If you "just got it", why do you want to restore?  The Dell Recovery Partition (F8 at initial bootup) will restore it to the original factory condition, it won't let you just selectively install certain items.

Yeah thats a good question. I was actually installing open SUSE for a double boot but when I did it erased all the contents of the hard drive even the recovery partition.Now when I was trying to install a fresh copy of vista.It does not recognize the second harddrive and it says windows is unable to find a system volume that meets its criteria for installation. I never had the option of F8 at the initial bootup,all i have is F2 and F12.

Most likely you messed up during the install process if you lost an HD partition.  I wouldn't blame the new OS install for that.

I know how to do the restore but I cannot because I do not have that option on the boot up screen.I just reset the bios and loaded all the default values.It is not detecting the second hard drive.

2 X 750 GB

Core i7 processor

1GB Nvidia 9800GT

3GB DDR3 ram

I think I did mess up but is there any way I can get it back????

Hi naiju84

Agree with fireberd

You say quote “I could not find an option to boot from the recovery partition.”

I wasn’t sure if you were asking – how to, or saying the option doesn’t appear after pressing F8 key during boot process?

How to procedure is here

If not already aware, you should know that using Dell Factory Image Restore utility will wipe everything from your computer system – includes All your personal data

If it’s not working

·    Not sure about your particular PC configuration, but you should disconnect All peripheral devices other than mouse, keyboard & monitor before using PC Restore or Windows Clean Install or Repair Install processes

·    Availability of Dell Factory Image Restore utility option on your computer is subject to purchase configuration method, a quote from Dell web site:

“Dell Factory Image Restore - Restores the computer to the original Dell-factory image.

This option appears on Dell computers that were originally preinstalled with Windows Vista.

This does not include computers purchased through the Express Upgrade promotion or computers that were upgraded to Windows Vista from another version of Windows.”

Edit:

My reply coincided with your reply to original why question – Oohhhhh dear   :emotion-6:

Yeah I just did that and it worked.Thak you all.I had no personal data on the computer coz I just got it yesterday.I did a clean install of the OS, but cnat get the recovery portion though> i might have to buy the norton ghost to do that,I guess.

Have you tried using Windows Vista DVD to start the Windows Vista recovery environment?

Procedure is here option 1, if that doesn’t work you will need to do a clean install??

I did a clean install of the OS, but cnat get the recovery portion though

You no longer have a 'Recovery' partition, and it's not possible to put it back on.

As you suggest, you'll just have to create your own image, once you've updated Windows Vista, and installed.updated all the drivers.

Make sure you install the drivers in the correct order btw - else you *could* have problems.

Do you already own Norton Ghost? 

Whilst there's probably nothing wrong with it, it's widely accepted these days, that Acronis True Image sets the standard for imaging software :emotion-55:

However, if you don't already own an imaging program, there are a number of FREE disk imaging programs you might want to take a look at first:

HD Clone Free Edition
Macrium Reflect
EASEUS Disk Copy
Self Image