You're going to need a Windows boot DVD to do this, but if the partition is still there, here

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is how you access and use it without the boot loader.

Will any Windows boot disk work?  I have Dell Diagnostics (which seems useless in this scenario), and I have install disks for Windows 7 Ultimate, and several XP installation disks.

The recovery partition is labeled as drive X, but I can change that with another utility if need be (the dvd drive is drive D).

I just can't get any reaction from the computer by hitting F8 during boot sequence.

--Roc

ejn63

When I look at the recovery partition from Windows 10 or from a diagnostic boot USB, there is no "tools" folder.  There are only three items in the partition.

--Roc

Will any Windows boot disk work?  I have Dell Diagnostics (which seems useless in this scenario), and I have install disks for Windows 7 Ultimate, and several XP installation disks. The recovery partition is labeled as drive X, but I can change that with another utility if need be (the dvd drive is drive D). I just can't get any reaction from the computer by hitting F8 during boot sequence. --Roc

You need Windows 7 DVD that is same version as what was on the PC before. Borrow one from a friend.

However, if your father made recovery discs, you should be F12 and selecting booting from either the CD/DVD drive.

No recovery disks or I'd already be using them.  I want to access the recovery partition (which previously had NO drive letter, but is currently drive X) and restore from the factory image.

Are you saying I can do this if I have any Windows 7 installation disk?  I may have one that came with a desktop, but we don't have one for his Inspiron laptop.

--Roc

http://www.dell.com/support/troubleshooting/us/en/04/KCS/KcsArticles/ArticleView?docid=DSN_347576

One of the other tips that worked in the link that ejn63 provided was

path d:\windows;d:\windows\system32
d:
cdtools
pcrestore

IEEE488,

F8 does nothing.

There is no "tools" directory on any of the disks or drives.

Now, I'm trying to create a bootable disk from this Windows 7 (studio xps desktop) in the hopes I might be able to access the recovery partition that way.

If nothing else works, I guess we will have to order a set of recovery disks from Dell... I've followed all the links in the forum, tried every solution... the F8 not working seems to be the insurmountable problem.

--Roc

None of the solutions is working.  Is it possible Windows 10 itself is the cause?

Regarding the first solution:

I created a W7 repair disk, went to command prompt, found my way to the directory where "imagex.exe" was located and entered the command:

imagex /apply d:\dell\image\factory.wim 1 d:\

RESPONSE:  The subsytem needed to support the image type is not present.

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I also tried the pcrestore option, and received the response that the program was "unable to start correctly"

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I'm about ready to throw in the towel and tell dad he needs to pay for new recovery disks from Dell.

Thanks for all your efforts... but between F8 not working and then the two error messages, I'm out of ideas.

--Roc

Do you have Dell 7 DVD with the same version of Windows 7 as that which was originally your father's PC? If so, you can use it to re-install Windows 7. Note that he will lose all his personal files.

I suggest you first turn off Windows 10 fast boot, and then try the F8 key in a startup. if that fails too, i 'd recommend a clean install