Recover OEM Factory partition

You press F8 and boot to the recovery partition.

You must press before the Windows logo appears on the screen. If you press after the Windows logo appears on the screen, the Advanced Boot Options menu will not appear on the screen. If you do not see the Advanced Boot Options menu, restart the computer, and then repeat this step until you see the menu on the screen.

Windows 7 PC Restore | Dell

Table of Contents:

1. Step 1: Backup important files & data.
2. Step 2: Remove non-essential peripherals
3. Step 3: Restore the computer's software to original condition.
4. Step 4: Restore your personal files and data from backups.

	Notice:
	Dell has designed two new backup and restore programs, see below for the details: Dell Inspirons, Studios, and XPS Systems use DataSafe Local Backup 2.0 as the PC Restore/Factory Image Restore option as of April 22, 2009. Click here if your computer is an Inspiron, Studio, or XPS <ADMIN NOTE: Broken link has been removed from this post by Dell> Dell OptiPlex, Latitude, Vostro, and Precisions use Dell Backup and Recovery Manager as the PC Restore/Factory Image Restore option as of May 26, 2009. Click here if your computer is an OptiPlex, Latitude, Vostro, or Precision

Click the link below for instructions on how to backup important files and data.
Click here for instructions on how to back up files.
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Except for the monitor, keyboard, and mouse, remove all external peripherals including:

  Note:

An external peripheral is a device that connects to a port on the front, side or back of the computer, like a printer or memory key.

• Scanner
• Printer
• Modem or Network cables
• Personal Digital Assistant (PDA)
• USB flash drive or other external Hard Drive
• Any other external devices (e.g., USB-attached devices)
• Remove the computer from the docking station, if you are using one.

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Using Dell Factory Image Restore in Windows 7

	Notice:
	Restoring the original factory image erases ALL existing data. This includes files, folders, programs, drivers, E-mails, photos. Before performing a PC Restore, back up all personal files. If you do not back up your personal files, the data will be lost.

1    Turn on the computer.

2   As the computer starts, press on the keyboard until the Advanced Boot Options menu appears on the screen.

	Note:
	You must press before the Windows logo appears on the screen. If you press after the Windows logo appears on the screen, the Advanced Boot Options menu will not appear on the screen. If you do not see the Advanced Boot Options menu, restart the computer, and then repeat this step until you see the menu 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.
The software is now installed as it was when the computer was first received. Back to Top

Click the link below for instructions on how to restore your files from a backup.
Click here for instructions on how to restore your filesBack to Top

Hello SpeedStep,

I've try your suggestion, F8 didn't work, I guess that because the OEM Factory partition already overwritten during the recovery process using backup DVD that I've created via Dell Backup/Restore utility.

I have try to restore using the backup DVD (2 DVDs), the image restore successfully completed, and when it was restarted, error "BOOTMGR is missing", then I try again to boot it from first DVD backup and go to Dos command, and found out there was drive C: with following data:

- DellRestore

      - Factory2.swm file (2 Gb)

- System volume information (cannot be accessed)

- Temp

- tmp

there also X: drive which I believe is the mount drive for Factory2.swm image.

- setup.exe

- DELL

- Program Files

- sources

- Tools

- Users

- Windows

I try to run the setup.exe on X: drive, and it start the windows installation process like when the first time the laptop was configured, but the process cannot running well because it cannot find some driver, I suspect that is because it should be running and boot  from directly from the harddrive and not from the DVD

So the question is how to make it bootable from drive C: or Harddrive and can also mount the factory2.swm image file to continue the windows installation.

Thank's

If you've still got the partition with the image file, you can restore it but you'll need the Windows DVD.  

smsoftdev-solutions.blogspot.com/.../how-to-restore-dell-factory-image-when.html

Hello EJN63, Thank you for the info link,

I have followed the instructions, but I cannot found imagex.exe on any drive of the harddrive or on DVD backup set,

the imagex.exe is working with .wim image (Vista), and I guess for W7 it uses .swm image.

I try also the pcrestore.exe found on Tools folder, and it got hang the machine.

Any other help please?

What you're looking for is in the windows automated installation kit.

en.wikipedia.org/.../Windows_Automated_Installation_Kit

ejn63, thank you for your link info,

I was successfully manage my w7 proff OEM back to my laptop using imagex tutorial given.

However, my Dell Backup & Restore Manager application cannot work because some partition recovery needed already overwritten (lost).

I think that is the caused why the DVD recovery set was not work. So, I need the info the recovery  partition structure (ntfs/fat/fat32), files and folder structure so I can make it manually to enable the DBRM application run properly.

Is there any link that could provide the info?, I've try to find it but has no luck.

Thank you for the help.