Dell PC Restore allows you to revert your Dell computer back to original factory settings. This is sometimes also called a System Recovery and can be done either by a set of Recovery CDs or a second partition on the hard drive that has a compressed version of the factory image on it. Either way, a PC Restore is used to wipe and take your computer back to where it was on the day you opened the box. A Dell PC Restore from the secondary partition generally will take around fifteen minutes to complete.
Warning: Performing a PC Restore will delete everything on your hard drive. Be sure to backup anything you do not want to lose.
A few other things to keep in mind with a Dell PC Restore is that you will lose any settings or applications you installed after receiving your computer. Be sure to take a quick inventory of your system and make sure you have the installation disks for new applications you’ve added. Also, you will not be able to PC Restore via the second partition to a hard drive other than one you received directly from Dell.
Dell Backup Reminders and Suggestions
Most people do not remember to backup everything. While they may grab their Pictures, Videos and Documents, it’s easy to forget Outlook contacts and emails, Internet Favorites from your browser, encryption keys for anything that might be encrypted and passwords that might be saved in the IE or Firefox. A good practice is to grab everything from the “Documents and Settings” folder under the C: drive in XP or the “Users” folder in Windows Vista.
How to run the Dell PC Restore
The Dell PC Restore is relatively easy once all the prep-work is done. You will boot the computer and begin tapping the F8 key. You will see an option called Advanced Boot Options. Navigate down from there and select “Repair Your Computer.” Select Dell Factory Image Restore. and click Next. Click the checkbox that says “yes, reformat hard drive and restore system software to factory condition.
The restore process will begin. Once it’s finished, boot back into your new Windows environment and immediately visit Microsoft Update to get any security patches that may have come out after the release of the computer. This is important. If you have any questions about Dell PC Restore, be sure to visit our free computer forums today.
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{ 22 comments… read them below or add one }
good but very short.
i dont understand why i dont see that option “advanced Boot option” when i press the f8 button. i see all other stuff except that.
i have the Dell demension 3000 series. does anyone have any idea or can help me reformat my computer?
Not all models have a recovery partition. Is this a newer machine? If not, you can usually obtain recovery CDs from Dell for a small fee.
john try to hit Ctrl + F11 as soon as you see the Dell Splash Screen when you reboot the system, or if you’re havinf a problem with Ctrl+F11 like most people do just click the run button, on the page, it will show a popup window that will notify you that the PC restore will start & the system will be rebooted or notify you that no PC restore partition found. Dim3000 should have a PC restore on it. but if you have reinstalled the operating system of your computer using any OS CD or even used chkdsk /r & fixboot commands, it will wipeout the PC restore partition in your system.
Dave I have entered the set up and when I choose “Repair your Computer” option my system restarts. I do not get any other options. I have shut my computer down several times and it reboots as soon as I choose the repair option
Does you model have the recovery partition? Do you have recovery disks? Maybe it is looking for disks in the drive when it reboots.
Dave thanks for the reply. It does not ask for disks. My computer is two yeras old. The only disks I got with it was for the monitor etc. I have a reinstal disk for Vista
The Dell Vista install disk is what you want to boot to. it will format and reinstall Vista. The other disk is probably a driver disk, which you will need to make your network adapter, sound card, video card, etc work. Does this seem like the type of disks you have? If so, keep in mind it will erase everything–so backup. If you continue to have problems, let us know the model and we’ll try and help more.
I have a Dell Inspiron 530. Any help will be appreciated, It definately is a Vista OS disk
James
James, I recommed you join our forums at http://www.pctechbytes.net/forums/ as this can become a long resolution. The message boards really are a better medium for this type of topic. I will research your problem in the meantime.
I was just reading the proceedure, and the rebooting part is normal. It should be prompting you to log in as Administrator. You should then see the “Click Dell Factory Image Restore” option and follow through the prompts.
Yea I will take up the invitation to join the forum. When I try and reboot pressing F8 key it asks me to go to “Repair your computer. After selecting this it should bring up another list of tools and the one I want is the Dell Factory image restore option but when I select the Repair computer prompt it just starts my computer up
Sigh, I’ve got the same problem on a Vista xps m1530
I have a dell inpirion 910 and when i hit f8 i dont get a repair computer option! any ideas? This is a netbook also, and doesnt have a slot for cds/disks
Isn’t F10 or F12 the repair option on Dells? F8 is or the startup options (Safe Mode etc.) When you first boot, you should see a message that tells you what to hit for repair.
I got a dell inspiron 1750 and I did a reinstall with the cd’s but when i had formatted
C: drive i figured out it had a recover partition now ive lost it.
I’ve still got d.drive with all the recovey stuff in like factory image ect ect
but i can’t press f11 any more get get to reinstall it that way any idea how i would get it back
I want to use the Dell PC Restore, but I don’t know how to back up my e-mails, address books, My Documents folders my Desktop, Favorites, etc. Please help me.
Thanks very much,
Tommie
Tommy, you can backup the folders by getting a USB thumbdrive or an external hard drive and copy the entire Documents and Settings folder over located in My Computer under the C drive. This will pretty much grab everything. Confirm they are backed up before you do the restore.
Regarding email, it might also grab the email depending on what client you use. If you use Outlook you can read how to backup your data here http://support.microsoft.com/kb/287070
Hmmm. Did you use the recovery CDs you made when you go the computer or did you use a regular Windows disk? Are you holding the CTRL key when you press F11?
the recovery cds and ctrl f11 dont work etha ive lost the recovery partishon and need it back
I have an inspiron 2200 and about to try the dell system restore. I have had problems with my computer getting very very slow, and my cd/dvd drive is also not showing up in my computer. Is the restore a good idea ?
cheers
after pressing f8, then ‘repair computer’, then dell image factory restore, i go thru all the prompts and click ‘next’ …… then its says “performing factory image restore” may take over five minutes …. the bar just keeps moving for over an hour, or two, i have to manually shut it down by pressing and holding down the power button. All i want is my computer back to how it was when i opened it
… please help i dnt have my disks
dell xps m1530
That is the correct procedure. Make sure no external devices are plugged in, as it could be getting tripped up by a driver issue. If you continue to have problem, I recommend you post on our forums for additional help at http://www.pctechbytes.net/forums/