Dell DataSafe Update - Lost Functionality

not sure why yours didnt work,when i turned my system on today,,same thing happened   the update started on its own

but seems fine after installation was finished,,,,,maybe you can try to click to check for updates...and see what that does.

 

 

i did all that 1st i had the recovery partition missing or corrupted then i manually updated the datasafe upto latest version

then installed hot fixes

1- DELL_DATASAFE-LOCAL-2-0_A01_R249580

2- DELL_DATASAFE-LOCAL-2-0_A00_R260476

and asked me to reboot the laptop to apply changes

problem fixed and now it can recognize the partition

but i got new problem now it's asking me to reboot at least once before i can use the backup service

I HAVE SOOOOOOO MANY TIMES BUT NO USE I'M STILL GETTING THIS MSG

i don't know what is the problem now i'm sitting online for 8 hours now surfing the globe for a solution but still did not find and for this

my laptop is brand new 1 week back only inspiron N5010- 112

i5 prossesor

 

This basic version (along with the hidden Recovery Partition) is what Dell has provided to desktop customers to restore their computers to the original factory shipped software configuration. Sort of like Ghost or Acronis (but more limited). I'm not sure what all the paid version does.

I don't use it (or plan to use it). Personally, I think that Recovery back-up Image is obsolete. I would just clean install if I wanted to go that far back. However, for some new users ... clean installing and loading all the Dell drivers is a hard task ... so this would be useful to them. It would be nice if it worked.

Morblore, I do it basically the same way as you. I make full backup images with Acronis to a second drive. I also keep a copy of all my important data (as plain files) over there. 

 

Why not just use Windows backup? Does the Dell Datasafe do something Windows won't do? Whats the difference?

I use an external HD and Windows Backup And Restore to backup my files and stuff. if I used the Dell service what would it add?

This basic version (along with the hidden Recovery Partition) is what Dell has provided to desktop customers to restore their computers to the original factory shipped software configuration. Sort of like Ghost or Acronis (but more limited). I'm not sure what all the paid version does.   I don't use it (or plan to use it). Personally, I think that Recovery back-up Image is obsolete. I would just clean install if I wanted to go that far back. However, for some new users ... clean installing and loading all the Dell drivers is a hard task ... so this would be useful to them. It would be nice if it worked.   Morblore, I do it basically the same way as you. I make full backup images with Acronis to a second drive. I also keep a copy of all my important data (as plain files) over there.

 

 Thanks for that info.

I used to be an Acronis addict. It certainly saved my skin on numerous occasions however, the time taken to backup and the space required did present a challenge. I began using Rollback RX 2 years ago and have not looked back since. It's lightning fast (typically 2 to 3 seconds) and makes sure you never lose any current data if you do need to roll back to a previous backup.

BSOD? Crash? Got a virus? Accidentally deleted something you needed? Just rollback to your previous image and all damage done since will have been undone!

Dell techs want me to reinstall Windows again and then reinstall all my drivers. If I did that it would cost me several hours. By installing Rollback immediately after having reinstalled Windows, the AW drivers, and my internet security suite, I can simply restore to the baseline image with a simple reboot. Job done in under 2 mins! What I find strange is that none of the Dell techs I have spoken to know of this program, nor its sister "EAZ Fix".

that way i keep my original copy of windows along with the drivers and software

and more important the recovery partition is safe and working just like it's just came out of factory

any way i need help with my problem

Further to my post earlier, the Dell tech I am working with to get my machine running correctly says I may not use the backed up bare metal Windows and drivers installation because he has no way of knowing if any of them were not corrupted when installed. He says I have to start all over or my warranty is void. This would have applied even if I had used Dell Data Safe.

What a waste of time and energy! Needless to say they don't compensate me for over a month of downtime since the machine was delivered!!!

Tech support's answering machine say's "reinstall windows"......If your confused about that, rewind, push play..... I am now an Acronis True Image Home 2011 owner after the answering machine said to "reinstall windows"...when the Dell Data Safe would have worked just fine.... I really like Acronis, so far. To address the storage issue I bought a 640G HDD (We have room for 6 HDDs, why not use the space)I use this HDD only for back-up....scheduled to start middle of the night.... The Acronis tech support people were very helpful and understanding of my goal of total system image recovery in the event of a catastrophy. 30 day FREE trial download, $50 bucks after that....Days of my time to reinstall everything is worth so much more than that..... I also created a partition on the back-up HDD for data files only....Now I have those files backed-up in three different places...thumb drive, Acronis total system image and a seperate partition....I have more back-ups in place than NASA.....All of this is done automatically.

I used to be an Acronis addict. It certainly saved my skin on numerous occasions however, the time taken to backup and the space required did present a challenge.   I began using Rollback RX 2 years ago and have not looked back since. It's lightning fast (typically 2 to 3 seconds) and makes sure you never lose any current data if you do need to roll back to a previous backup. BSOD? Crash? Got a virus? Accidentally deleted something you needed? Just rollback to your previous image and all damage done since will have been undone!

Neither Dell Data Safe or RollBack-RX can survive a hard-drive crash or complete failure (replacement) ... that's what I need protection from. All HDD crash/fail ... it's just a matter of when.

An Acronis full backup Image (created on a separate drive) can protect you against total HDD failure. It can also restore it "bare-metal" (without anything loaded yet ... while the HDD is completely blank).

Looks like RollBack-RX also doesn't work with RAID-ed drives (might be why Dell can't really recommend it). Horizon does sell a separate cloner product like Acronis.

Due to possible corruption in the Restore partition, sounds like Dell doesn't trust DellDataSafe either (they instead asked you to clean install from original DVDs). It's very cool that Dell still ships real discs with system (many companies don't any more).

 

The Acronis tech support people were very helpful and understanding of my goal of total system image recovery in the event of a catastrophy. 30 day FREE trial download, $50 bucks after that

I got Acronis 2010 Home (fully Win7-64 compatible) for cheap after rebate. I think this was right before the 2011 version was released. It works fine for me.

 

 

any way i need help with my problem

I think only Dell can help you. However, if you read this thread closely, you will likely understand that it isn't worth it.

I started this thread to bring to Dell's attention the problems with Dell Data Safe (Basic). If it doesn't work when people go to use it, what use is it? It just gives them a false sense of security. People should also be clear on what exactly it does and doesn't do.

 

I use the Windows back up. I have two images saved. One from when I first installed windows and another after everything else was installed. I really have 3 images but the 3rd is set to daily backup. I'v been using the windows backup since vista and i have to say it works really well. Vista was short a few perks like network saving but W7 has all that. And you can't beat the price.

I had always thought Dell Datasafe was the same but now I know. Wouldnt have helped me anyway because the first thing I did when I got my system was delete the partition and reinstalled windows.

@TESLA1856

Rollback does work with RAID'ed drives. My M17x has 2 500 GB drives in a RAID 0 configuration and Rollback is working perfectly with them. You are however correct about requiring the separate cloner to make a clone of the drive/s. Their previous version had that incorporated and I use that on my Vista based Inspiron but for reasons best known to Horizon Datasys they separated it in v9.0 onwards.

Another really good solution that does both and can handle RAID configurations is Shadow Protect Desktop Edition but it's a little more complicated to use than Rollback. Rollback is a set and forget solution while Shadow Protect works similarly to Acronis True Image with the added advantage of taking drive snapshots.

@ 7LeagueBoot

RE: RollBack-Rx v9 and RAID ... If you say so  Like I said, I don't use it. I just got that info. from their website:

http://www.horizondatasys.com/files/RollBack%20Rx/Manuals/Frame/product-limitations.htm

I think we all know that it's really just the "data files" for the various apps that are important and mandatory to backup (docs, pics, music, videos, source code, databases, Outlook, etc). They should be stored away from the computer or even off-site.

But when HDD failure strikes, it sure is nice to be able to bare-metal restore a working HDD image to the new drive. By the time you re-install the OS, drivers, apps, install Windows Updates, and reconfig everything ... it can really save some time (a couple of days for me).