[mix4fix]

I have an old dell mini laptop. I have swapped the hard drive (250GB SATA) and I can't get the any operating system CD/DVD to be recognized on the external DVD/CD drive. The Dell software re-image disks nor Windows XP/7 disk. Is there something I am missing? Is there a bootable program (like on an old bootable floppy) to load basic drivers?

[FullRangeMan]

DELL hardware are not easy tô work it not standard, recently I had dificult tô find compatible memory Cards due unusual clock.

[mix4fix]

I replaced memory. Hard drive is replaced. Just unable to load software from external DVD/CDROM.

[FullRangeMan]

First step is install the SO seem you will want W 10.

[WGH]

I have an old dell mini laptop.

Can't help without model numbers.

[mix4fix]

Dell Inspiron Mini 1012

[Mike-48]

When I bought a used Dell laptop, I found a detailed service manual for it on Dell's website.

You might be able to get into the boot menu by tapping F12 about 2x per second from the time you turn on the PC. Take a look at this post.

Do not simply hold down the F12 key. That will be interpreted as a faulty keyboard.

I've fixed up five or six older computers (I'm writing on a 10 yr old one, with a new installation of Windows 10), and Google is your friend when it comes to finding manuals, drivers, and key combinations for BIOS, boot menu, and so on.

Best of luck with it!

[Doublej]

Sounds like you might need to change the order in which the machine looks for the OS. It is set in the bios so you'll need to get to it by as Mike says repeatedly pressing F12 (or F2?) when you power on the machine.

If your boot order is set to check the CD/DVD drive first, then the disc may not have burned correctly.

[WGH]

Dell Inspiron Mini 1012

As I suspected, the 1012 does not have optical drive. As a bonus, Dell configured the BIOS so you can't boot off the SDHC card either.

You can't install a new OS from an external disk drive because the BIOS does not have USB drivers, or ethernet, or anything else.

Plan A - Simpler and Quicker

Put the old HDD back in the Dell 1012 and new hard drive into a external hard drive. Use cloning software to clone the old HDD (including the hidden partition) to the new HDD.
You may have to use partitioning software to non-destructively expand the 'C' drive volume to make use of the unused space.
Switch HDD's and boot.

You can also boot to the hidden partition and do a clean install of Windows, the hidden (recovery) partition has all the Dell drivers integrated into the recovery partition.

Inspiron Mini 1012 Netbook Factory Restore. YOU WILL LOOSE ALL YOUR DATA
Press F8 a few times after the POST completes but before Windows begins to load.


Plan B - Clean Install - If no recovery partition is available

Plug the new SSD drive into a working computer and make 2 partitions. Install the Windows 7 ISO on at least a 4BG partition.
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows7

Free Paragon Partition Manager
https://www.paragon-software.com/us/free/pm-express/#

Put the newly partitioned SSD back into the Dell, change the BIOS to boot from the new boot partition and install Win 7 to the EMPTY partition. You may need the Dell drivers on a SDHC card or somewhere, I don't know, never worked on Dell's.
After 12 hours of Windows 7 updates and everything is working perfectly you may be able to still get the free update to Windows 10.
https://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=167226.msg1775174#msg1775174

Note that Windows 10 may not like your video chip or something else and the system hardware check may fail and Windows 10 will not install from online. If that happens download the Windows 10 ISO from Microsoft and burn to a disk, that worked for me after an initial online failure. Since you now have Windows 7 installed the USB disk drive will work and you can install Win 10.

[mix4fix]

Is there bootable drivers (like the way the old bootable floppy was) that would assist?

[WGH]

Is there bootable drivers (like the way the old bootable floppy was) that would assist?

Maybe. You may be able to put a Windows 7 or 10 ISO on a flashdrive

www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/windows-usb-dvd-download-tool

Windows 10 Creation Tool
https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-1-d&q=windows+10+creation+tool+usb

Bootable install USB flash drive -  Ubunto, Rufus, nLite
You may be able to get to the external DVD drive from there.

[mix4fix]

I made a bootable USB drive, transferred the Windows files to it, it started to boot, then blue screens.

[WGH]

I made a bootable USB drive, transferred the Windows files to it, it started to boot, then blue screens.

Did you use either the Microsoft or other software to create a boot/install USB flash drive from the ISO? I would start with Windows 7 then update to 10.

You can't transfer files to the USB, the flash drive's Windows install files have to be built using the Windows 7 or 10 ISO along with a special program. The software does it automatically, no user input recommended or required.

If that is what you did and the OS blue screens on startup then the problem could be the current Windows builds don't include the proper or compatible Dell drivers, and there are a lot:
https://www.dell.com/support/home/en-us/product-support/product/inspiron-mini1012/drivers

[mix4fix]

When it comes to free OS, Linux/Ubuntu is the only one that will load.

When it comes to Windows, I can't get none to load due to no drivers. I can't even create a bootable USB.

[WGH]

As I mentioned, the only way to put a new/larger hard drive into the laptop is to:

Put the old hard drive back into the laptop

Put the new 250 GB hard drive into an external USB hard drive enclosure, from $7 on Amazon

Use the free cloning software that is available on the included disk or from the manufacturer's web site.

Put the cloned 250 GB hard drive into the laptop, boot, smile and have a beer.

In January I upgraded a Toshiba Satellite M305D from 2008 that was running Windows Vista Home Premium 64 bit to Windows 10 for free. You should be able to do the same with the Windows Media Creation Tool DVD (or USB) once you have the old operating system running on the new hard drive. The Windows Update system check, in all likelihood, will hang on the old video driver. The "Tool" bypasses the system check the web install (Windows Update) uses. The Media Creation Tool will install Windows 10 just fine, you will loose some video adjustments you never use in trade for an up-to-date more secure OS.
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10

[srb]

If you have an Intel processor, check to see if it is compatible with Windows 10.

https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/support/articles/000006105/processors.html

I have a Xeon E3110 Dual Core processor (Wolfdale) that is not supported by the Windows 10 installation.  Some of these no longer supported processors might have allowed Windows 10 installation with earlier build versions, but not with current build.

If that's your case, it's possible you might be hitting your head against a brick wall trying to install Windows 10.