Reset to factory settings - no "repair your computer" option - studio 1555

I can't find my backup discs.  Is it possible to use the discs for someone else's studio laptop?

The Windows disc, yes. 

The drivers you'll need to download from Dell.

If the repair option is gone, you must do a manual reload.

http://support.dell.com/support/topics/global.aspx/support/dsn/detectos?type=force&lx=179256&lv=339949&l7=362048

I noticed that in the D: drive (recovery), there is a folder called "DELL", and inside that folder there is a folder called "image", and inside that folder is a file called "Factory.wim".  If I burn that to a CD, can that be used as a recovery disc?

You'll need to prepare a CD that's bootable with a copy of Image X on it, but if the partition is there and you boot from that, yes - you can use the restore image.

Sorry, I don't really understand.  What is Image X? Is that the Factory.wim I found? I was looking through ways to do a manual reformat without the recovery discs, but it told me to go find a file on my computer that didn't exist.

You don't use F2 for repair. Setup is another name for the Bios screen, not repair your computer. Reboot and tap your F8 key in steady rhythmic taps as soon as you reboot the computer until you get to the boot menu where you select Advanced Boot Options. You might have to try this a few times before you can get to the boot menu. If you have windows 7 and you can get to windows, you can go to Backup and Restore and make a System Repair cd to use as a boot disk. Then you boot to the cd and select repair your computer. That makes it easier to get to the options to return to Factory Settings.

Image X is the Microsoft imaging tool that produces and reads WIM files.  It can be downloaded from Microsoft with the Windows administration kit.

It is far from easy to use -- it is a command line utility.

No one I know with a Studio laptop has a recovery disc which is leading me to believe that whatver model I have does not come with one.  How can I make a recovery disc? I am not an advanced computer user so I need things explained in simple terms that I can understand.  The guides on the dell website are unintuitive and tell me to locate files that don't exist.

The F8 key does not do anything during a reboot.  I have tried several times and the only way to enter setup is with F2.

If you need a recovery disc,

http://support.dell.com/support/topics/global.aspx/support/dellcare/en/backupcd_form

Also see

http://support.dell.com/support/topics/global.aspx/support/kcs/document?c=us&cs=19&l=en&s=dhs&docid=DSN_362066&isLegacy=true