Need to do a clean install of Vista

I have read this, and unfortunately the repair my computer option during the reboot does not fix this issue. Nor does it even display any options as suggested in the handbook. It just restarts the computer to the last state it was in.  So does anyone know of an alternate way to initialized the Dell Image Restore option or the way to clean install manually?

Hi IaIabugu, Bootup once you see the blue bar, press F8. Found your manual for you, its pretty straight forward starts on page 41,

http://support.euro.dell.com/support/edocs/systems/ins1525/en/SG/Y465HA01MR.pdf

Restoring Microsoft Windows Vista to Factory Configuration

http://support.dell.com/support/topics/global.aspx/support/dsn/en/document?docid=28C0548D825EB65DE040A68F5B2865A8&c=us&l=en&s=dhs

Do a clean install of Windows Vista.

http://vistahomepremium.windowsreinstall.com/installnewhdd/installnewhdd.htm

Hi, Have you tried pressing F12 then, When the boot device list appears, highligh CD/DVD/CD-RW Drive  and press .    Press any key to Boot from CD-ROM. You will find the rest of the instructions on page .

.

Lalabugu,

Ok.  Here's how to reinstall your Factory Image manually as long as the Factory Image partition is intact.

First, go here: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=94bb6e34-d890-4932-81a5-5b50c657de08&DisplayLang=en

Download the Windows Automated Installation Kit.  It will take a while since the WAIK ISO is 1.375Gb.  Burn the WAIK ISO image to a DVD using Roxio, Nero or whatever DVD burning software you have that can burn ISO images

Now, insert the DVD in a computer running Vista or Windows XP SP2 system with KB926044.  Install the WAIK.

Navigate to the Program Files folder where WAIK was installed.  Find the Tools subdirectory.  Under it you will see four folders: AMD64, IA64, SERVICING, and X86.  Copy these folders to a USB drive.  They total less than 100Mb, so you can use a 128Mb USB flash drive if need be.

If you have installed Vista on the C:\ drive, then you can simply boot up your system.  Locate the file name factory.wim on the Factory Image partition. Make a note of the drive letter and path to that file.  On an Inspiron 1720 it is located in D:\Dell\Image\Factory.wim

On eMachines and Gateway computers the file is found in the Recovery partition under Preload\boot.wim

Now go to the command prompt by typing CMD in the Run box.  If Vista is not installed on the C:\ drive you can boot the system with a "live" CD such as Bart's PE or UBCD for Windows and shell to the command prompt.  Navigate to the Tools\x86\ folder on your USB flash drive.

Type the following command: imagex /apply d:\dell\image\factory.wim 1 c:\

Your system should be restored to its original "as-shipped" configuration in about  30-45 minutes.

Note that this restores Dell's Proprietary Master Boot Record so that in the future will be able to access the Factory Image by pressing F8 while booting up. 

Let us know if you run into any problems.

Tony