Dell SupportAssist OS Recovery User’s Guide

Reset your computer and update the operating system

1. Connect the SupportAssist OS Recovery USB key to the computer where you want to reset and update the operating system.
2. Turn on or restart your computer.
3. Press F12 to access the one time boot menu.
   NOTE:If you wait too long and the operating system logo is displayed, wait until you see the Windows desktop, restart your computer, and try again.
   The available boot options are displayed.
4. Use the arrow keys to go to the Boot menu.
5. Select the USB drive on which you created the SupportAssist OS Recovery USB key.
   The computer boots to the USB drive, and the SupportAssist OS Recovery home page is displayed.
6. On the SupportAssist OS Recovery home page, click START RESET on the RESET tile.
   System reset options are displayed.

   NOTE:

   • If SupportAssist OS Recovery detects the factory installed operating system, both the Reset to factory state and the Reset and update options are enabled.
   • If SupportAssist OS Recovery is unable to detect the factory installed operating system, only the Reset and update option is enabled.
7. Select Reset and update, and then click NEXT.
   The option to transfer the settings and data is displayed.

   • If you want to transfer your settings and data to the new operating system of your computer, select Yes, give access and transfer my settings and data, select I accept Microsoft Software License Terms and Dell's End User License Agreement, and then click NEXT.
   • If you do not want to transfer the settings and data, select No, do not transfer my data and click NEXT. If you select this option, skip step 8.
8. If you select the option to transfer settings and data, an option to select the user account(s) is displayed:
   1. From the list of user accounts, select the accounts from which you want the settings and data to be transferred.
   2. To set the same password for all the accounts, select the Set single passwords for all accounts option and enter a password.
   3. If you want to set different passwords for all the accounts, clear the Set single passwords for all accounts option and enter passwords for each account.
      NOTE:For Microsoft user accounts, no password is needed. After the reset process, you can log in with your Microsoft account password. Password setting option is available only for the local user accounts. If the password setting step is skipped, you will have the option to create a new password after the completion of reset process.
   4. By default, all the settings and data for the selected accounts which is present in the primary drive of the computer is transferred. If you want to skip any files or settings that you do not want to transfer, click the Advanced Transfer Options link to customize.
      NOTE:The data outside of the primary drive of the computer can not be transferred during this process. If you have multiple drives in your computer and want to take a backup of the data present on those drives, you must do that separately using an external storage device. Follow the instructions in the Back up files section to back up the required data.
   5. In the Transfer Options section, expand the primary drive name and review the list of files and settings that are selected for transfer. By default everything in the primary drive is selected. Clear the check box for the files or settings that you do not want to backup, and then click SAVE.
   6. Click NEXT.
      The backup process for settings and data starts and may take several minutes to complete depending on the size of data. In some cases, when the hard drive space is very low, insert an external drive when prompted to complete the backup process. After the backup process is complete, a message is displayed. Click the View Backup Files List link to review the list of files that were backed up during this process.
   7. Click CONTINUE and skip step 9.
9. If you selected the option to not transfer the data and settings, read the warning message that is displayed, and click YES, CONTINUE.
10. On the Confirm your reset page, perform the following steps:
    1. Optionally, from the Select reason list, select a reason for resetting your computer.
    2. Select I understand that the reset will delete all of my system data and personal files or I understand that the reset will delete all unselected account(s) system data and personal files from my hard drive , and then click NEXT.
    The reset and update process begins and may take several minutes to complete. After the process is complete, the Recovery process guide is displayed and you are prompted to unplug the USB drive and restart your computer.
11. Remove the USB drive from computer, and then click RESTART.
    Your computer restarts.