Issue: The Alienware Respawn Boot CD and Image DVD never shipped with the system
Discussion: We cannot send them out. These discs cannot be made after the PC has shipped. If the PC shipped without them, you have to manually install the operating system, drivers, and all other Dell/Alienware software

You can try this but it is not supported by Dell.

That would work (Dell Backup Program) after they installed it. But they were asking what to do if they got a blank replacement HDD which is why I said they would have to reinstall all manually.

I also never received the respawn CD, nor is there an option to get one from the customizing page!!

It hasnt happen yet, but i really want to know what should we do in case of a catastrophic failure, i.e. when the HDD is broken or something, if we replace it with a new HDD, does that mean we lose the ability to "reset to factory setting" forever? since the Respawn program is not available to download?

What if the HDD fails? BTW is there any way to back up the back up? and only the back up? a back up CD that contains only the factory setting?

Sorry Chris, missed some of that...lol.  Creepo, your factory image should include either the Respawn software or the Dell software I mentioned.  In order to get the factory image on a new hard drive, you would need a created backup disc from one of these two programs.  If you cannot find them on your current setup, I would do a full restore from the factory image on your recovery partition.  Then immediately create the backup so that you would be able to reinstall everything to a brand new hard drive.  Julian, I am sorry to have confused things.  If you are unable to access that recovery partition by clearing POST and hitting F8, then Chris is correct, your only option is a manual reinstall of everything.  Again, sorry to confuse things.

Is there any way to reinstall AlienreSpawn 2.0 on the new HDD and install the factory setting + the recovery portion on the new HDD?

will I have access to alienrespawn 2.0 if I reinstall windows afresh?

does that mean we lose the ability to "reset to factory setting" forever? since the Respawn program is not available to download?
* Through Dell software, correct. You have to manually install the operating system, drivers, and all other Dell/Alienware software.

Julian & Crepoo - Just a few thoughts.  You do not need the CD/DVD to do a full reinstall.  While booting, press the F8 key.  You should see a menu that includes an option like Repair Windows or something like that.  When you select that option, another menu will pop that should indicate how to reload a factory image from that partition.  This, of course, is assuming you have not deleted that partition, as you indicated you have not.  Also, I have an m17x and it did not come with Respawn at all.  Instead, it came with a Dell backup program, which can be used to backup that factory image.  Take a look for that.  Hope this helps.

I can't guarantee Dell did not make a mistake, but I am very confident the backup software is on that factory image.  As I said, mine is not Respawn.  It is titled something different.  Dell Storage something, I believe.  Anyway, you will use that to create a copy of the factory image on a disc.  As far as the new HD goes, I would not even bother with the partition because you now have the disc.  Enjoy the extra GB's of space...lol.  Lastly, as far as the programs you have installed, everyone has an opinion.  I am exceptionally picky with OS installs and much prefer using the factory image and then reinstalling all of my junk.  That's just me.  It's inconvenient, but it's clean and therefore worth it to me.

So you're implying that if I create an DVD backup with respawn/Dell Recovery right now, it will not be a factory image but rather an image of my current system?

Also I'm referring to a clean installation on a new HDD - does any of the resource DVDs contain the alienrepawn program? because I cannot seem to find it.

If it is not on any of the DVDs, if we do choose to reinstall the system from scratch, does that mean that we will no longer have access to the respawn backup program? 

If he does reinstall everything, will he able to install the Alienrespawn v2.0 program? because I can't seem to find this program in any of the disks. Also, if he does reinstall the new OS on a new HDD, is he going to be able to create the 8GB recovery partition? 

I already have a lot of programs installed to my system, if i do create a backup using alienrespawn, is the disk going to contain the installed program as well? ergo it will not be a "factory setting"? does that mean I have to factory setting my current system first and then I will be able to create the factory setting CD?

In my limited use of both Respawn/Dell Recovery, you can ONLY create the factory image.  You have to purchase an upgrade to use the software for anything else.  Again, I have limited use of the software, but I believe that is the case.

I have never used any of the resource DVD's, so I am not certain if they contain that piece of software individually.  If they do not and you are wanting to do an install on a new hdd, you have two options.  1) manually install the os and all of the necessary drivers/programs.  This is what people used to do before factory images were provided.  2) Restore your factory image in an effort to get Respawn/Dell recovery reloaded so that you can burn the image backup to disc.  Then you simply use that disc to get your new hard drive loaded with the factory image and your machine is like new.

If it is not on any of the DVD's and you do NOT have it on your hard drive currently, and Dell is unable to provide it via download or disc, then the ONLY way you will ever be able to access Respawn/Dell recovery is by loading the image from the recovery partition BEFORE you switch hdd's.

shearness is correct. As long as the factory image partition is there, you can run PC Restore and get the factory image loaded. The Respawn disc is just a copy of the image in that partition. The issue here is if your PC shipped without the discs, we cannot create them for you.

You must do a clean install of the operating system, drivers, Dell software if -
* The partition is missing or corrupted
* The replacement HDD does not have the partition

Just a reminder ...

A good HDD Imaging program like Acronis can backup and restore any HDD partition ... even Diag or Restore partitions ... often outside of Windows. Even Windows has a Backup-Imaging utility now.

Like a normal backup, as long as you can get the partitions imaged and backed up while they are still perfect/working ... you are protected and ready for any failure ... even complete harddrive replacement. 

In the stupid (I must admit) scenario in which a Windows 7 was overwritten by an other one, why would the back up software (after reinstall) not detect the recovery partition?