Windows 7: "Repair Your Computer" option not working (restoring factory backup)

gogregerson · 05 Jun 2012

I have a Dell Studio 1440 with Win 7 home premium 64bit. I want to use the built-in recovery but after pressing F8, I click on Repair Your Computer and Windows 7 begins to load instead of going to the recovery GUI. I am trying to restore the system to it's factory settings and it had worked approximately two years ago but now it won't. I do not have a recovery disc because there is no optical disc in this machine.
Any Suggestions?
After reading previous threads I opened the elevated command prompt and ran c:\bcd.txt and got:

Code:

 
Windows Boot Manager
--------------------
identifier {bootmgr}
device partition=\Device\HarddiskVolume2
description Windows Boot Manager
locale en-us
inherit {globalsettings}
default {current}
resumeobject {044b56e0-12ae-11df-adcc-df06ce43f584}
displayorder {current}
toolsdisplayorder {memdiag}
timeout 30
Windows Boot Loader
-------------------
identifier {current}
device partition=C:
path \Windows\system32\winload.exe
description Windows 7
locale en-us
inherit {bootloadersettings}
recoverysequence {044b56e2-12ae-11df-adcc-df06ce43f584}
recoveryenabled Yes
osdevice partition=C:
systemroot \Windows
resumeobject {044b56e0-12ae-11df-adcc-df06ce43f584}
nx OptIn
bootstatuspolicy IgnoreShutdownFailures
Windows Boot Loader
-------------------
identifier {044b56e2-12ae-11df-adcc-df06ce43f584}
device ramdisk=[\Device\HarddiskVolume2]\Recovery\WindowsRE\winre.wim,{044b56e3-12ae-11df-adcc-df06ce43f584}
path \windows\system32\winload.exe
description Windows Recovery Environment
inherit {bootloadersettings}
osdevice ramdisk=[\Device\HarddiskVolume2]\Recovery\WindowsRE\winre.wim,{044b56e3-12ae-11df-adcc-df06ce43f584}
systemroot \windows
nx OptIn
winpe Yes
Resume from Hibernate
---------------------
identifier {044b56e0-12ae-11df-adcc-df06ce43f584}
device partition=C:
path \Windows\system32\winresume.exe
description Windows Resume Application
locale en-US
inherit {resumeloadersettings}
filedevice partition=C:
filepath \hiberfil.sys
debugoptionenabled No
Windows Memory Tester
---------------------
identifier {memdiag}
device partition=\Device\HarddiskVolume2
path \boot\memtest.exe
description Windows Memory Diagnostic
locale en-US
inherit {globalsettings}
badmemoryaccess Yes
EMS Settings
------------
identifier {emssettings}
bootems Yes
Debugger Settings
-----------------
identifier {dbgsettings}
debugtype Serial
debugport 1
baudrate 115200
RAM Defects
-----------
identifier {badmemory}
Global Settings
---------------
identifier {globalsettings}
inherit {dbgsettings}
{emssettings}
{badmemory}
Boot Loader Settings
--------------------
identifier {bootloadersettings}
inherit {globalsettings}
{hypervisorsettings}
Hypervisor Settings
-------------------
identifier {hypervisorsettings}
hypervisordebugtype Serial
hypervisordebugport 1
hypervisorbaudrate 115200
Resume Loader Settings
----------------------
identifier {resumeloadersettings}
inherit {globalsettings}
Device options
--------------
identifier {044b56e3-12ae-11df-adcc-df06ce43f584}
description Ramdisk Options
ramdisksdidevice partition=\Device\HarddiskVolume2
ramdisksdipath \Recovery\WindowsRE\boot.sdi

nckfrtg28 · 05 Jun 2012

Do you still have the recovery partition still? Also is it hidden?

gogregerson · 05 Jun 2012

Quote: Originally Posted by nckfrtg28

Do you still have the recovery partition still? Also is it hidden?

That I don't know. How or where do I look to find out?

nckfrtg28 · 05 Jun 2012

Quote: Originally Posted by gogregerson

Quote: Originally Posted by nckfrtg28

Do you still have the recovery partition still? Also is it hidden?

That I don't know. How or where do I look to find out?

Go to Disk management and see if their is a drive called recovery. If you do make sure it has a drive letter. If you don't have a drive called that then that recovery option won't work.

gogregerson · 05 Jun 2012

It looks like there is not a drive letter. How do I assign one?

nckfrtg28 · 05 Jun 2012

Quote: Originally Posted by gogregerson

Okay now you would need to set a drive letter for it. Left click on it and hit "change drive letter and paths" and then try the recovery option.

gogregerson · 05 Jun 2012

All right, it is now assigned (D). I'll reboot and try it out.

gogregerson · 05 Jun 2012

So, I tried it again and no dice. I used F8 on bootup and got the advanced boot option page. I selected "Repair Your Computer" and hit enter. The next screen that came up showed "Windows is loading flies..." then it went to the Windows 7 startup and logged me in. No repair screen.
What do I do now?

Britton30 · 05 Jun 2012

Hi gogregerson, the Recovery Partition does not need or require a drive letter. It has been left off so Windows won't try writing to it and damaging it. Remove the drive letter.
When you are booting up, on the POST screen there should be a list of keys to press for options. Using F8 gets you into the Windows repair options, not Dell's. Usually for a Dell you press F11 or F10 to access the recovery area. This will also reinstall all factory bloatware.

A better option which has been used successfully is Reinstalling Windows 7. Save all of your personal data to some external device first.

nckfrtg28 · 05 Jun 2012

Has windows ever be re installed before on that computer?

Windows 7: "Repair Your Computer" option not working (restoring factory backup)

"Repair Your Computer" option not working (restoring factory backup) problems?