Restoring Vista to a Windows 7 laptop

what if i can find a download for windows vista. Would loading that back on to the computer temporarily allow me to extract the factory.wim file?

No - you need to apply the image from dell install.wim .


That is why you need to make windows 7 boot media with gimagex in it. ( It does the same as imagex but is much easier to use )

An even easier way is to d/l the windows 7 iso - open the iso with a free version of an isohandling program - poweriso, for example- open system32 folder - click add files - browse to gimagex ( same bit version as the iso ), click Save as - and give the new iso a name.

http://www.poweriso.com/ just click the download button - that will get you the free (unregistered) version - which is all you need for this

Either burn your new iso to cd , or put it the contents on a bootable flash -boot it up - then fire up gimagex and apply the image from dell install.wim.

You could of course clean reinstall using any Vista installer for your version with the COA sticker on machine.

Or order the Recov disks from Dell.

As you have Windows 7 install,try to open Tools>PCRestore.exe from partition 3.
This works from WinXP.

Yes you could reinstall with a vista dvd - and your lappy key. The recipient of the lappy still won't have the Dell recovery options, tho.

If you can find the PCRetsore app - running that may work ( I was under the impression you no longer had that app. )

Another possibility is there may be an app in the recovery partition which rewrites the disk code - re enabling the f key option.

Otherwise, just apply the image from the wim - not difficult to do.

Hi RJ7887
I am Jerry\C3PO5 THE same person in the dell FORUM you have the link
to.
The reason that did not work for the person he was trying to do the restore for win 7
and dell does not use the {{same options for 7 or restore}} as he did for Vista !!

You had Vista first the did the upgrade to win 7 you messed up the F8 options to restore back to factory state !
I hope you can get your computer back to the way it was in the box !!

Please read this and if you have any problems i will see if i can help you out OK

You must have Vista 32 or 64 bit installed and working but you have lost the F8 Recovery menu option !

You must have the D:\Recovery 32 or 64 bit partition {{and it is still intact}} ! Note when you do a factory restore it will format the C:\Partition all data will be lost make sure you have your {{Backup}} before you start the factory restore !!
Now
download Windows Advanced Installation Kit from Microsoft {Genuine Validation is required}
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=94bb6e34-d890-4932-81a5-5b50c657de08&DisplayLang=en
By the way it is an ISO image that has to be burned to a DVD with your software not drop and drag it is a big file 1375.9 MB in size a long download time !!
Install Windows AIK the default location is .
c:\Program Files\Windows AIK
but i changed it to
c:\WAIK to save a lot of typing latter .
I was able to repair my F8 Menu for D:\Recovery Partition !
Here's how to do it.

In Vista go to the start menu all programs select Microsoft Windows AIK
You have to Right click c:\ command prompt Open it with run as {administrator} you will see .
C:\Windows\system32\SYSTEM32>
Type
CD\ tap enter key
you will get
c:\> Then type
CD WAIK tap enter key
You will get
c:\WAIK
Type
CD Recovery tap enter key you will get
C:\WAIK\recovery> Now type SetAutoFailover.cmd /target D: disk 0 partition 1 or 2 if you have the Dell hidden test partition
Now tap enter key
If everything goes fine, you'll see a list of messages and one saying that the operation was completed successfully in some cases you may get an error message but it should still work.
Now reboot your computer and tap F8 during boot up, choose "Repair your computer"tap enter key you will see the windows screen scroll by then it will show system recovery select your key board option click on next you will see user name and password click OK it will have the original recovery console with the Dell Recovery Image Restore as the last option !!
Hope it works for you as well!
This is based on the Inspiron 1501 Dell Vista Ultimate 64 Bit,Dimension E521 Dell Vista Ultimate 64 Bit, XPS 430 Dell Vista Ultimate 64 Bit and Retail Windows 7 64 Bit Full or upgrade version using imagex to build the new Dell\Image\Factory.wim file.YES it does work for my Dimension 8400 with Retail Vista Ultimate 64 Bit using imagex to build the new Dell\Image\factory.wim file .
This should work with any Dell computer that has the D:\Recovery partition !!

If you do it this way it should format the C:\ partition that has win 7
and put vista back on the C:\ PARTITION !!
Good Luck



Jerry\c3po5

Hi Jerry,

As you have done this - and you have a Dell machine - is there a simpler way do you think?

Downloading the enormous WAIK and doing all that is tricky for most people.

The only thing needed according to your post is a small text file - SetAutoFailover.zip

If you copy it into your windows\system32 directory, open a command prompt ( it will be in the command path then)

Just type:

C:\Windows\Sytem32>SetAutoFailover.cmd /target D: disk 0 partition 1

( or partition 2 if you have the Dell hidden test partition )

then press enter

Now reboot your computer and tap F8 during boot up, choose "Repair your computer"tap enter key you will see the windows screen scroll by then it will show system recovery select your key board option click on next you will see user name and password click OK it will have the original recovery console with the Dell Recovery Image Restore as the last option !!
Hope it works for you as well!

Hi SIW2
I am not sure if what you have in the zip file will work or not ,when i did my F8 repair for Vista i did all of this on my own
it took me over a year just to find out how the Dell recovery partition was link to the F8 boot options to start with LOL!!
It would be nice if it did work with your zipped file !!

You know what i just made a complete image of my Win 7 on my XPS 430 so i may give it a try
it uses the same recovery partition
as the Vista recovery partition did , it was just linked back to the f8 option using waik
to make win 7 work then used imagex to build the win 7 factory.wim file like Vistas F8 OPTION
OH by the way this does not work for win 7 32 bit to a 32 bit vista recovery partition !!
It does work for 7 64 bit using the 64 bit Vista recovery partition !!~!
I will post back in a little while to let you know if the zipped file will work or not !
Jerryw

Hi SIW2
I copied the unzipped file to the C:\windows\system32 folder and ran the command it did seem to work !!! but i cant be sure
for a fact because the F8 Vista 64 bit recovery partition was allready link back to the F8 WIN 7 advanced boot recovery option
with the Dell factory image restore at the bottom of the menu !!

I don't have one of those machines - I am assuming the setautofailover.cmd and resulting key option will fire up a bootable.wim on the recovery partition .

That would be a customized winre.wim to which Dell have added their extra options.

How big is this factory.wim ?

Have you tried restoring the win 7 factory.wim file

Hi SIW2
Yes the{{ zipped file}} you have posted does work good news !!!

I used a linux live cd and booted to it then went and deleted the c:\ win 7 boot manager and all boot files for win 7
as you guesed it win 7 would not boot i did a 7 dvd f12 boot repair got win 7 booting again and made sure it booted into 7 several times !
Then went to check to see if the F8 repair my computer was there it was not there just the normal F8 options .
So i went back to win 7 and ran the command >

Microsoft Windows [Version 6.1.7601]
Copyright (c) 2009 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.
C:\Windows\system32>setautofailover.cmd /target D: partition 1
The entry {572bcd55-ffa7-11d9-aae0-0007e994107d} was successfully created.
The operation completed successfully.
The operation completed successfully.
The operation completed successfully.
The operation completed successfully.
The operation completed successfully.
The operation completed successfully.
The operation completed successfully.
The operation completed successfully.
The operation completed successfully.
The operation completed successfully.
Microsoft DiskPart version 6.1.7601
Copyright (C) 1999-2008 Microsoft Corporation.
On computer: HOME-OFFICE-1
Disk 0 is now the selected disk.
Partition 1 is now the selected partition.
There is no volume selected.
Please select a volume and try again.
C:\Windows\system32> EXIT

Then i went back to F8 then to repair my computer and there was the Dell factory restore image icon at the bottom of the page .
I did not do the factory restore this time so i could post all of this !!!

Yes this does work for the 64 bit windows 7 i have used it a few times and can tell you for a fact it does work for win 7 64 bit ONLY!!!
My factory.wim file is 13.8 gibs in size in a 90.00 gib recovery partition !
But i do have several factory.wim files to fall back on in there also !
the one i have now has all of my {{extra software installed and all windows updates}} and i do build a new factory.wim file once a month !
And a complete image of my harddrive using win backup and restore .

For the win 7 32 bit version this has never worked at all so i gave up on 32 bit all the way .
If you have the Vista 32 bit Dell recovery partition it will fix the 32 bit version of vista .

I hope if someone trys this it does the same for you as it did for me !
Good Luck

JerryW