PC restore for dimension 9150

Step 01: Open the restore partition

Boot to DOS from the Dsrfix CD.

You can download the DSRFIX.ISO file from here:

download the dsrfix.zip archive file and extract dsrfix.com or dsrfixcd.iso. You may optionally wish to include ptedit.exe from ptedit.zip

To make a DOS boot floppy: You will need a 1.44MB floppy disk and a machine with a floppy drive. Visit www.bootdisk.com and download the file to make a Win98 SE bootdisk. Use the file to make your own boot floppy. Copy dsrfix.com (and ptedit.exe, if desired) onto a second floppy disk. Boot from the bootdisk, then swap the floppies so you can run Dsrfix.
(Note to reader: The other files in the archive are supplemental. The only file you need to copy to floppy disk is dsrfix.com.)

To make a bootable CD: You will need a machine with a CD/DVD burner and your burning software must be capable of creating a CD from an ISO image. Nero and Roxio EasyCD Creator include that capability. If you don't have either of those, a very simple freeware tool that can do this is ImgBurn, which can be downloaded from www.imgburn.com. Download ImgBurn and install it. Launch ImgBurn and use the iso file, dsrfixcd.iso, to create a CD. Boot from the CD and run Dsrfix.
(Note to reader: The other files in the archive are supplemental. Dsrfixcd.iso is the only file required to make a bootable CD.)

Note: a drawback to this method is that a CD is read-only, so if you boot from a CD you cannot save a dumpfile or backup your MBR to the CD. However, if your system does not have a floppy drive, you may need to forego saving these.

To make a bootable flash drive: Your computer's bios must support booting from a USB device. (I believe all Dell computers shipped since the advent of the PC-Restore system probably support booting from a USB device.) Flash drives have become quite inexpensive and ubiquitous. There are plenty of good instructions on the Internet about how to make a flash drive bootable. Do a google search for "usb bootable flash drive" and find a method you like. After making your flash drive bootable, copy dsrfix.com (and ptedit.exe, if desired) onto it. Insert the flash drive into a USB port and reboot the computer.
(Note to reader: The other files in the archive are supplemental. The only file you need to copy to the flash drive is dsrfix.com.)

Warning: the computer will treat your flash drive as the first "hard disk" in the computer. Your real hard disk will typically be shifted to second in order. When you run Dsrfix, make sure you use the /81 switch to read the "second" disk! If you forget to include the command-line switch, Dsrfix will read the MBR of the flash drive instead.

At the  A:>  prompt, enter the command: " ptedit " to launch the PowerQuest Partition Table Editor.

The row for the main XP partition will start with  07   80  in the first two columns. Change to  07  00 .

The row for the DSR partition will start with  DB   00  in the first two columns. Change to  0C   80 .

Do not change any other fields. You should have only one  80  in the  Boot  column.

Click the  Save Changes  button to save the changes.

REBOOT. (A reboot is required for the changes to be recognized.)

Step 02: Start recovery program

Boot to DOS from the Dsrfix CD.

At the  A:>  prompt, enter the command: " c: " to switch to the C: drive.

At the  C:>  prompt, enter the command: " cd  c:\img " to switch to the IMG directory.

At the  C:\IMG>  prompt, enter the command: " c:\bin\recover " to launch the Dell Recovery utility.

Click  OK  to skip the copyright screen.

From the menu, select  Local .

Step 03: Select task

Select  Partition  from the 'Action' flyout menu.

Select  From Image  from the 'Partition' flyout menu.

Step 04: Select image file

Select the  C:  [DellRestore]  local drive.

Select the  FI.GHO  file.

Click the  Open  button to continue.

Step 05: Select source partition

Highlight the  Primary  07  NTFS  partition.

Click the  OK  button to continue.

Step 06: Select destination drive

Select your main hard disk.

Click the  OK  button to continue.

Step 07: Select destination partition

Select your main XP partition.

Clue: this should always be a  Primary   07   NTFS  partition. If you have more than one partition like this, make sure you figure out and select the right one!

Click the  OK  button to continue.

Step 08: Ghost

You are now ready to delete the main XP partition on your hard disk and replace it with the image of the partition that is in the FI.GHO backup file.

Click the  Yes  button to continue.

Step 09: Ghost

The restore process will take some time.

When it finishes, exit from the program.

Step 10: Ptedit

Boot to DOS from the Dsrfix CD.

Execute the command: " ptedit " to launch the PowerQuest Partition Table Editor.

Undo the changes you made in Step 01.

The row for the main XP partition will start with  07   00  in the first two columns. Change back to  07   80 .

The row for the DSR partition will start with  0C   80  in the first two columns. Change back to  DB   00 .

Do not change any other fields. You should have only one  80  in the  Boot  column.

Click the  Save Changes  button to save the changes.

Finished.

The main XP partition should now be restored to its contents as it was when originally shipped.

Reboot and let the computer boot into XP.

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author: Dan Goodell

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