Ok I will do that now, by any chance is there a guide on this website for formatting from windows 7? It's just I have never done it before. Thanks

Not if you installed it on a separate partition like you should have.  The factory restore will overwrite the C: partition with the image stored on the recovery partition.  It may, however, remove XP from the boot list.  Although Windows will probably search the disk for OS's that can be booted and add it automatically, if it does not appear any longer, you can use Windows built-in BCDEdit to fix it ... or download and install the easier-to-use EasyBCD to fix it.

In that case, format your second drive (if you are including it with the system), so it is empty, then do a restore ... then, when the next owner turns on their computer, it will be exactly as if it was being turned on for the first time.

I have 2 500G Hard drives and installed it on the other, The thing is I want to get rid of it, because I am selling my Laptop so I just want to know when I restore my PC will it go back to the way it was when I first got it.

This took less than 10 minutes for me on one I did about a year ago.

Thanks very much for your help and the quick reply's.

I will give it a go to night.

Thanks.

There might be, but I don't know where :)  You can try these:

support.dell.com/.../document

In Dell datasafe it is saying the recovery partition is missing or corrupted.

I was never given a CD, everything I needed was installed already, what do you think I should do...the startup Repair?

I have come into some trouble, when I follow these steps.

1. Hold F8

2.Repair your computer.

3.Login as Admin

4.Dell DataSafe Restore & Emergency Back-up

When I click on the last one I get an "Error" message.

Any ideas why? I am thinking when I got this laptop there mite or been stuff on my 2nd hard drive which was the stuff I needed to use Datasafe Resore and when I dual-booted & installed a new windows to it, it may have deleted it.

Or maybe because my Dell DataSafe Restore run out a month ago, I only had it for 1 year, now it needs to be paid for again..think its like £35 which I do not want to spend.

Could this be a reason why I am getting an error message? I really hope someone is online because I have sold this laptop and had planned to send it off tomorrow. Is there any other way I can factory restore?

Need help asap.

Thanks