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I need help restoring my inspiron 1545 windows 7 laptop to factory...can't get past repair your computer with F8.
I could really use some help. I don't know a lot about computers and have been searching for answers and just decided to post my own question.
My computer got a virus on November 6th. It caused my files to be hidden. I waited until Thanksgiving weekend to have my brother check things out. He fixed that problem, but realized right before we needed to leave that the problem was bigger than that. For example the Administrative Tools folder is empty. He suggested to me that I restore back to factory which I have been trying to do (my data is backed up by carbonite). So when I start my computer and push F8 several times and select "repair your computer" instead of the "system recovery options" window appearing, it says something like...loading windows files (can't remember exactly), but then nothing happens. I finally gave up and got out of that by using control alt delete.
I have been searching for solutions and have also noticed that my dell datasafe folder is empty as well as the dell support center folder and dell wireless folder.
I have been worried that maybe my partition is gone, but couldn't figure out how to find that out. On a whim I typed partition in the the search programs and files box on the startup menu and disk management came up. There are four different partitions listed and they all say healthy.
Does anyone have any advice for me about how to restore to factory? It would be much appreciated!!
Thanks!
I posted this in another forum and it was suggested that this one would make more sense.
faizalenu
193 Posts
1
November 30th, 2012 18:00
First, run diagnostics (Fn-Power to start up) to make sure it is not hardware (typ. hard drive or memory). You may be able to get a "Recovery DVD" that will help you access the recovery partition on your computer, but you may be out of luck if you couldn't get it from the F8 options (i.e., the Recovery Partition may be corrupt, but it doesn't look that way).
Jim Coates
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13.6K Posts
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December 1st, 2012 06:00
en.community.dell.com/.../20116225.aspx
en.community.dell.com/.../19451299.aspx
en.community.dell.com/.../19969461.aspx
Mary G
4 Operator
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20.1K Posts
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December 1st, 2012 08:00
It means your hard drive has failed and you need to replace it. You should request a set of replacement disks to reinstall windows on a new drive. support.dell.com/.../backupcd_form
Philip_Yip
9 Legend
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16K Posts
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December 1st, 2012 09:00
See my wiki A Clean Install of Windows, you will need to replace the hard drive before reinstallation of Windows.
You should get a solid state hard drive for increased performance I recommend getting one from crucial see my wiki Recommended Upgrades for your Dell Before A Clean Install of Windows. You can increase the memory also.
See the instructions in the Service Manual for removing and replacing the hard drive here and for removing and replacing the memory.
theflash1932
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16.3K Posts
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December 1st, 2012 11:00
Yeah, you can upgrade to 8GB and add an SSD, but I'm not sure the 1545 is enough "system" to justify that expense. The problem with getting an SSD is that I doubt the 1545 will take a second hard drive, meaning, you will either 1) be severely limited in your storage with most small but reasonable-priced SSD's, or 2) spend a small fortune to buy an SSD large enough for all your data (without knowing what your storage/data requirements are). Me? I would just spend $60-70 to get it up and running again, or put the $400 you are likely to spend on those upgrades towards a new system that will undoubtedly run circles around the aging 1545.
providentmom
7 Posts
0
November 30th, 2012 18:00
It looks like I posted this in the wrong forum and I'm not sure how to change that! Sorry!
providentmom
7 Posts
0
November 30th, 2012 18:00
I could really use some help. I don't know a lot about computers and have been searching for answers and just decided to post my own question.
My computer got a virus on November 6th. It caused my files to be hidden. I waited until Thanksgiving weekend to have my brother check things out. He fixed that problem, but realized right before we needed to leave that the problem was bigger than that. For example the Administrative Tools folder is empty. He suggested to me that I restore back to factory which I have been trying to do (my data is backed up by carbonite). So when I start my computer and push F8 several times and select "repair your computer" instead of the "system recovery options" window appearing, it says something like...loading windows files (can't remember exactly), but then nothing happens. I finally gave up and got out of that by using control alt delete.
I have been searching for solutions and have also noticed that my dell datasafe folder is empty as well as the dell support center folder and dell wireless folder.
I have been worried that maybe my partition is gone, but couldn't figure out how to find that out. On a whim I typed partition in the the search programs and files box on the startup menu and disk management came up. There are four different partitions listed and they all say healthy.
Does anyone have any advice for me about how to restore to factory? It would be much appreciated!!
Thanks!
Jim Coates
4 Operator
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13.6K Posts
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November 30th, 2012 19:00
Hello. Try posting on the Microsoft discussion section of this forum.
If your recovery partition is gone you can request an installation cd from Dell.
providentmom
7 Posts
0
December 1st, 2012 06:00
It was suggested in the other forum that I run a diagnostics test. I did and received this message:
Error code 0142
Msg: Error Code 2000 - 0142
Msg: Hard Drive 0 - self test unsuccessful status: 79
I continued to run the test and received this message:
Error code 0F00:065D
Msg: DISK - DST self - test Read error
It had already been quite a long time and I didn't finish the test.
Any ideas as to what that means?
providentmom
7 Posts
0
December 1st, 2012 06:00
Thanks, I will try posting there and request a cd!
providentmom
7 Posts
0
December 1st, 2012 06:00
Thanks for your suggestion. I did this and before finishing it gave me the following information:
Error code 0142
Msg: Error Code 2000 - 0142
Msg: Hard Drive 0 - self test unsuccessful status: 79
I continued running the test and I received another error code 0F00:065D Msg: DISK - DST self-test Read error
I didn't finish the test after that
Any suggestions as to what this means? Thank you!
Philip_Yip
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December 1st, 2012 10:00
I meant to also add that you can attempt data recovery following the instructions in my wiki here using a bootable Linux Live CD results will vary depending on the state of your hard drive.
I have merged both your threads together.
providentmom
7 Posts
0
December 1st, 2012 19:00
Thanks so much for the help everyone! I'm grateful for all of the links, too!