Issues with using PC restore on xps M1530 vista

[zrtom]

2.6GB is the size of my recovery drive. I know that I can restore from the DVD, but the last time I did that I had problems with driver installation. I just want to be able to restore the factory image and I can't figure out how to...

If you still have the factory.wim file under D:\RECOVERY\dell\Image then you can restore the computer's factory image. The F8 Factory Image (GUI) recovery option will not be available anymore since you have installed the Windows 7 bootloader (overwriting Dell's custom Recovery Environment) but the factory image can be mounted in one of two ways.... again, provided you haven't deleted the factory.wim file.

If you have all of the other D:\RECOVERY folders (Program Files, sources, Tools, Users and Windows) restoring the image will be easier but they are not necessary.

I can walk you through either of the steps necessary. However, it is past my beddy-bye time. If you check whether you have the factory.wim file (for that computer, it should be around 4GB, maybe a little less) and report back whether you have it, I'll run through the process in the morning.

The disk you have is a complete Vista disk (and Vista only, no unnecessary stuff). Only difference is a small section that locates the Dell BIOS boot flag and pre-activates it on Dell computers.

Longhorn shows because of the Windows folder in the D:\RECOVERY partition. It is part of the factory.wim creation and and mounting process, not the Vista you want to restore.

Tom

 

[zrtom]

This is the DVD that came with it

Ok that is the DELL recovery disk. It should be bootable. To boot from it repeatedly hit the "d" key, and make sure booting from dvd is enabled in bios

Ken

Point Of Order: Isn't the Dell boot selection key F12?

On Dell Vista machines it's F12 for boot menu and F8 for Recovery Enviroment.

 

[zrtom]

When I boot the dvd it loads up to the ( install, what to know before downloading, repair your computer) screen. from there I choose repair computer then it starts to search for windows installations and only finds win7, also tells me the it found a problem and wants to fix it. this is the detailed report that it gives me...

The following startup options will be repaired:
Name: Windows Boot Manager
Identifier: {9dea862c-5cdd-4e70-acc1-f32b344d4795}

The following startup options will be added:
Name: Windows (TM) Code Name "Longhorn" Preinstallation Environment (Recovered)
Path: Windows
Windows Device: Partition=d: (10240MB)

From the looks of it, your recovery partition is still intact. Normally they are around 10GB and contain a Windows folder that Startup Repair (incorrectly) thinks is part of the OS that it's trying to repair.

If you can no longer see the recovery partition, you might simply have to assign a drive letter through disk management.

 

[zrtom]

When I installed win7 it showed four partitions; 1)OEM install vista, 2)Recovery, 3)OS, and 4)Media Direct 3.5, When I booted the dvd of vista reinstall, the first partitions isnt there, it just has 2,3,4 ??? and like i asked if I do a reinstall of vista and then try to run the restore feature will it pick up the vista factory image?

The first partition labelled OEM is a small (25-50 MB) Dell diagnostics Partition that can be booted with F12. The second partition is the (10GB or so) Dell Recovery Partition. The third partition is the main OS partition. The fourth partition is the hidden Media Direct partition.

Where did you install Windows 7? In the largest (third) partition?

As long as you haven't modified any of the partitions, you might be able to remount the factory image AND remain Media Direct functionality (Media Direct is VERY prone to loss of functionality for reasons unknown even to Dell).

 

[dt63944]

Dell support link

See if this link helps:
article id 316580 in the Dell Tech Support section
"Restoring Dell™ Factory Image From Microsoft® Windows® Recovery Environment"
Journal ID: 09270BP70H
Restoring Dell™ Factory Image From Microsoft® Windows® Recovery Environment

Dell Solution Network: Knowledge Base Article

Restoring Dell™ Factory Image From Microsoft® Windows® Recovery Environment

Journal ID: 09270BP70HArticle ID: </SPAN> 316580Date Published: </SPAN> 2/18/2008Last Revised: </SPAN> 9/26/2009
Journal ID: 09270BP70HArticle ID: </SPAN> 316580Date Published: </SPAN> 2/18/2008Last Revised: </SPAN> 9/26/2009
Restoring Dell™ Factory Image From Microsoft® Windows® Recovery Environment

Dell Solution Network: Knowledge Base Article

Restoring Dell™ Factory Image From Microsoft® Windows® Recovery Environment


Dell - Support=

 

[Mahesh21]

@ZRTOM i have the factory.wim intact now tell me the procedure to recover my original vista

 

[RamMajeti]

Hi ZRTOM,

I do have same problem. I have my factory.wim file in D drive. Please tell me how to enable this and do Factory Restore.

Thanks