No FACTORY IMAGE RESTORE choice! ?

[lllypa]

Hi!

So here's my problem. I have Dell Inspiron 1520 originally running Vista. I installed Windows 7 some time ago, keeping Recovery partition untouched. Now I'm trying to restore to factory defaults and...:

1. When I go through F8 - repair - there's no "Dell Factory Image Restore" choice.
2. If I run system recovery .exe file from recovery partition manualy (d:/sources/recovery/recenv.exe) it opens the same window, BUT WITH the "Dell Factory Image Restore" choice, but..
3. If I press it - it won't run because of "oledlg.dll" file missing.

I've attached screenshot of all I wrote about. I guess Windows 7 console loads it's files and misses something that Vista's recovery partition needs. Well, that's my lamer's opinion. =)

PLEASE advice!
THanx!

 

[gregrocker]

It seems your Recovery partition was damaged by the Win7 install as can happen.

Your options now are to call Dell Tech Support to order Factory Recovery disks for your model which will restore the machine to factory condition.

Or you can find a Vista retail installer to clean reinstall using the Product Key on COA sticker on machine.

If you only need to reinstall Win7, then Vista does not have to be reinstalled first.

Follow these steps for clean reinstalling either OS to get a purrfect install: http://www.sevenforums.com/installation-setup/125874-re-install-windows-7-a.html#post1086729

 

[lllypa]

What exactly do you mean by "damaged recovery partition"? Why would windows installation touch any other partition, then the one it's installing on??!

I'm interested in getting factory default notebook - that's the exact aim.

Any other suggestions? If I install Vista myself and try to "F8 - repair..." would it help to see Dell defaults choice?

If anyone could not just suggest, but explain possible problem of what I wrote in the beginning - I'd appreciate it!

TNX!

 

[gregrocker]

When you install another OS it loses all links to the Recovery partition, and the Partition itself can lose it's hotkey links. Maybe someone else can explain exactly how it happens but we have seen it enough here that we know it is not uncommon.

This is one reason why during Win7 install many choose to wipe their HD to rely only on Recovery disks to restore to Factory condition: You simply can't count on the partition once you've installed another OS.

Our expert SIW2 might be able to help you locate and run the factory .wim file from the partition.

Otherwise if you want Recovery to factory condition, I would order the Recovery Disks which can be made during setup.

 

[Bare Foot Kid]

Hello lllypa, welcome to Seven Forums!



Have a go at the old method to recover a Dell, I don't know if it'll work but it can't hurt to try.

   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.

​

 

[theog]

1. Click Command Prompt from the System Recovery Options window.

2. In the Administrator window, type the following lines, pressing <Enter> after each line.
path d:\windows;d:\windows\system32

d:
CD Tools
PCRestore

3. In the Dell Factory Image Restore window, click Next.

4. In the Confirm Data Deletion window, click to select Yes, reformat hard drive and restore system software to factory condition, and then click Next. The message Factory image successfully restored! appears when the process is complete.

5. Click Finish to restart the system.

 

[lllypa]

Our expert SIW2 might be able to help you locate and run the factory .wim file from the partition.

I can see .wim file in my recovery partition. Can anyone explain how to run it?

2. In the Administrator window, type the following lines, pressing <Enter> after each line.
path d:\windows;d:\windows\system32

d:
CD Tools
PCRestore

Can you explain what exactly to write in command prompt (I'm not good at it) - because you confused me? What do you mean by d:\windows;d:\.. etc.. ?

But if I try to run d:\tools\pcrestore.exe I get the same missing dll error. I guess I have to somehow run it throught D:\windows? Because there's Vista's clone? and it should have dlls I need? So how do I do that? I'm getting unproper commands messages in command prompt..

TNX

ps. and by the way, is it still possbile to write my recovery partition on DVD? I mean do the same thing, that my notebook ofered me in the very beginning? =)

 

[SIW2]

Post screenshots of your recovery partition - showing the folders amd the wims - you may have several wims.

 

[theog]

you can request Backup Discs from here:
Dell - Support


Have tried opening PCRestore from Windows 7?

 

[mjf]

Identify the recovery partition (eg partition 1)

1. Down load Hirens boot CD.
2. Boot the CD
3. scroll down to the end of the menus (Hirens is disk 1)
4. select the recovery partition (probably disk2 partition 1?)
5. Boot directly to the partition with Hirens
6. Your factory recovery screen should appeal

If your recovery partition has been damaged them recovery won't boot properly.
Then a set of recovery disks as suggested earlier is your best option in my opinion.

 

[George Crothers]

No "Factory Image Restore" Image Solution

After hours and hours of searching for a solution to there being no "Factory Image Restore" option, this is what I did to reset my own Dell laptop (should really work on any manufacturer) to factory original. Of course, be sure you have your documents backed up before beginning as you will lose everything.

Assuming your recovery partition has not been damaged (if it has, this will not work)

Download Hiren's BootCD from Download Hiren
Burn Hiren's BootCD to a CD
Put the Hiren's BootCD into CD Drive and Reboot computer
Select "Mini XP" from the menu
Double click on "My Computer"
Identify the partition that you use for your operating system
Right click on that partition and select "Format" to ensure a clean install
Identify the recovery partition and go to the "Imaging" folder
Right click on the "Imaging" folder and select "Command Prompt Here"
At the command prompt type (substituting c for your particular recovery partition and e for the partition that you use for your operating system)

imagex /apply c:\dell\image\factory.wim 1 e:\

After the image is successfully applied, close the command prompt.
Close "My Computer"
Remove Hiren's BootCD from CD Drive
Reboot computer

Your computer should now be reset to factory.

And as a bonus, if you try and use the Dell DataSafe Restore it will be there now! Woohoo!

 

[SIW2]

Hi George,

Glad you managed to do that - it must have been very frustrating.

There are a couple of methods to try and restore in that situation.

The first is to mark the recovery partition Active - then if you are lucky, you can boot straight into the oem recovery program ( some kind of bootable wim on that partition) and start the recovery process.

The second way - if you can find the .wim which includes the recovery image, simply apply it with imagex.

There are other tools to handle wim images - Gimagex makes it easy with a nice GUI. GImageX - AutoItScript

That all assumes the recovery .wim ( or wim's - they are quite often split into several small ones - depends on the oem ) are not damaged.

 

[George Crothers]

Hi SIW2,

Thank you for the suggestions to other possible solutions. Of the three, I had already tried the second method and was unable to make that work.

The other two methods intrigue me and I am tempted break the computer now to try both of those methods.

I was most challeged to come up with a solution when I read in forum after forum that it was impossible. I love to overcome impossibilities.

Thanks again for your suggestions. When I try them for myself, I will get back with you and let you know how they each worked for me.

 

[mjf]

I guess you tried the suggestion in post#10 of using Hirens to boot directly into the Recovery Partition. It works on my old ACER but not for all recovery configurations.

In general though:
When you set the recovery partition active it just tells the MBR boot code where to jump to next. If the OEM has configured the recovery partition to be directly bootable it will have the appropriate Bootsector and bootmgr. You then generally need to set the partition inactive after recovery.
You can avoid the active/inactive setting by bypassing the MBR and going straight to the partition without the rigamarole.

 

[apomb]

Thanks Theog! This worked when nothing else did.

1. Click Command Prompt from the System Recovery Options window.

2. In the Administrator window, type the following lines, pressing <Enter> after each line.
path d:\windows;d:\windows\system32

d:
CD Tools
PCRestore

3. In the Dell Factory Image Restore window, click Next.

4. In the Confirm Data Deletion window, click to select Yes, reformat hard drive and restore system software to factory condition, and then click Next. The message Factory image successfully restored! appears when the process is complete.

5. Click Finish to restart the system.

 

[karlsnooks]

Illypa,

Did you follow the advice given by BareFootKid in post #5? Yes or No?

If you would like to order recovery discs for your computer, then Dell is an excellent company in this regard.

Please see:
https://support.dell.com/support/topics/global.aspx/support/dellcare/en/backupcd_form

Once again:
Did you follow the advice given by BareFootKid in post #5? Yes or No?

 

[theog]

You are welcome, apomb.

 

[pberghs]

1. Click Command Prompt from the System Recovery Options window.

2. In the Administrator window, type the following lines, pressing <Enter> after each line.
path d:\windows;d:\windows\system32

d:
CD Tools
PCRestore

3. In the Dell Factory Image Restore window, click Next.

4. In the Confirm Data Deletion window, click to select Yes, reformat hard drive and restore system software to factory condition, and then click Next. The message Factory image successfully restored! appears when the process is complete.

5. Click Finish to restart the system.

Thank You !!
This was exactly what I needed.
I tried to update an old vista laptop to windows 7.
I had to do it from usb drive because the dvd-drive was stuck.

It failed partialy because the old system had to much garbage.
Didn't find the recovery image.
I followed your path (what's in a name, pathsettings) and the recovery worked fine.

From this clean Windows Vista system I can try to update to Windows 7.

Thanks a lot !!

 

[Holeshot]

Thanks

theog,

Thanks for the solution. Your Method worked on the 2nd try. I had installed Win 7 on a Dell Inspiron 1318 laptop, but I wanted to restore the Vista install, to try and upgrade to Windows 8, just because I like to abuse myself.

 

[theog]

That was a long time ago.
You are welcome.