Step 3 - SYSTEM FILE CHECK

[weechva]

Hello
Can anyone explain the best (practical and inexpensive) way for me to do the Step 3, System File Check, without a CD ROM which the program prompts me for? I have a Win XP SP3 HOME Edition, Dell Inspiron 9200 laptop. I bought it used and I use it for school and personal usage but I'm a heavy user (meaning I use it a lot and depend on it very much).
I don't have any kind of CD that came with the computer. Does this CD it asks for is the same as "recovery discs"? Which I don't have either but am interested in having that as well.
There is so much different information out there whenever I search and I'm confused.
Could someone help me please?

Thank you so much!

[Shane]

System file check is used to replace any files that dont match up. In XP MS really messed up on it and makes you need the CD. Thankfully in every version of windows since XP you no longer need the cd.

So what you want to do is get an XP cd that has SP3 already on it.
http://en.community.dell.com/support-forums/software-os/w/microsoft_os/1439.02-microsoft-windows-and-microsoft-office-downloads.aspx

Then you should be able to use that cd. Things is the files from the cd are normally on the c drive with store bought machines. So it is odd it is asking for the cd. (There should be a i386 folder on your C: drive)

Shane

[NoWhereMan]

Look on the Dell Support site for:
PC Restore for Windows XP Article ID : 273763 Date Published : 2004-06-16 Journal ID : b0505ae8-9fa4-46f4-9f0e-3943da8d7867

This is the CTRL + F11 factory restore option, assuming that the drive has not been replaced or the recovery partition is missing / corrupt etc.

hth