QUOTE (Kansatsusha-sama @ Apr 21 2008, 09:04 PM) Can you get into the bio I think it can funtion without the os but it wouldnt go any furter from the bio though lol if you can get that far then u can install a new os if not hummm =/ I do have some boot disk somewhere my teacher gave me long ago though although i would need to find it haha...
No I can't get anywhere. Nothing shows up even after hitting the F8, F1 buttons, etc...
QUOTE (Mowerman @ Apr 21 2008, 09:29 PM)QUOTE (langes01x @ Apr 21 2008, 09:21 PM) The only free OS is linux and the best way to obtain a copy of that is by downloading an ISO and then burning the ISO onto a CD/DVD.
If you want something reasonably user friendly you could try Ubuntu which is just one of the many different versions of linux available.
From my understanding of installing an OS onto a clean computer all you should have to do is pop the disc in the CD drive and the computer should boot off the disc. If it doesn't you might be able to push ESC/F8 or some other key and access the BIOS. Once you get into the BIOS you should be able to choose the order that the computer loads information from. You would probably want the CD drive to be first.
That's true but if the school removed the Dell Windows after market serial code, they did something illegal. That copy of windows that was on that machine belongs to that machine and only that machine. You can not reuse or resell after market windows copies. If the machine is not even showing a BIOS when you turn it on, then the memory is probably not the correct memory for it. It's also possible that the reason they threw it out was that there was a hardware defect, i.e. the ribbon cable that runs the monitor became torn or the battery does not stay charged etc etc.
They didn't resell it. They originally were going to throw it away/recycle it. However, they leave it out for students to take if they want it. All they did was just wipe the OS and hard drive all of which contained private information belonging to the school. So in essence it was for privacy issues. They were never trying to sell them.
The battery does stay charged, but I think I need a disk to boot off of to even get anywhere first.
QUOTE (langes01x @ Apr 21 2008, 10:14 PM)QUOTE (Mowerman @ Apr 21 2008, 10:29 PM) That's true but if the school removed the Dell Windows after market serial code, they did something illegal. That copy of windows that was on that machine belongs to that machine and only that machine. You can not reuse or resell after market windows copies. If the machine is not even showing a BIOS when you turn it on, then the memory is probably not the correct memory for it. It's also possible that the reason they threw it out was that there was a hardware defect, i.e. the ribbon cable that runs the monitor became torn or the battery does not stay charged etc etc.
What they did is not illegal. It is the same as someone who bought a Dell PC thinking "I don't like windows anymore" and removing it from the computer. Of course they can't transfer the license but that isn't possible anyways because most Dell computers don't come with a disc to install windows in the first place. You get windows installed directly on the computer and if it gets wiped you can't get it back unless you send it back in to the company.
You are right though about the black screen. If it isn't even showing an option to boot into the bios or anything that could be a problem.
EDIT: Just wanted to add that you can get the image file that you need to burn Ubuntu at this site: Ubuntu
You can get it through direct download, bittorrent, or even a disc mailed to you I believe.
Supposedly there is a new version coming out in two days though so you could always wait until then and get the newest version possible.
yeah I'll wait. If it doesn't boot, I might just use the ram stick for my Compaq laptop. Would that cause problems?