Windows 7: Dell PC restore fail..

Well, i got windows 7 Pro x86 installed on my dell vostro 3700.
Lately, i want to restore it to its factory settings..
On the support site of Dell, they said i should boot with F8, select "restore system" and then keyboard settings etc. and that the recovery image (Dell factory image) should replace all files currently on the HDD.
The problem starts with the booting..
I can get into the andvanced boot with F8.. but clicking enter on "system restore" just makes windows 7 boot as normal..
And, when trying to start up Dell backup & restore program (standard) it says that winRE isnt installed, so it cant work..
I do have a hidden partition "recovery".. it's about 14GB it think..
how can i still restore it?

With Dell I think it is actually something like F11. Give a few of the higher fkeys a chance. Try f10 to 12.

Hello MiserySyndrome, welcome to Seven Forums!





Have a look at the info below to see if it's a help; be sure to post back with any further questions you may have and to keep us informed.

   Information

Here are the recovery instructions from Dell.

1. Reboot, and press Ctrl + F11 at the Dell logo.
2. The Dell™ PC Restore by Symantec screen will come up.
3. Select "Restore" or use the Tab key to highlight it and press Enter.
4. if you wish to continue, click "Confirm", or use the Tab key to highlight it and press Enter.
5. When the utility is finished, click "Finish", or use the Tab key to highlight it and press Enter.

I got to a hepdesk where i bought it and they had an image of a Vostro 3700.
Then the restored it with the image and now everything i running fine again.
Because the pc just ignored the dell PC restore option and continued the start up, so there wasn't any possibility to get into the pc restore "setup"..
So that was the only sollution to get it fixed

At least you found a solution and got it running again; thanks for the update.

Why havent you created recovery disks?

I needed a few DVD's.
But I don't had any at home..

I believe you may have had a simple misunderstanding of Dell's tech support instructions.

Your model Dell boots into Recovery Partition via the F8 key, which is also Windows Advanced Boot Tools. At the top of the list is Repair My Computer which contains the same System Recovery Options that are on the Windows 7 install DVD or Repair CD. To these Dell adds a Dell Factory Image Restore choice which runs factory recovery partition.

It is understandable why you mistook "System Restore" from the System Recover Options list for this, without having a tutorial to work from like this one: Restoring Your Computer´s Software to the Factory Settings | Dell

If your store Helpdesk reimaged the HD then hopefully they left intact or replaced the Recovery Partition. The way to know for sure is to burn your Recovery Disks as they are a copy of the Recovery Partition.

Now you know!

Thanks for your help, but i knew how that i had to boot from the F8 advanced boot to get to the recovery partition.
But it just wouldn't boot from it because it thought winRE wasn't installed.
So it wouldn't boot from system repair nor it would open up the partition with the Dell factory image stored on it.
So i let my pc get repaired for free in an helpdesk and they got the recovery partion back up and running as well as the winRE.
thanks for you help anyway