Replace Windows 10 Home by Enterprise

You will need to use the Dell Backup and Recovery utility to make a set of recovery media - this can be done to a blank, 16G or larger flash drive or to an external hard drive (but note that it WILL FORMAT the external drive, so make sure it has no data you need on it).

Once that's done you can easily recover the system no matter what you install.

Windows 10 should have or download for you most or all of the drivers you need.  If you purchased a copy of Microsoft Office with the system, be sure you have the card containing the product key - you will need it to do the install.  You'll also lose all the pre-installed application software, so you may want to check the My Dell Downloads to make sure you have that on hand before beginning.

Also be sure you have a product key or access to your company's volume license key server -- the OEM key for Windows will not work with Enterprise.  Further to realize -- the upgrades for 10 Enterprise are designed to be managed by your organization -- if what happened with Windows 8 holds, you may not have access to a .1 upgrade (say, to 8.1) until your organization builds one.  8 Enterprise could not be upgraded through the Windows Store -- the same may hold for 10 Enterprise.

The newer versions of Dell Backup and recovery can make recovery media or complete system backups. Though the current versions also afford you the ability to do a factory restore from the hard drive, you MUST make sure you DO NOT alter the recovery partitions (there is more than one of them).  It is better all-around to make a set of recovery media separate from the one on the hard drive.  There is always the chance of something going wrong (now or at some point in the future) -- where you'll need the recovery media to attempt any repair or restore.

Thank you for the explanation.

Nevertheless, the Dell Backup and Recovery tility makes backup of all system, or of only the OS system, that is, without custom software installed by the user?

I am interested in backing up only the factory dell system, without any modification I might do, like the installation of new programs.

And, what about the recovery partition (hidden) that I have in the SSD? What's for? Windows tells me that it it empty, which makes no sense. I would like to install the Windows 10 Ent, without erasing that partition; if I maintain this partition, the Dell recovery to the factory state works as default, despite the OS I install in C:?

The XPS lineup does have the option for Windows 10 Pro -- it's a $50 upgrade option at purchase.

It seems a lot of work just to get bitlocker capabilities. I have all my portable hdd and pen disks encrypted with bitlocker.

But, if I am able to perform the backup with success, considering your informations, I can do whatever I want in drive C:, including partitioning it to have one more partition for Data only. Correct? But, what happens to the 500 MB partition that Windows 10 installation creates?

Is to bad that Dell commercializes high quality and highly priced laptops with windows Home editions. Such laptops should have at least the Pro versions.

That probably depends more on Microsoft's licensing agreements in the country of sale.  You can always use the Windows Easy Upgrade option to purchase the upgrade, though it does cost more ($99 in the US) than buying it with the system.

I know, but for countries outside US, only some configurations are available.

Dell DO sell the XPS13 with Win10 Pro - I've got one. They are listed under "Business" machines, not "Home".

At my country, the 9350 256GB/8Gb i7-6560 is only available with win10 home. The pro version, was only for models of higher hardware options, and much more expensive! Regarding the backup procedure, i was reading a lot, but i couldn’t get to any final conclusion. In my XPS 13 I do have one 10GB partition labeled Recovery, but that accordingly with Windows Disk Manager is 100% empty! This is normal? Second, I couldn’t get to recover process by pressing F8 or F12. Just Bios options or boot to Windows. Nothing like Repair Windows! So, I have some questions (sorry, but I am completely lost in this Dell World!)

1) Shouldn’t the laptop come with a pre-installed recovery partition, with the factory image?

2) How can I do a factory image if necessary?

3) Can I install programs and normally use the laptop, that I will be able to arrange a factory recovery image later?

4) The Backup and Recovery Dell utility doesn’t come pre-installed?

5) If I perform a clone image of the system with software like Paragon or Acronis, should that be another good option?

6) But, I am really interested in getting a factory recovery image: How can I do it?

I understand that there are a lot of questions, so I thank you in advance to all the help you can provide. Also, If you know some good tutorials for me to read, I thank you.

The partitions are not empty.  They appear so to Windows but they're not.

1) Shouldn’t the laptop come with a pre-installed recovery partition, with the factory image?

Yes, it does.  At least a base image, to which DBAR (Dell Backup and Recovery) will add drivers and other required options.

2) How can I do a factory image if necessary?

Attach a 16G or larger, blank USB flash drive, open DBAR, and away you go (as noted above).

3) Can I install programs and normally use the laptop, that I will be able to arrange a factory recovery image later?

Yes, as long as the system remains bootable from the hard drive.  If something corrupts Windows and you don't have a pre-made set of recovery media, you're out of luck.

4) The Backup and Recovery Dell utility doesn’t come pre-installed?

It should be there under Dell in the all apps area.  If it's not, or if you want to install the newest version, see:

< >

5) If I perform a clone image of the system with software like Paragon or Acronis, should that be another good option?

If you use a version that supports UEFI, yes.  Older versions of such utilities may have trouble.  Further, be sure you create a set of rescue media from the application (the image will be useless if you don't have one and need to recover a corrupt system or replace a faulty drive.

6) But, I am really interested in getting a factory recovery image: How can I do it?

Use the Dell Backup and Recovery utility to create one.  

Thanks for all the work in answering, EJN63!

Two more questions related to your answers.

3) Can I install programs and normally use the laptop, that I will be able to arrange a factory recovery image later?

Yes, as long as the system remains bootable from the hard drive.  If something corrupts Windows and you don't have a pre-made set of recovery media, you're out of luck.

How is that, if the system comes with a pre-installed image as you stated? All I lost would be personal data, and that I have always backups. Correct?

How can I access to that factory image, and have tested?

4) The Backup and Recovery Dell utility doesn’t come pre-installed?

It should be there under Dell in the all apps area.  If it's not, or if you want to install the newest version, see:

< >

I install that, and it took about 2 hours doing something I did not undestand, because it never asked me for the location to save the backup image! It was all the time, "preparing".. and other things.

Is this normal?

3.  The only way to access the image is by using Dell Backup and Recovery -- and that requires that Windows load correctly.  That's why you need a set of recovery media on flash drive or external hard drive.  If Windows won't load, the recovery image is useless.

4.  The recovery media is not the same old image it used to be.  The utility assembles a custom recovery image for the system -- and yes, it can take some time the first time it's run, particularly if it's running on a conventional hard drive rather than an SSD.  Once the image is ready, though, it doesn't take much time to write it to a flash drive.

You will be prompted for the location of the image when the utility is ready to write it.

3.  The only way to access the image is by using Dell Backup and Recovery -- and that requires that Windows load correctly.  That's why you need a set of recovery media on flash drive or external hard drive.  If Windows won't load, the recovery image is useless.

But, I saw somewhere that during boot, pressing F8 or F12, should give access to the recovery!

4.  The recovery media is not the same old image it used to be.  The utility assembles a custom recovery image for the system -- and yes, it can take some time the first time it's run, particularly if it's running on a conventional hard drive rather than an SSD.  Once the image is ready, though, it doesn't take much time to write it to a flash drive.

Strange... because i have the latest 9350, with M2 SSD!!, And at the end of installing, nothing happening, only the option to press "Finish". It seems that the DBaR was only collecting information, but for what I don't know.

Shouldn't be a user guide about the software?

F8 (or the earlier CTRL-F11) applies to early Windows 7, Vista or XP systems.  Once DBAR became the standard, the method of backup/recovery entirely changed (partially as a result of the advent of UEFI, which necessitated a complete change in backup arcitecture).

There is user documentation for the program -- see

< >

for details.

The stage you saw was the construction of the recovery media.  You need to have a flash drive or an external hard drive attached to make the media.  Be sure you understand that the media write process will completely blank out the media, so don't use a flash drive or external drive containing data you can't afford to lose.

I have just consulted the web page you provided, and reached to the link:

https://www.dell.com/support/article/us/en/19/SLN298526/en

In here it states that machines with windows 10 pre-installed should not get installed the DBaR!!

This information is in bold!

What now? Should I uninstall DBaR immediately?

Did I ruined the pre-installed image of Dell?

What should I do? Is there some e-mail contact of Dell?

What's your opinion, EJN63?

Thanks again.