Ultimate Restore :/

Question

seriously I have started to pity myself I always end up screwing my laptops while tweaking windows, dual booting and 'learning' new things Well but this time I don't even where to startrestored my dell < few days went by < dual boot Ubuntu 12 < wanted to make one new partition for downloaded stuff and music < had reached the limit of maximum 4 primary partition which I didn't know exist (OEM partition of 105 MB, Recovery partition of 15 Gigs, Windows 7 Partition of some 400 gigs and finally the Ubuntu's 30 Gigs Partition) < searched here n there < booted live Ubuntu and did it finally < installed some new softwares in windows too (nothing new, I keep on doing it) Ubuntu forums members told me to do chkdsk once, just to be sure that windows don't get affected ran the chkdsk on startup and got the error, it was something like this 'due to some software you installed chkdsk cannot run, please restore your PC' and so I searched how to clone ubuntu < used clonezilla < deleted all the partitions and merged them < restored the PC < perfectly working windows but I wanted the ubuntu back so created the partitions again :P tried to restore my ubuntu but couldn't do it cause I didn't know that  partition has to be of same size < tweaked here n there < finally ended up ****** up my windows MBR, I was using easyBCD to dual boot  ubuntu, and I deleted all the entries in easyBCD and restarted :(couldn't boot, MBR was f***** up I couldn't even get into the repair mode of my laptop to factroy reset my laptop :( searched for hours for the solution i got so pissed that I picked a pirated windows 7 ultimate dvd and booted installed on a small 30 gigs partition, installed the local datasafe local backup ( i downloaded it few days back only :emotion-1: ) made the rescue USB but still I didn't want to restore my laptop cause I would have to install my software and apps again and of course their settings, and I thought it's just MBR how tought it could be so I searched how to repair MBR using live ubuntu CD tried all the ways, ms-sys, lilo, boot-repair, etc then the next error came up, something like 'ntoskrnl.exe is corrupted please restore the file using the windows CD as I have no recovery CD so I used my VAIO to attach my vhd (dell's system image) I created earlier, copied the ntoskrnl.exe from there, transferred to a USB and replaced the corrupted ntoskrnl in my dell with live Ubuntu CD haha I thought this might work but it didn't as expected so finally I booted using the Datasafe recovery USB I created using pirated windows :emotion-10: got my laptop restored using the option 'delete all the partitions and restore to factory image' but then I noticed that I have no 'repair the windows' option in F8 menu. So, now my question is, isn't the factory image suppose to reset EVERYTHING single file including MBR please help me, how do I reset EVERYTHING to the factory installed date :emotion-6: :emotion-9: , I still have the 100 MB OEM Partition and recovery partition intactand also please tell me what is this 100 MB OEM partition :D

MicroTest · Accepted Answer

> You need to install 'Quickset' if you want to disable charging > There is no need for you to turn off battery charging - once the battery is charged the charging circuitry goes into        'standby' > checkout Natakuc4's Wiki     en.community.dell.com/.../3326.1-a-clean-install-of-windows.aspx > After installing Windows from scratch do yourself a favour and make an image backup of your (hopefully) perfecttly  configured OS.This will allow you to fool around with your system (like I do...)  as much as you want and restore the system back within a couple of minutes if something goes wrong.   My favourite free backup software (after testing a couple of others) is Macrium Reflect   www.macrium.com/reflectfree.aspx

DELL-Roshan L · Answer

Hi  GravityDead, Welcome to the Community, Try the steps suggested in this post below : en.community.dell.com/.../20179121.aspx Hope this helps, Thank You

GravityDead · Answer

so are you saying that I cannot get my 'repair function' back in the advanced boot options :/ cause i had already read the page you mentioned and there is no way to restore the 'original' MBR.. EDIT - I can still restore through the USB i created, it's just that I am not gonna have that USB with me all the time, that is why I wanted that REPAIR option in advanced boot menu.

GravityDead · Answer

oh ohkay, I can re-install it

but just one question, can i use any windows 7 dvd?

i am pretty sure that my recovery partition is in perfect condition and also I have my recovery media too, USB ...

so that's not the problem

if this time it doesn't work, I guess i will have to completely switch to ubuntu then :/

DELL-Roshan L · Answer

Ideally when you reinstall Windows(either using the Factory Image or Windows DVD),that Repair option should automatically come back in Advanced boot menu.

It could be an issue with the Factory Image which you used to restore the system.You can probably try doing a Clean reinstall using the Windows DVD and see if that Repair option comes back.However don't delete the recovery partition as I am not sure if the factory image on it is corrupt or still good.

About the 100 MB OEM partition :D,that should be your Diagnostic Utility partition.

DELL-Roshan L · Answer

You can use any Windows DVD provided you have the product key to activate Windows.If you're using the Dell recovery media (which you made after getting the system,copy of Windows on it is pre-activated and it does not require Product key to activate Windows).

GravityDead · Answer

nah I never made a recovery disk, my burner doesn't like burning much

(gosh every laptop I own has a BAD burner, and this laptop is only a year old)

of course I have a product key (duh the sticker at the bottom, right? )

okay lem'me download the premium windows image from internet and then I'll post back the results

BTW thank you mr. roshan for replying :)

GravityDead · Answer

DAMN, I tried every single thing I could find on internet but couldn't get my datasafe option back in the advanced boot options

seriously I give up

I even contacted DELL customer care,

huh and I found out that they nothing but stupid girls working for them who don't even know what advanced boot options is, every time I got transferred, they asked me my laptop details and then

"yes sir, please tell me what is your query",

first they listen what I have to say and then they transfer my call, telling me

"sir your laptop is out-of-warranty, so kindly wait while I transfer you to non-warranty section"

hah they transferred my call three times (technically 4 times), gawwd i waited for more than 40 minutes on phone while they kept on transferring me :/

and I used to think that SONY was the worst

OK, back to the topic,

Mr. roshan can you please help me in one last thing

I am gonna do a clean re-install of windows 7 (the last time)

all I want now is the DELL BATTERY METER feature, if you don't know about it, it let me STOP the charging the battery while I have adapter plugged in the laptop and this way I can leave my laptop on during the night for my downloads and scanning purpose (running on AC power) knowing that my battery will not get affected by over-charging...

please, tell me how would I install this feature in new windows installation....

cause the CHARGING BEHAVIOR in my BIOS only work for a single session and I have to go into BIOS every time I turn on the laptop if I don't have this feature...

DELL-Roshan L · Answer

Hi GravityDead,

Sorry to hear about your experience with support.As suggested by MicroTest you need to install Dell QuickSet Utility to get the Dell Battery Meter.Use this link below to download :

www.dell.com/.../inspiron-14r-n4110

If you're still not able to get that option back on the System Recovery options,I think its a problem with the recovery partion.

GravityDead · Answer

yeah thanks guys your replies and concern (:

yeah, this is sure that I would never ever call the support again but it's cool, I think this online people are always nice on forums than on support and even more knowledgeable O:)

I restored and also got the QuickSet,

@microtest : I will try go with acronis 2011 since I already have it but the thing is I've never used it, infact I've never used any backup software, local backup was my first experience (and a HORRIBLE one)

I mean before all this happened, I actually happened to have a true acronis image...

I couldn't figure out how to restore correctly MAYBE because my partition size at the time when I created the image was different from when this all started happening (remember I had dual boot then, Ubuntu)

i tried restoring from the image, even result was successful but I couldn't boot, so I deleted the image

but never mind it's a diff. issue, I will head to acronis's forums for this topic or may be FAQ's :P

but right now I am gonna use the inbuilt windows backup thingy O:)

old and gold

thank you once again guys :D

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