Hi djhurt, You can order a set of reinstall disc online if you live in the US HERE, if not, then you will have to phone your local dell support. If you have tried the CTRL + F11, and it's not there, then your only option is to use a disc.

Hi, thankyou for the reply. I will try that, only problem is the system is registered under a different name. This machine is used in a Hotel business center for guests. it's registered under the previous tech. that is no longer with the company.

On a side note, I do see the recovery partition. However, the previous tech left amin rights to anyone who used the machine, so it may very well be fubared. Any other suggestions in the mean time?

Me again...

Keep in mind that Dell doesn't provide a true "restore" disk. They only provide an OEM Windows Installation disk. It only installs Windows. It doesn't reset the hard drive to the way they shipped it. You will have to install Windows from that disk followed by all the hardware drivers (in the correct order!) and then all the software you need.

Ron

What version of Windows is this? If it's Vista or Win7, the PC Restore option is found on the F8 menu; press F8 before WIndows starts to load.

If this is XP, when you boot, do you see a narrow blue band at the top of the screen. When you see that, press/hold Ctrl and then quickly press F11. Release both keys at the same time.

If you're a geek, you might find enough info to fix access to PC Restore here. :emotion-15:

There's always eBay for the disks. You can download all the drivers for free from support.dell.com.

Ron

Yikes, Dell wants $89 for the restore CDs. They did offer a 1 time software incident for $59 to walk me through the restore procedure. Apparently they feel it's still restorable?

Hi, Have you tried F8 at bootup, and going into safe mode, then into control panel, then removing the other teck, and putting your self down as the Administrator.

Yikes, Dell wants $89 for the restore CDs. They did offer a 1 time software incident for $59 to walk me through the restore procedure. Apparently they feel it's still restorable?

 djhurt1

If you have a friend with a Dell System with the same version of windows, that's installed in the Optiplex 745, either borrow the disc, or make a copy and use that to reinstall windows. 

All the drivers and utilities can be downloaded from Dell's website and transfered to either a thumb drive, or a CD to install on the Optiplex 745.

Bev.

The question that is being asked in multiple places on the internet is "Why is there no Recovery option?"

The link to purchase something from Dell is nice, and may be Dell's "policy", but respectfully, it does not answer the question.

Why is there no Recovery option available? How do you manually initiate a full system recovery when the partition is intact and no option appears?

Can this be answered directly?

Thanks.

Microsoft policy is that Recovery media or restore partitions are given to the End user.  The 745 and most optiplexes shipped with XP CD's and in 2007 vista DVD's and in 2009 WIN7 DVD's as well as resource DVDs.  Its now 2016 which is well past any warranty or extended warranty.  

The 745 is not a dimension and did not come with a CTRL F11 or F8 recovery partition.  Reinstall Disks have been pulled by microsoft for win98, 2000, xp, Vista,  WIN7.  And Dell is no longer authorized to distribute these.  Its microsoft policy not dell.  Microsoft also took down the Digital River ISO's of the Vista and 7 discs.  Windows 8 is also depricated and windows 8.1 is whatever is left in the stores with windows 10 being the retail option on USB flash drive with Disks no longer sold.   XP is end of life end of support and vendors are forbidden to sell any systems with XP on them.

Dell does not decide the lifecycle of windows Microsoft does.

Consumer  Systems (Dimension, Inspiron) shipped after July 15, 2004 came with Symantec PC Restore. Vostro /Optiplex models did not.

For example Dimension 8400 had this but Optiplex GX280 did not.   Dimension 5150 had this but Optiplex GX620 did not.