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Drive restore problem
MediaDirect Reinstall DVD formatted my disk to rebuild MediaDirect partition, but a new fresh Windows installation doesn't let me recover the Factory Image state.
From the Windows partition manager I see that there isn't the RECOVERY partition.
What can I do?
ww55
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April 7th, 2009 11:00
If you formated the drive you will have lost the ability to access the Factory restore function. IF you did a full install of windows you do not need the factory restore. Once you alter the MBR the Factory restore option will not work, and the only way to redo the system will be a fresh install using the recovery partition.
heels87
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April 7th, 2009 13:00
I'd very much like to do a fresh install using the recovery but the steps in the manual do not work, and I think that's because there isn't any recovery partition on the hard disk as now! How can I proceed to restore the HD to factory settings?
TheRealFireblad
4.6K Posts
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April 7th, 2009 14:00
As ww55 advised, you can't restore your system to its factory settings, without the Recovery partition :emotion-55:
Your only option from now on, it do 'clean' install the OS, and reinstall the drivers etc yourself.
It's advisable once you have reinstalled everything (OS + service pack, all drivers, Windows Updates), to create your own image of the hard drive... or at least your C:\ partition - if you have more than one partition.
Acronis True Image or Norton (/Symentec) Ghost are the two most popular product for doing so.
But there are a number of FREE programs you can use for the job - including:
O&O DiskImage 3 Express
HDClone
Macrium Reflect
Clone MaXX
Self Image
DriveImage XML
heels87
5 Posts
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April 7th, 2009 14:00
I find it completely unreasonable that software provided by Dell broke my installation. I am really looking forward to get a fresh disk or disk image to copy to my HD.
RobinBredin
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3.7K Posts
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April 8th, 2009 02:00
Hi heels87, HERE is an support journal on how to get your Operating System on your system, and HERE is an support journal on how to get your drivers on and in what order, also HERE is an support journal on medis direct.
heels87
5 Posts
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April 8th, 2009 05:00
Thank you RobinBredin, I've read what you've suggested and found this particular 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."
I'm afraid to see that this was not specified on user's manual!I'll give some explanations about the facts that generated the bigger problem:
I discovered that MediaDirect DVD erased also the RECOVERY partition, so now I have solved a problem (MediaDirect is correctly working) to get another one bigger (Vista can't be restored completely, because a fresh OS installation cames without Aero and so many other things that I paid for).
I managed to have a deeper view of the hard drive by starting Ubuntu Live from a CD (I didn't installed that). The Recovery partition is definitely lost, and when Ubuntu loads (with "nosplash" set) it shows a list of hardware errors on different sectors of the hard drive.
I think that MD wasn't working from the beginning because of some physical disk errors, that I have been able to discover only by starting Ubuntu Live; I think I would contact the phone support now, to request a new working hard disk.
Does a replacement hard drive come as in factory state?
Any suggestion?
RobinBredin
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3.7K Posts
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April 8th, 2009 06:00
Hi, If your hard drive needs replacing and your system is still under warranty. Then you can request that your hard drive has the partition. If by chance they say no, then i would tell them to send you out replacement disc as well.
heels87
5 Posts
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April 11th, 2009 05:00
It's the better thing that I cand do, but not what I was searching for (in case the answer "no" to the factory state replacement hd request). I mean, if I played bad with some dangerous apps then it has been a choice, mea culpa. But I used Dell's software, if they say "no" I would became very angry.
Il'let you know how the story ends, stay tuned :emotion-5: