I have the XPS 8100, 1.5TB HD, 8GB Mem

The hard drive failed so I went and picked up a new Barracuda (same specs as original but 2 TB)

I replaced the HD and cannot get it to load up recovery disks.

On power up I hit F12 and boot from CD/DVD
It will show extracting Windows files from disk but quits and goes to sleep

Any ideas or pointers?

Probably because your recovery disks are on a hidden partition on your original drive?

The original HD is removed and replaced.

After installing the new HD, do I just boot from the DVDs I made for recovery when I first bought the computer.

Ive never replaced a hard drive before

The computer sees the new HD

It came with a disk with drivers and other software on it but Windows has to be up to use it if needed.

Being its seeing the HD Im not sure but I dont think I need that disk with the drivers

If the Dell has more then one video port (vga, dvi, etc) try switching monitor around if you can. May be pumping video out the wrong adapter port.

Thanks 

Ill give that a shot 

Was taking a stress relief nap from fighting with it

I report back later

OK
I swapped to the other monitor (DVI) connection
Really no change

I retried again and this is what I observed

Powered down,
Powered on
hit F12 and went into boot option
inserted disc 1 of 2  for recovery
screen showed - Windows is loading files

Windows normal boot up screen (with the 3 swirling balls) displayed then Dell Data Screen came up for Recovery

I selected the option to put back to Factory

It took off thinking and the monitor went to sleep at 24% complete
The DVD drive popped open after a little bit and I inserted disk 2. (Monitor still asleep)

It is down there still running away with monitor asleep.

Will check on it in a bit to see if any changes.

Not sure if anything is going right with the monitor asleep (is sleeping normal or is there a way to stop it so I can see whats going on?)

Hopefully this will work

OK 
2nd DVD ran and finally ejected.

Monitor still sleeping so not sure what its doing. (Havent hit any keys, I did shake mouse but no waking up)

There is a Yellow LED glowing on the MOBO and has been since the original HD Failure. (Not sure if thats any indicator.

There is a small white LED in the card reader on the front of the housing showing it thinking (flickers and go solid on here and there.

I let it sit to see if anything changes, fans are still running fast at this time.

Mike -

I looked at the spec's on your system and it appears there is an pci-e video card but possibly also a built in vga on the motherboard (H67 chipset). Sometimes Dell hides the on-board vga port behind a black snap-on cap. It's possible that once windows loads it's loading drivers and switching to the on-board vga port. Don't know if that is what is happening to you but it's happened to me before.

Good Luck
Steve

I seen a black cap on the back, Ill give it a check and see 
Ill have to find my DVI/VGA genderbender and give it a shot in the morning-my heads had about all it can take tonight LOL

Thanks a bunch Steve