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Help with restoring my laptop
I have a Dell Vostro A860 laptop with Windows Vista Home Basic on it. I'm trying to restore it to factory settings, but I'm running into problems.
- I want to delete everything off the computer (user accounts, pictures, documents, programs, everything). I don't want to back it up on a disc. I just want everything gone and the computer to be reset to work as if it was first purchased.
- I've been researching on how to restore the system and I'm following the steps. I've listed them below:
1. Turn on the computer.
2. As the computer starts, press on the keyboard until the Advanced Boot Options menu appears on the screen.
3. Press the on the keyboard to select Repair Your Computer on the Advanced Boot Options menu, and then press .
4. Specify the language settings that you want, and then click Next.
5. Log in as a user who has administrative credentials, and then click OK.
6. Click Dell Factory Image Restore.
7. In the Dell Factory Image Restore window, click Next.
8. Click to select the Yes, reformat hard drive and restore system software to factory condition check box.
9. Click Next. The computer is restored to the default factory configuration.
10. When the restore operation is completed, click Finish to restart the computer.
I ran into problems on Step #6. I couldn't find "Dell Factory Image Restore" after selecting the administrator and clicking OK. I've also looked for the System Recovery Manager, but it's not there.
I hope someone will be able to help me fix this problem! Please and thank you! :)
Blekborn
2 Posts
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April 30th, 2014 14:00
Are you sure that There. Is an image?
check that first please.
regard Hans
OS_77
16 Posts
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April 30th, 2014 14:00
I've already looked in the Advanced Boot Options menu, and there's no such option on my computer. If there's another way to check, do you mind telling me where that is?
DELL-Babita S
1.3K Posts
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April 30th, 2014 14:00
Hi OS_77,
Thanks for the reach out.
If you are not able to find the Dell Factory Image Restore Partition, it may be that at some point, this partition may have been deleted or become corrupt.
The option now is to restore using the Windows disk only. Do you have the Windows disk which may have been sent to you along with the system at the time of purchase?
Please reply for further assistance.
Thanks and regards.
Babita S
#iworkfordell
To know more about Dell Product Support, Drivers & Downloads, Order & Dispatch status -> choose your region US Customers; UK Customers; India Customers. For Dell support videos click Here.
Blekborn
2 Posts
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April 30th, 2014 14:00
Is your Vista still functioning?
that is THE first requirement to check THE contentst of your HD.
after that you go to THE configuration menu, computer menu, disk management, to check THE comtents of your HD.
regards,
hans
OS_77
16 Posts
0
April 30th, 2014 16:00
If the computer is running, and I'm able to log on, does that count as Vista functioning? As for the configuration menu, would I find it in Control Panel > System and Maintenance > Administrative Tools > System Configuration? Then what do I do?
OS_77
16 Posts
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April 30th, 2014 16:00
But I didn't have any important data that I wanted to back up. And is the red reinstallation disk that I mentioned the right one to use?
Also, what is the resource/drivers disk?
OS_77
16 Posts
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April 30th, 2014 16:00
I think I have a reinstallation DVD. It's red and has the words "Operating System" and "Reinstallation DVD Windows Vista Home Basic 32BIT SP1" on it. Does that count?
DELL-Babita S
1.3K Posts
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April 30th, 2014 16:00
Hi OS_77,
Thank you for your reply.
If you are able to boot to Windows and work on your computer like normal, then Windows Vista is functioning normally. However, we recommend that you back up all important data on an external storage device to avoid data loss in case the system malfunctions again.
Click on this link for Windows Vista re-installation using disk: http://dell.to/PRUcav
Do you have the resource/drivers disk also? You will have to install system drivers using this disk after windows has been installed.
Let us know if further help is needed.
Thanks and regards.
Babita S
#iworkfordell
To know more about Dell Product Support, Drivers & Downloads, Order & Dispatch status -> choose your region US Customers; UK Customers; India Customers. For Dell support videos click Here.
DELL-Babita S
1.3K Posts
0
April 30th, 2014 17:00
Hi OS_77,
Yes, the red re-installation disk is the correct one. However, you will also need the resource disk to install chipset, video, audio, network drivers.
Kindly locate this driver disk and start installation only once you have both disks available. Steps for installing drivers are mentioned in the link provided previously.
Thanks and regards.
Babita S
#iworkfordell
To know more about Dell Product Support, Drivers & Downloads, Order & Dispatch status -> choose your region US Customers; UK Customers; India Customers. For Dell support videos click Here.
OS_77
16 Posts
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April 30th, 2014 18:00
I've installed the Drivers & Utilities disk. What is the next step? :)
DELL-Babita S
1.3K Posts
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April 30th, 2014 18:00
Hi OS_77,
Yes, these are the correct disks.
You will have to initially boot from the Windows re-installation disk and install Windows Vista. Once completed, you will have to install the drivers from the Drivers & Utilities disk.
Check that this drivers disk is for your computer to avoid inconvenience later.
Once again, the link for steps to reinstall Windows and drivers is : http://dell.to/PRUcav
Thanks and regards.
Babita S
#iworkfordell
To know more about Dell Product Support, Drivers & Downloads, Order & Dispatch status -> choose your region US Customers; UK Customers; India Customers. For Dell support videos click Here.
OS_77
16 Posts
0
April 30th, 2014 18:00
All right. I only found two black disks: one that says "For Reinstalling Cyberlink PowerDVD DX 8.0 Software for DVD Playback" and one that says "Drivers and Utilities." Are those good enough?
DELL-Babita S
1.3K Posts
0
May 1st, 2014 14:00
Hi OS_77,
Thank you for your reply.
It is great that you have successfully installed Windows Vista and drivers.
Are you able to connect to the internet ? You can now connect your computer to the Internet or network. Then, install critical and recommended Windows updates and reinstall your programs.
Also, reinstall your third-party devices and restore your personal files and data from backups.
All these steps are available on this link: http://dell.to/PRUcav
Let us know if you have further queries.
Thanks and regards.
Babita S
#iworkfordell
To know more about Dell Product Support, Drivers & Downloads, Order & Dispatch status -> choose your region US Customers; UK Customers; India Customers. For Dell support videos click Here.
OS_77
16 Posts
0
May 1st, 2014 18:00
No, I wasn't able to connect to the Internet. That's my next big problem. I kept trying to connect and I even tried to set up a network, but the connection won't go through to my router.
DELL-Babita S
1.3K Posts
0
May 2nd, 2014 17:00
Hi OS_77,
Thank you for your reply.
Please click on this link for steps to troubleshoot the network issue you are facing: http://dell.to/PjgEcy
Let us know if further help is needed.
Thanks and regards.
Babita S
#iworkfordell
To know more about Dell Product Support, Drivers & Downloads, Order & Dispatch status -> choose your region US Customers; UK Customers; India Customers. For Dell support videos click Here.