UNSOLVED
m17 R4, factory reset problems
Hello I have an Alienware m17 R4 and I REALLY need help here! I'm very particular about how it must be set up. I was trying to fix my computer (Alienware tools weren't working and registry messed up) by resetting it. I enabled Support Assist OS Tools in BIOS and went in saw the 2 options at Reset; Factory Reset and Update and Factory Reset. I did Reset and Update received a seemingly unupdated Windows with 0 ALIENWARE PROGRAMS INSTALLED besides the Support Assist Recovery tool or whatever. I NEED ALL THE PREINSTALLED ALIENWARE SOFTWARE EVEN THE WALLPAPERS. DON'T TELL ME TO REINSTALL IT MYSELF. No other option is acceptable. I did Update and Reset and sometime after that Factory Reset disappeared. I went and mounted (then unmounted) the recovery partition to extract the factory image to restore later w/ DISKPART AND ALL THE FILES WERE CREATED WHEN I DID THE RESET. Which I think means the UPDATE AND RESET OVERWROTE THE FACTORY IMAGE. Please tell me how to do a reinstall w/ all the Alienware bloatware. Also I upgraded to Windows 10 Pro from Home after buying it online and now it doesn't UPGRADE BACK TO PRO AUTOMATICALLY AS I WAS TOLD IT WOULD. I can't find the key originally sent to me. But the Pro status should be marked by Windows as tied to the motherboard now! My warranty's expired BTW.
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Posted February 3rd, 2026 17:21
<Do not start a new thread. Reply on your original thread. DELL-Admin>
Hi, I've an Alienware m17 R4 and I REALLY need help here! I'm very particular in how I want this set up. I was trying to fix my computer (Alienware tools weren't working and registry messed up) by resetting it. I enabled Support Assist OS Tools in BIOS and went in saw the 2 options at Reset; Factory Reset and Update and Factory Reset. I did Reset and Update received a seemingly unupdated Windows with 0 ALIENWARE PROGRAMS INSTALLED besides the Support Assist Recovery tool or whatever. I NEED ALL THE PREINSTALLED ALIENWARE SOFTWARE EVEN THE WALLPAPERS, AND ALIEN HEAD IN PC NAME SECTION. DON'T TELL ME TO REINSTALL IT MYSELF. No other option is acceptable. I did Update and Reset and sometime after that Factory Reset disappeared. I went and mounted (then unmounted) the recovery partition to extract the factory image to restore later w/ DISKPART AND ALL THE FILES WERE CREATED WHEN I DID THE RESET. Which I think means the UPDATE AND RESET OVERWROTE THE FACTORY IMAGE. Please tell me how to do a reinstall w/ all the Alienware bloatware. Also I upgraded to Windows 10 Pro from Home after buying it online and now it doesn't UPGRADE BACK TO PRO AUTOMATICALLY AS I WAS TOLD IT WOULD. I can't find the key originally sent to me. But the Pro status should be marked by Windows as tied to the motherboard now!
(edited)
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Posted February 4th, 2026 08:35
@anne_droid Thank you but the key is not so important. I got the key before with ProduKey incase this happened. But since (this happened) Windows 10 Pro was NOT automatically readded, I wanna find out how to fix it without the key saved so I can help others in this situation who DIDN'T save the product key.
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Posted February 4th, 2026 10:58
""UPDATE AND RESET OVERWROTE THE FACTORY IMAGE. Please tell me how to do a reinstall w/ all the Alienware bloatware.""
""Also I upgraded to Windows 10 Pro from Home after buying it online""
""I can't find the key originally sent to me. But the Pro status should be marked by Windows as tied to the motherboard now!""
Well I am confused.......
Kind Regards
anne_droid
anne_droid
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Posted February 3rd, 2026 12:59
Hi
Maybe the key can be foun ????????
Linux
sudo strings /sys/firmware/acpi/tables/MSDM | tail -1
CMD
wmic path softwarelicensingservice get OA3xOriginalProductKey
POWERSHELL
powershell "(Get-WmiObject -query ‘select * from SoftwareLicensingService’).OA3xOriginalProductKey"
ShowKeyPlus - Windows Product Key Information
Product Name: Windows 11 Home
Version: 18362.387 (64-bit OS)
Product ID: 00000-00000-00000-AAOEM
Installed Key: 11111-22222-33333-aaaaa-ZZZZZ
OEM Key: WINDO-WSELE-VENLI-CENCE-KEYDE-LLOEM
OEM Edition: Win 11 RTM Core OEM:DM
Kind Regards
anne_droid