Hidden Partition Question again !!!

Question

I have been checking the forum for an answer but cant find it.

I have a new XPS1530 with Vista Home Premium and Media Direct.

I have used Gparted and seen there is about 5 separate partitions on the system.

1. Media Direct

2. Utilities

3. Vista

4. Restore

5. Unknown

I have the disc for Vista, media Direct, Utilities but dont have a restore disk.

I would like to get a copy of the restore partition before I blow the whole lot away and have only 4 of my own partions

1.Media Direct

2. Vista

3. Data

4. Restore (Acronis Made)

I want to have a copy of the Factory image just in case I make a big mistake and cant return it to a stable working platform. I have had quite abit of experience working with W2K and Win XP but never really used Vista or the Media Direct.

What can I do to get the restore image from the HDD and reclaim the space?

Pawk · Answer

Actually there's no hidden partition for the image file. It's actually in a Dell folder on the D drive. It's a Windows Image file. I haven't played with partitioning a machine like that, since mine has XP, so I can't tell you if there's further requirements that the original factory image be housed in the same structure as it is now.

AndrewMcDonald · Answer

I pulled the hard drive from my M1330, hooked it to my desktop via USB adapter and did an image of the whole drive using TrueImage 11. I split the image into DVD sized chunks so I can create a set of discs. It took 3 full discs and 1 partial to backup the entire hard drive.

I did this before I booted it for the first time so I know I will be able to restore the factory image at any time.

rabidpilot · Answer

If you contact Dell they can provide you with System recovery Disks as long as your system is with in the first year and you can only request them once.  Just call tech support.  These disks will reinstall the Dell factory image

BrianKotarski · Answer

@rabidpilot wrote:

If you contact Dell they can provide you with System recovery Disks as long as your system is with in the first year and you can only request them once. Just call tech support. These disks will reinstall the Dell factory image

I guess this is what i really need to hear. Do you know if the disks cost anything?

ButtonMasher · Answer

Why don't you just burn a copy of Drive D onto a DVD. On the m1530 it's 4.4 GB so will fit on a single standard DVD. Or make into an iso and put it on a portable drive.

Then if it fails to work you can still call support for the disk

BrianKotarski · Answer

@ButtonMasher wrote:
Why don't you just burn a copy of Drive D onto a DVD. On the m1530 it's 4.4 GB so will fit on a single standard DVD. Or make into an iso and put it on a portable drive.

Then if it fails to work you can still call support for the disk

Also a good idea. Well the laptop estimated ship date of 3/9/08. when I ordered on 2/23 they said it would be free overnight shipping, silly me I thought that ment I would get it withing a week.

Oditius · Answer

@rabidpilot wrote:

If you contact Dell they can provide you with System recovery Disks as long as your system is with in the first year and you can only request them once. Just call tech support. These disks will reinstall the Dell factory image

I tried that, do you know what they sent me? The XP disk and a Roxio CD. but no drivers, I downloaded all the drivers I would need doing a re-install and burned them on a DVD. So much for a "Factory image" DVD. And no, the OS dick is not an image, but the OEM version of XP Pro. (I know, I checked) Once you delete the restore partition, it is gone.

rabidpilot · Answer

I have a hp compaq notebook and I didn't get any Recovery cd's.  I did Find a program that allowed me to create my own system recovery Disks. SO some OEM still provide the options but you have to supply the DVD's

tigerwolf7 · Answer

Right, but you're only restoring it to the poorly configured, bloatware infested original state the system shipped in.  Ideally you want a clean OS disk (which many people prefer to use to do a clean install from as soon as they get the system).

tigerwolf7 · Answer

It's a GOOD thing that Dell gives us the real OS CDs. Most companies don't. It's much more useful to have that real CD, versus one loaded down with junk and poorly
configured like most companies give you (if they even bother giving you that). Dell is the only major OEM that does that for you.

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Hidden Partition Question again !!!

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