Thanks for your reply.

I'll check them out.

Hello again.

I am trying the automated install kit to restore the Factory.wim file.

The way I do it is that I copy the wim files from the D: to my C: in root.

Then I copy all the files connected to the imagex for the x86 processor to my D:

I then from D: open a DOS window and type in:

d:imagex.exe /apply c:\Factory.wim 1 c:

Thats all I have done actually.

The prosess start but after s few seconds I got some error messages saying:

c:\Boot\BCD. [Uncompress File: -> CreateFile failed]

and some more info...

I just wonder if I do this wrong.

I am not sure if Factory.wim should be on the destination image (c:) or not....

You DO NOT want the image file on the partition that's the target of the restore, no.

Okay,...so if I understand you correctly I should leave the imagefile on the D: drive which is my source drive and were should I then put the imagex.exe and the connecting files ? Also on D: ??.

Yes, also on D.  Whatever is on C: is going to be overwritten when the image is restored.

Okay...thanks.

However the program reports now that it cannot create files in BOOT folder on C:

I dont see any BOOT folder on root on C:

I know the BOOT foler contains informations about the boot-up but for some reason I cannot see it even though I have unchecked "Do not show hidden files and folders".

Do I face a security issue here ?  I have administrator rights  and there is only one user and that is me. There is no administrator account as far as I can see.

I wonder why it respond:

The process can not access the file because its used by another process.

And that is boot/BCD its referring to

I have started the computer in a normal windows way like I always start it.

I just open a DOS window and type "D:" to go to D: drive and from there I type in the command.

Should I boot up in another way ???

The BOOT folder/directory is on the CD/DVD with the Windows installer.

AHA----then I understand.

I was trying to find a way to use the image that was on my D: drive without any CD/DVD since I did not have one.

Can I use any Windows Installation CD/DVD or must it be Vista or even the original DELL windows CD/DVD ?

If I had the original one I dont think I would need to use the image at all.

Maybe I just call the DELL support tomorrow.

Since you won't be using it to write a boot sector, it doesn't have to be a Dell one - but it does need to be Vista SP1 or higher.

Okay...so what CD/DVD is this ?

I only have the DVD I just created with the Automatic installation program you mentioned.

I dont have any windows installations CD/DVD from DELL.

They did not send any CD/DVD with the PC

You MUST boot the system from a Windows install disc to restore the .wim file.  If you don't have one, see:

http://support.dell.com/support/topics/global.aspx/support/dellcare/en/backupcd_form?c=us&l=en&s=gen

okay..thanks again for your help.

I will see if I can get a vista CD to boot from.

I wonder if I can make a bootable recover CD from my PC before I try to recover and then boot from that one.

I wonder if that would work..

You've two options: Use the Windows automated install kit to manually restore from the .wim file http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=94bb6e34-d890-4932-81a5-5b50c657de08&DisplayLang=en or do a completely manual install: http://support.dell.com/support/topics/global.aspx/support/dsn/en/document?journalid=8DDA8324614C9A88E040AC0A66E94872&docid=361935&type=force&lx=179256&lv=339949&l7=362048