Using Dell Key Creator to create USB recovery drive for a Dell Inspiron 545s disables USB ports.

Did you change the boot order in the Inspiron 545s BIOS- Boot Device Configuration to boot from USB? The key should be plugged into one of the rear USB ports. I am kind of surprised that it allowed you to create the USB key for this out of warranty 2009 desktop? The site states, "A Windows-based PC or tablet that you’re repairing (must be in warranty).".

Thanks for responding, Chris.

The problem arises in that I can't get into the BIOS to change the boot sequence order.  When I use the USB Flash drive created by Dell Key Creator, it disables the USB functionality, ergo I can't use F2 or F12 to enter the BIOS menu.  Any other USB drive I insert does not do this.  I've tried loading the software on two different makes of 8GB USB drives.  The results are the same: frozen Dell logo.  

As to how I acquired this USB Flash Drive, I downloaded Dell Key Creator software from the Dell site which was specific to the Service Tag of my Inspiron, and I can't find the page where I downloaded the software.  I have a friend's Inspiron N5010 which needs to be restored.

I've downloaded a BIOS update for this machine.  Perhaps that might solve the issue.

Cheers,

Brian

"When I use the USB Flash drive created by Dell Key Creator, it disables the USB functionality"

That doesn't sound correct to me. A USB drive should not disable the system USB ports.

Disconnect the USB drive, then boot up into the BIOS and change the boot order, then retest.

Thanks for responding, Chris.

I can use other bootable USB drives to run the machine.  I have a live distro of Porteus Linux on USB that works perfectly, as well as an MS-Dos boot disk.  

When I use Dell Key Creator to create a USB Flash drive to restore the system, the result is the same: it causes the system to freeze.  I can't get into the BIOS because the keyboard, which is USB, is disabled. As I said above, other bootable Flash drives don't cause this problem. I can press F2 or F12 'til the cows come home and still nada.  You don't hear any clicks or beeps or klaxons or anything, just the silence of a mystery:  why does this USB drive, which was created specifically for my I545s, cause this behaviour?  I have a friend's machine, an I5010 laptop, and the procedure worked for his machine.

I tried to update the BIOS today.  I mistakenly chose F2 to set the boot order and the machine booted of the hard disk instead of the USB.  I received this message.

Alert!  Previous attempts at bootin this system have failed at checkpoint [1C].  Contact Dell Technical Support.

I don't know what this means so I guess I contact Dell Tech Support.

After I restarted the machine, I was able to boot off the USB and run the BIOS update.  It ran and then stopped and I received and error, "insufficient memory".  The machine has 3GB of Ram.

Hopefully, the Dell Tech Support can sort this out.

Cheers,

Brian

Hello folks,

I've been able to sort out my machine, and I must thank Philip Yip for the solution.  I used a DellWin7 iso which I downloaded from Philip's "http://dellwindowsreinstallationguide.com" to get the machine running, and then I upgraded to Win 10.  The I545s runs a wee bit slow now, but it works.

Thank you Philip Yip!!!

Cheers,

Brian