[bobyjo]

Quote:

Originally Posted by StepsAscend I have a Dell laptop with a dying hard drive. All important files are already backed up to disc. I just got a new drive. Can I just install it and run the recovery CDs that came with the laptop to restore it?

Which Dell do you have? We have an Inspiron 2650 and have been supplied with a OS install disk, and a driver install disk.
So when I installed a new hard drive, I installed the OS from the XP disk from Dell.
It was a complete new install, not a recover disk.
Some say the recover disk will place everything back exactly the way it was when it was new.

 

[bobyjo]

Quote:

Originally Posted by StepsAscend Its an 1100 I think, I painted over the model number doing a custom job. The disks say reinstallation. The first one says "Reinstallation CD, Windows XP Pro, SP1a." Then of course there are like, 5 more with applications and drivers. When I put the disk in my desktop, I get the same options window I do with my OEM windows xp pro cd. So I guess its just the OS.

I would suggest you install the new hard drive.
(I hope you purchased a 7200rpm replacement)
This upgrade in the hard drive makes the system run like you doubled the processor speed.
At least ours did.