UNSOLVED
PCRestore Problem
Hi, I hope someone can help with this.
I have an Inspiron 6400 with Vista installed. Earlier today I installed Windows 7, but mistakenly chose the D drive (default Recovery drive) instead of C. In doing so each time I boot up I have to select either W7 or Vista on the BIOS screen.
I then took the decision to do revert to the factory settings, by way of pressing F8 etc on startup. However, I was met with crashes at the 'repair' stage, windows failing to load and such. I tried then to run PCRestore, both on Windows 7 and Vista, but to no avail - on 7 the error was the dp.sc couldn't be accessed, trying the same on Vista results simply in a blank error dialogue.
In haste, I formatted by D drive hoping to clear my system of Windows 7, having backed up all the original recovery files. Having done that, I replaced the recovery files in D drive (the dell factory image, recovery tools etc) but the same still happens. Infuriatingly in addition, Windows 7 still appears as an option on the BIOS screen and if, say, I run RecEnv.exe. It's an absolute nightmare!
Can anyone suggest what I might do next, if I might be missing something on my recovery drive which is disabling the repair process in BIOS? Might I need a boot disk? I'm pulling my hair out!
Thanks ever so much in advance
Thanks for the quick response.
I tried installing Windows 7 (the only disk I had, I had no vista disk when I bought my Dell, hence the recovery partition) onto drive C, in place of Vista this time. The installation froze with the activity bar at about 95% and then restarted. It's been in a restart loop since, I've tried everything. The main problem seems to be my inability to boot from disk. I press F12 and select it but it just takes me straight back to the OS options in BIOS - Now two instances of Windows 7. It's all the more agonising as I desperately need that particular machine for tomorrow! Have you any other suggestions at all at this stage?
Thanks!
Mary G
6 Operator
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20095 Posts
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Posted April 27th, 2011 16:00
The Recovery drive cannot be used after it has been altered in any way and cannot be restored. Your only way back is to install Windows from disk. If you choose to install Windows 7, you would boot to the win 7 disk and choose custom install. Then you would reformat the drive using the tools on the win 7 disk and install win 7. Look up the instructions for a Clean Install using the upgrade disk. The bios has nothing to do with the recovery drive. The other alternative is to install vista again using your vista disk. Instructions HERE.