Composer Pianist

I recommend that you create an image that is better than the recovery partition in a lot of ways, and and almost as easy to use. Next time you reinstall Windows from the discs, remove any garbage that is bundled in, add in your core programs, update all (especially Windows), run CCleaner, run disk error check with both boxes checked, defrag. You now have a fresh updated OS and core programs, whatever you use.

Install and run  Acronis 10 to make a static image (NOT incremental or updated) onto DVDs or an external HD. Verify the image when finished, and trash any image that does not verify.

Down the road, when Windows inevitably degrades, copy your data off of your HD, and re-install the Acronis image onto your HD with a few mouse clicks, and Windows and your core programs will be fresh again.

ComposerPianist,

Thank you for using the Dell Community Forum.

You cannot recreate the Dell Image.

Hi there again Michael – Ooooohhhh Noooooo    :emotion-18:

Think we’ve been down that road here – wow it’s been nearly 2½ years

Good advice from ddd1ddd    :emotion-21:

Think we’ve been down that road here – wow it’s been nearly 2½ years

You've got a very good memory, to have remembered the OP had asked the question before - so long ago :emotion-3:

Very impressive :emotion-21:

This is amazing!  I think I actually remember BELL BOY. lol.  Has it really been that long?  I'm asking now because I've been thinking of selling the PC so I wanted to restore it back to factory settings.

There is no way to "OBTAIN" the same factory image that came with my pc? I can not get it from Dell? Let's say I knew someone that had the same exact PC to the tee, They can't make a copy of the partition on their PC and let me install it to mine?

But anyway,  making my own recovery partition sounds better.  Maybe throw in a few more things that the PC didn't come with so it's more incentive to buy.  Out of curiosity,  seeing how long I've owned this PC (had it maybe 6 months before I made that original post so perhaps 3 years), and it has no technicle problems whatsoever,  What would it's worth be? There was actually a 1 year gap where I was not using it so it's really 2 years as far as usage goes. How much should I sell it for?  I payed about $500 for it.

Best,

Michael

On Baltimore Craigslist this type is listed for $150 - $225; but it is hard to say what final price is. Unfortunately, it is not how many years that it was used, but its age; and many seem to want new.

How much does this PC go for new these days?  Is Dell still making it?  If not, then how long ago did they stop making it?

Thank you for your information.  Your absolutely right.  This is always the best time to buy if you have the money.  That's why the rich always get richer.  I'll bet their just buying up all the forclosed homes right now.

One question has gone unanswered:

There is no way to "OBTAIN" the same factory image that came with my pc? I can not get it from Dell? Let's say I knew someone that had the same exact PC to the tee, They can't make a copy of the partition on their PC and let me install it to mine?

TRF

Well some you can remember & others you can’t forget  :emotion-43:

Michael

Bad time to sell, Good time to buy – if you got the money??????  :emotion-31:

Rule of Thumb (pre the credit crunch)

Top condition used computer cost = about 50% max of cost for a new equivalent build spec

But you never know your luck

Lets face it, some Dell discounts are now more than $250

But check out some of the E521 ebay offers here

Unable to connect to Dell web site, usual blue apologies ERROR message, hence delay in reply

As Jesse L said quote, “You cannot recreate the Dell Image”

Are you absolutely sure that the DSR (3 to 5GB) FAT32 partition has been deleted?

And it’s not just the Ctrl + F11 key boot function link that’s been broken (that can be fixed)?

If you want to attempt cloning transfer quote, “exact PC to the tee”, it’s your call

Some Issues

Apart from legal, you may encounter problems since original ghost image is unique – a bit different to “exact PC to the tee”

And if you have indeed deleted the FAT32 partition, you will need to recreate one for cloned restore image etc., etc….

Worst-case scenario is you may render your PC unbootable

In summary, if you intend to sell your PC, then easier & better to wipe hard drive clean by doing a Windows Clean Install

Yes, everything is deleted.  The only thing on the hard drive is windows xp.  So it looks like that is what I will have to do.  Make a clean install and then make my own recovery disc.

So now, does Dell still manufacture this model?  If not, then how long ago did they stop making it?

Best,

Michael

No

Reckon Dell started phasing out Dimension desktops late June 2007(USA market), being replaced by new Inspiron desktop models (530s) & lower end spec XPS models

Not sure how much it’s worth (assume no warranty left) but potential buyer may be more interested & assured if you guarantee completion of Dell Transfer of Product Ownership click here

One question has gone unanswered: There is no way to "OBTAIN" the same factory image that came with my pc? I can not get it from Dell? Let's say I knew someone that had the same exact PC to the tee, They can't make a copy of the partition on their PC and let me install it to mine?

I know this post is a little old, but I wanted to throw in a couple of ¢'s on making a clone of a PC.  With Windows, you can not do a clone of one PC to another if the computer that you are cloning is already configured and running Windows.  When you first boot Windows, it creates hardware specific SID's that are placed in various places in the registry.  Those SID's are generated based on the exact hardware config and even an exact clone has different specs based on the MAC address and other various options.  Sooo -- the point is - you can clone a PC and then use that image on the same machine, but if you want to use that on a different machine, you have to run 'sysprep' (a Microsoft utility that strips SID's from a computer).  When you clone that sysprepped machine, the SIDs are generated on the next boot of windows, when you 'configure your computer for the first time'.  You have to go through the setup wizard and choose Date/Time Zone, Network settings,etc, as well as (depending on the Windows Key of the original machine) put in the windows product key. 

:)

Restoration using the F11 key is only possible if the recovery partition exists but, by now you may have already used you discs to manually restore the system.

It is possible to get the F11 partition back.

HOWEVER its not a one step simple process.

If you do not have access to the actual hidden partition OR a copy of Ghost8 you will not be able to recover that functionality.

It Assumes a Drive of 120 Gigs OR LESS.

If you did not remove the hidden partition then you can use PTEDIT and a USB drive bridge to recover the Ghost Image from the hidden partition.

To do it you need WIN98SE Bootable floppy with FDISK and Format.

Then PTEDIT

ptedit.exe from ptedit.zip

You need Ghost8 or Higher FOR DOS.

You need DSRFIX.

First thing you do is make an 80 meg Diag partition.

Then you make a Fat32 WIN98DOS bootable Partition but you leave 10 to 12 Gigs free.

You partition the drive and make it bootable and formatted as Drive C: after hiding the Diag partition.

You then format the drive as NTFS.  Then you boot and make the Rest of the drive a bootable FAT32 partition.

The WIN9X Dos will ignore the Diag and NTFS partitions.

You then Run DSRFIX to hide the last partition.

Then you install XP or whatever on the NTFS partition.

When you are done you hit CTRL F11 and boot from the 3rd partition with WIN9X DOS

Then you use ghost.exe -split=2047 so that the image will be split into 2 gig chunks for dos.

once the image is saved you make a batch file to restore the image back to the ntfs partition.

See the DSRFIX authors site

Inside the Dell PC Restore Partition - Goodells Net

Screen Shots from a DOS-Type Restore

author: Dan Goodell