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This may be an inappropriate place to ask this, but I am stuck.
So if it is, please just ignore my post. No preaching, please.

I am trying to replace faulty ( intermittent) HDD in my Windows7 Inspiron ONE.
I got as far as building Recovery partition on existing HDD and created repair CD.
I have also created system image ( standard Window7 option) on my new drive.
I can boot using the CD, than when I try to do recovery Window7 complains.
If I do it again, start with CD I get an error which basically said that I am using incompatible OS to finish the recovery.
I used non MS program to clone the HDD onto USB drive , but Windows7 won't boot using the USB.
Basically - I cannot start Windows7 using USB.
The Inspiron has only two SATA ports so if I start using CD I have only the original HDD.
So – ideally I need to be able to start Windows7 and have BOTH old and new HDD connected.
Any other standard options?
I do not have Windows7 CD, this devilish machine was given to me by frustrated user. Please no comments on that, OK. I'll be happy to just play Solitaire on it, but it would be nice if it stayed up for few games.

Thanks for you time.

PS I did find some “how to replace HDD” and used it to replace the hardware, but it fell short on how to clone the OS disk.

sometimes the boot sees something changed. You should be able to enter the windows 7 set up and fix it

In Word you can only store 2 bytes. That is why I use Writer.

Get or borrow a USB CD player?

People say nothing is impossible, but I do nothing every day.

I have opened the box and temporary installed two HDD. Since it has only two SATA ports I have no internal CD. I like your idea, however so far all my attempts to create Windows7 image on the second HDD have failed. But after all this work I am not convinced the original HDD is the problem. When it fails the LCD goes psychedelic and the box has to cool off before it will work again.
I wonder how one can "upgrade" to Windows8.
It would be nice if I could use the LCD as a second monitor to find out where is the problem. I am guessing that Inspiron has a LCD memeory somewhere, but I did not look.
But at this point Inspiron ONE is nice piece of furniture for the house..

It sounds like faulty memory to me.

People say nothing is impossible, but I do nothing every day.