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December 11th, 2012 16:00

Backup and Recovery Problem

I'm getting ready to wipe my new  Win 8 Inspiron 3520 prior to installing Win 7.  But, naturally, I want to do a full factory image backup first.  However, in the "Recovery Media" sec tion of the  "Dell Backup and Recovery" function, I can't get it to recognize ANY media.  No matter what I try to use (USB stick or DVD), the little clock icon below the blue "Select Drive Below" just keeps churning and the "Start" button remains dithered out.

So far, I've tried it with three clean sticks (a Cruzer, a Lexar, and a Sony; two of them 8Gs and one a 16G) but no luck.  I've tried it with a DVD-R (not RW) disc but no luck.  Same result every time as described above.

It may or may not be important to know that I have NEVER connected this new machine to the Internet.  I wanted to swap the OS prior to going online and activating anything.  Does anyone know for sure if the machine must be connected to successrully operate the Dell Backup and Recovery function?  I can't imagine why it would be necessary, but I guess anything is possible.

Thanks in advance,

Susan

 

 

4 Operator

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1.8K Posts

December 12th, 2012 11:00

Hi Susan,

Dell Backup and Recovery software needs to updated before creating a recovery media. Please update the software by connecting the laptop to the Internet and by clicking on the “Update” tile and let me know if you need further assistance.

6 Posts

December 12th, 2012 14:00

Thank you, Rajath!  I followed your suggestions and was able to successfully perform the image backup!!  

But I'm not familiar with this forum yet (I'm brand new to Dell products) so I don't know how to indicate that your answer solved my problem.  I don't know if there is a function for that on this forum.

4 Operator

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1.8K Posts

December 16th, 2012 16:00

Hi Av8rix,

Thank you for your reply and I am glad to know that the issue has been resolved. You will receive a check box to verify the answer when you reply to a post. Please place a check mark and then click “Reply”.

2 Posts

February 28th, 2013 18:00

Hey Rajath,

I have a similar problem to Susans, the DVD gets detected but the start button cannot be clicked. I tried updating but it it says it is up to date.

Please help me ASAP.

Thank you

3 Posts

March 4th, 2013 16:00

Same issue here, says the version (1.0.0.2) is current when I try to update it and yet I can't get it to let me start the Factory Backup process, the drive and disc is selected and has the green/white checkbox in the top right corner, but the start button remains greyed out.

9 Legend

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16K Posts

March 5th, 2013 02:00

I recommend creating a backup using Acronis and an external hard drive. See Windows Reinstallation Guide Section 3.

http://philipyip.wordpress.com/dell-community-forums/

This will give you a backup of your current configuration, which you may use until you resolve your issue creating media. Its better to have backups with Acronis in addition to the Dell DataSafe recovery USB or DVDs in case the latter doesn't work correctly.

You can also restore your system to the factory settings via the internal partition and create another backup which will be the factory settings. Should you wish to upgrade to Windows 8 and not install via a clean installation you can restore the first backup you made (i.e. of your current configuration). Then install Windows 8. Again once Windows 8 is installed and with all the drivers and up to date, you guessed it, you can make another backup. This will all be done within 30 day so the trial version should suffice for you. Although you may use the WD or Seagate variants depending if either your internal or external hard drive are WD or Seagate.

 

13 Posts

March 5th, 2013 15:00

See my Post above titled "Had a Problem Creating Dell Recovery Media but Found a Workaround" and let me know if this fixes your problem or NOT. My problem was the same as yours where it would NOT recognize any of my 16 GB USB Flash Drives, and it would NOT recognize any of my DVD's after the first DVD, doing the Backup Though Recovery in the Windows Control Panel as mentioned in my post fixed my problem, let me know if it works for you too. :-)

13 Posts

March 5th, 2013 15:00

By the way, in Response to the Dell Employee's Solution, I tried checking for an Update though Dell Backup and Recovery as well, and it told me that it was already Up To Date (1.0.0.2), just like Ivory Gate. The only solution that worked for me was my Work Around mentioned in my post by Using Recovery in the Windows 8 Control Panel to create the Recovery Media. If the Dell Employee would like to let us know whether or NOT Backup and Recovery 1.0.0.2 is really the newest thing or if NOT tell us how to get something Newer, because on my Brand New Dell Inspiron 15 3521 System which arrived at my house Yesterday Backup and Recovery still isn't working and the system is also telling me that 1.0.0.2 is the Latest Software Available at the moment! Just FYI.

4 Operator

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1.8K Posts

March 7th, 2013 04:00

Hi kev815pan,

I am sorry for the inconvenience caused. I suggest you to run Windows Updates and then try using Dell Backup and Recovery. Please provide the screen shot of any error message that you receive so that we can investigate and provide a resolution.

3 Posts

March 8th, 2013 11:00

DELL-Rajath N:

Let's flip that around, can you go into the recovery disk creator and post a screen shot of the Start button actually *not* being greyed out, because I for one won't believe it works for anyone until I see proof.

9 Legend

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16K Posts

March 9th, 2013 09:00

9 Posts

March 13th, 2013 11:00

Version 1.0.0.2 says it is up-to-date, but if you go to the Dell website you can download 1.0.0.4. I guess you need to uninstall 1.0.0.2 and manually install 1.0.0.4.

2 Posts

April 6th, 2013 06:00

Well, I just got a new Inspiron 15z Ultrabook and always one of the first things I do is create a factory backup when I get a new PC.  I am running 1.0.0.5, and successfully created the first DVD of my 2 DVD backup.  The software created the first DVD (took a long time), verified it, then ejected it and asked for another blank media.  No matter which blank media I insert, it ejects again in about 30 seconds.  Only option is to cancel the backup.

This seems really silly to me that the factory-provided program on a new Dell PC does not work properly -- Dell should provide me factory backup DVDs at no charge since this does not work for me.

Signed,

Frustrated first-time Dell direct customer

1 Message

April 12th, 2013 12:00

I'm having the same problem with my new Inspiron 15z: 2nd DVD is ejected, and I think that the first one is broken.

It seems to be a bug of Dell Backup and Recovery, see also this link:

en.community.dell.com/.../19474256.aspx

I've tried fixing it with updating everything (BIOS, Backup and Recovery, and all the other Updates available) but didn't work.

I wonder if someone solved this problem.

Is there a way to ask DELL to ship the recovery DVDs?

1 Message

April 15th, 2013 16:00

I have the same problem. My software is also updated fully to version 1.0.0.5 but it still won't recognize the media.

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