Used Bios to boot from disk and can get to starting windows after installing the first disk, then thats it it goes back to black! Staples isn't helping unless they charge us. The Laptop has been down know for six months or so. I know that if I had a proper windows 7 disk and not a recovery disk I could get it running.

 

[Ubrales]

Welcome to Tom's Hardware Forums!

Dell support at "support.dell.com"

If you have a valid Windows 7 authorization key which you should, you can download Windows 7 from Microsoft (or elsewhere) and then go through the process of validating the install.

Or, borrow a disk and do your own install and validation.

 

[hang-the-9]

First, why are you trying to re-image the system? If it's a hard drive issue the restore disk will fail. If the system has an issue with the motherboard (video card usually), it will give you that black screen if it loads the drivers.

You can get a basic Win 7 download here http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_7-windows_install/cannot-find-digital-river-download-site/66a8439b-0d16-4b70-92f7-1c8486a46ebf

Create a DVD, you can install it and use your key that's on the laptop to activate it. You'll need to install the drivers from Dell manually after that.
If the hardware is OK, this will work.