System Repair Not Working on Dell Windows 7 Laptop

[rshalhoub]

My son just gave me his laptop and I want to reset it to factory settings because he has a ton of bad files on it and it does not work well. I have tried hitting F8 when it boots. I can get into the Advanced Boot Options Menu and I can select Repair Your Computer. After I select this, it says Windows is loading Files and then it either gives me the option to do a system repair or start windows normally. When I select system repair it just starts windows anyway. I just rebooted now and it didn't even give me the option to repair my system and instead only gave me the options of entering safe mode or starting windows normally. So Repair Your Computer is not working. I have gone into bcdedit several times and tried to make changes according to recommendations that were made on these forums but they have not helped. I also did the agentc /disable and enable thing and that didn't work either. No matter what I do, it just won't reset the computer. My husband swears he made backup bootable CDs when my son got the computer but as luck would have it, they are nowhere to be found. I looked at the hidden files and I do have a c:\Recovery directory. Please help.

 

[VistaKing]

Press F8 click on Repair Your Computer . Do you see Factory restore ?

What is the model of the Dell laptop ?

 

[rshalhoub]

It is a Dell XPS L702X (that is what it says on the back. I hope that is correct). When I hit F8 it takes me to the screen where I can select Repair Your Computer. When I select it, it only gives me the option of going into Windows either in Safe Mode or Start Windows Normally. I used to get the option to repair it (I can't remember the exact wording) but now it only gives me those options so that prompt is not showing up at all now.

 

[VistaKing]

If you want do a System Factory Restore


Starting Dell Factory ImageRestore

1.Turn on the computer.
2.When the DELL logo appears, press <F8> several times to access the Advanced Boot Options window.

   Note

If you wait too long and the operating system logo appears, continue to wait until you see the Microsoft Windows desktop; then, shut down yourcomputer and try again.

3.SelectRepair Your Computer.The System Recovery Options window appears.
4.Select a keyboard layout and click Next
5.To access the recovery options, log on as a local user. To access the command prompt, type administrator in the Username field, then click OK.
6.Dell Factory Image Restore. Click The Dell Factory Image Restore welcome screen appears.

   Note

Depending upon yourconfiguration, you may need to selectDell Factory Tools, then Dell FactoryImage Restore.

7.Click Next.The Confirm Data Deletion screen appears.

   Note

If you do not want to proceedwith the Factory Image Restore, clickCancel.

8.Select the check box to confirm that youwant to continue to reformat the harddrive and restore the system software tothe factory condition, then click Next. Next.The restore process begins and may take five or more minutes to complete. A message appears when the operatingsystem and factory‑installed application shave been restored to factory condition.
9.Finish to restart the computer. Click Restoring Your Operating System

It would be better if you did a clean install following the tutorial below

:ar: http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/219487-clean-reinstall-factory-oem-windows-7-a.html#post1839164

It has a link where you could download the Windows 7 installation disc and use the Product Key on the bottom of your laptop ( if its a Windows 7 Product Key )

 

[C-11]

See if you can Create Recovery Discs.

Windows 7 - IMPORTANT Windows 7 Backup Disks to create - Microsoft OS Forum - Software & Operating Systems - Dell Community

How to Make a Dell XPS Recovery Bootable Disk Recovery Partition | eHow.com

 

[rshalhoub]

Do I have to do both? Do I have to Make a Dell XPS Recovery Bootable Disk Recovery Partition and download the iso file?

 

[rshalhoub]

When I went to All Programs to look for the Dell DataSafe folder, it is empty. All the Dell files are empty.

 

[VistaKing]

Go to Device Manager . Right click on COMPUTER could be located on the desktop or inside the start menu choose Manage click on Yes on the UAC window . Inside Device Manager click on Disk Management and see If you have any hidden partitions . Should have one labeled System Reserved and the one you need is Recovery .

 

[rshalhoub]

Ok... When I tried to access it like you said it didn't work but I dug around and found disk management and there is a recovery file there. It says this:

recovery simple basic NTFS Healthy 19.53GB 11.66 free space

What do I do now? There is no option to back up or create recovery disks or anything.

 

[VistaKing]

If you want the bloatware that came with the laptop from day one . Click on rb: look for this Dell DataSafe Local Backup click that and you should be able to create a windows 7 recovery disc .

If you don't want the bloatware a clean install download the windows 7 ISO from the link I provided .

 

[rshalhoub]

The Dell files are all empty when I look at them so they don't help. So all I need to do is burn the iso you sent to a disk and boot from that? I don't need to do the Dell DataSafe Local Backup thing?

 

[rshalhoub]

just let me know

 

[VistaKing]

The ISO you burn to a DVD . Boot off the DVD by pressing F12 choose your optical drive and press [enter] on the screen
Press any key to boot from CD and DVD . . . . . Press any key to continue

Click on the link below

:ar: http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/1649-clean-install-windows-7-a.html?ltr=C

   Note

Make sure you back up anything you need . Applications can't be backed up

 

[rshalhoub]

Ok... It is still downloading (said it would take two hours but there are only 17 minutes left). I will try it in the morning and repost if it doesn't work. Thanks!

 

[VistaKing]

If you want to remove the Recovery Partition and want just 1 big partition then do the steps below

When you get to this screen ( image below )

Press Shift and F10 . You will get a command prompt window . It should open up to X:\Sources . In there input these commands and press enter after each line .

DISKPART
LIST DISK
SELECT DISK 0
CLEAN
CREATE PRIMARY PARTITION 
SELECT PARTITION 1 
ACTIVE 
FORMAT FS=NTFS LABEL="Windows" QUICK 
ASSIGN LETTER=C
EXIT
EXIT

 

[rshalhoub]

Ok... I read so many warnings on the site where I downloaded the iso that I am afraid to use it. Plus I would need to reinstall MS Office. So I figured out a way to make a system repair disk. If I use that, will it help me reset it to factory defaults?

 

[VistaKing]

I would use the Dell Factory Recovery disc . The repair disc doesn't reinstall Windows . Unless the repair disc you created was from Dell . It's suppose to be 2-3 DVDs depending on the disc size (-R or -DL ) repair discs are only 1 disc which is the tool builtin side Windows 7 itself .

 

[rshalhoub]

How do I get the Dell Factory recovery disk? When I click on the Dell folders by clicking on start the folders are all empty. I tried burning a system image to a disk on the option in control panel that says create system image. However it didn't seem to be working so I canceled it. It kept telling me to insert a disk that is larger than 1 GB and I was putting in blank disks that are 4.7GB so I don't know why it wasn't working. I thought maybe that would do the job but I couldn't seem to burn the discs. What are my options? The downloadable Windows 7 from the web site you gave seems like it may do more harm than good.

 

[VistaKing]

The link I gave you won't do any harm . Those windows 7 installation ISO files are legit . When you click on rb: type in recovery inside Search programs and files . Do you get any listings with the word Dell ?

:ADDED:

When you are booting up the laptop and tap on F8 press [ENTER] on Repair your Computer . Click on Windows 7 click on the Next button on the System Recovery window do you see Dell Datasafe Restore and Emergency Backup ( image below )

 

[rshalhoub]

I can't search on the laptop now because I am doing a chkdsk utility. However, when I click F8 when it is booting, it takes me to Repair Your Computer. When I click Repair Your Computer, it just starts windows. It doesn't give me the System Recovery Options you show in your image. I don't know how to get it to stop starting windows. Sometimes when I click Repair Your Computer, it gives me two options - one is something like Restore your computer and the other is start windows normally. When I click restore your computer it just does an endless loop taking me back to that screen. It doesn't work.