Dell MBR Factory Restore Image option lost
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From: Paul8 on 9 Jul 2008 06:51 > > I used PartedMagic GParted to resize partitions. > > Everything looks good. Now I want to test whether Dell's Factory > Restore Image will nicely fill in NEW C:\ and keeping my NEW D:\ > untouched. My F8 option has totally changed. Somehow Windows Vista > found the MBR corrupted and replaced it with generic MBR. My F8 is now > generic boot options... with no Advanced Recovery Options. > > Does anyone know how to get the Dell's special MBR again? I think I have been just as clever. As soon as I did change the partitioning, my Dell factory restore Image disappeared. I dont know how to regain that Dell default image. Instead I have installed True image11, providing system image backup and restore. Making your own image with your own software and configuration is much more interesting.
From: Rich/rerat on 9 Jul 2008 07:50 Paul8, By repartitioning your HDD, you have found out that you have broken the link/process of using the Dell Restore application, F11 at boot-up. There is a manual method of using the restore partition, if it was not deleted during the repartitioning process, describe by Dan Goodell. I have manually been able to restore my Dell DIM E521 using this method. But was never able to get the F11 option to work again. I think it is because of my own skill level concerning computers. See the following articles, the should help you allot and explain some things to you. Inside the Dell PC Restore Partition http://www.goodells.net/dellrestore/fixes.htm http://www.goodells.net/dellrestore/ I too use Acronis TI, but version 10. Once I did do the manual restore. I use that program to make a back up Image of the restore. So I can use TI to restore it back to "Factory Fresh". -- Rich/rerat (RRR News) <message rule> <<Previous Text Snipped to Save Bandwidth When Appropriate>> "Paul8" <getpaul(a)get2net.dk.remove> wrote in message news:g525jr$c2q$1(a)news.dansketelecom.com... > > I used PartedMagic GParted to resize partitions. > > Everything looks good. Now I want to test whether Dell's Factory > Restore Image will nicely fill in NEW C:\ and keeping my NEW D:\ > untouched. My F8 option has totally changed. Somehow Windows Vista > found the MBR corrupted and replaced it with generic MBR. My F8 is now > generic boot options... with no Advanced Recovery Options. > > Does anyone know how to get the Dell's special MBR again? I think I have been just as clever. As soon as I did change the partitioning, my Dell factory restore Image disappeared. I dont know how to regain that Dell default image. Instead I have installed True image11, providing system image backup and restore. Making your own image with your own software and configuration is much more interesting.
From: S.Lewis on 9 Jul 2008 12:55 "Rich/rerat" <rrr_news(a)isp.com> wrote in message news:9t-dneU_04VjOOnVnZ2dnUVZ_sGdnZ2d(a)comcast.com... > Paul8, > By repartitioning your HDD, you have found out that you have broken the > link/process of using the Dell Restore application, F11 at boot-up. There > is > a manual method of using the restore partition, if it was not deleted > during > the repartitioning process, describe by Dan Goodell. I have manually been > able to restore my Dell DIM E521 using this method. But was never able to > get the F11 option to work again. I think it is because of my own skill > level concerning computers. See the following articles, the should help > you > allot and explain some things to you. > > Inside the Dell PC Restore Partition > http://www.goodells.net/dellrestore/fixes.htm > http://www.goodells.net/dellrestore/ > > I too use Acronis TI, but version 10. Once I did do the manual restore. I > use that program to make a back up Image of the restore. So I can use TI > to > restore it back to "Factory Fresh". > > -- > > Rich/rerat (RRR News) <message rule> > <<Previous Text Snipped to Save Bandwidth When Appropriate>> > > Rich, Probably has nothing to do with your expertise. As a general rule, I don't screw around with the Dell factory partitioning much at all for this very reason (deleting or altering partition sizes/properties tends to blow up the restore function). When I began "playing" with my XPS420, I simply accepted the fact that the original partitioning and restore image would be lost. I understand that there are methods to perhaps restore some of the original partitions if done properly - some of them fairly complex, but it's never been a priority of mine to pursue them - nor has the factory restore partition ever been that important to me personally. I also tend to prefer to use the entire capacity of my drives with little extra partitioning. Stew -Stew
From: Timothy Daniels on 9 Jul 2008 14:17 "Andrew Wan" wrote: >I have a Dell Vostro 1400 laptop with Windows Vista. I learnt about > the F8 "Advanced Recovery Options". Dell has a SPECIAL option called > "Factory Default Restore Image"... whereas normal Windows Vista > Advanced Recovery Options don't have this last SPECIAL option. > > Since I just bought this new laptop, I decided to TEST the recovery > features NOW rather than LATER. So I used the "Factory Default > Restore Image" via F8. It worked really well and is very similar to OEM > "sealed" out-of-box experience with Windows XP back in the old days. > > Partitions are like: > > /dev/sda1 fat16 117.63MB (63/240974) > /dev/sda2 ntfs 10GB (241664/21213183) RECOVERY > /dev/sda3 ntfs your_size (?/?) OS > /dev/sda4 extended your_size (?/?) > /dev/sda5 fat32 2.5GB (307337216/312578047) MEDIADIRECT > > The only visible partition is C:\. I want to have C:\ OS & D:\ > PERSONAL_DOCS partitions. Since we are only allowed 4 top- > level primary partitions I had to resize /dev/sda3 OS partition down > to 32GB from 110GB. Then I enlarged /dev/sda4 extended partition > from 2.5GB to 100GB to fill the space created from C:\. I then > created a logical partition within the extended partition... which is > now D:\ of 100GB. > > I used PartedMagic GParted to resize partitions. > > Everything looks good. Now I want to test whether Dell's Factory > Restore Image will nicely fill in NEW C:\ and keeping my NEW > D:\ untouched. My F8 option has totally changed. Somehow > Windows Vista found the MBR corrupted and replaced it with > generic MBR. My F8 is now generic boot options... with no > Advanced Recovery Options. > > Does anyone know how to get the Dell's special MBR again? Forget the Dell special MBR. (In fact, Dan Goodell maintains that the Dell MBR is exactly the standard Microsoft MBR.). And forget the System Recovery partition. That is only of value in the first few days or weeks of ownership before you add a few dozen OS updates, app files, data files, system settings, email and appearance settings, and you install subscribed software such as anti-virus utilities. Your first mistake was resizing and adding to a Vista Extended partition using a pre-Vista partition editor (i.e. Gparted). (See http://www.multibooters.co.uk/partitions.html .) Vista uses a non- standard 2,048-sector offset in its partitions, and Dell uses a mix of standard 1-cylinder offset for its Primary partitions and a Vista offset for its Extended partition that contains MediaDirect (again according to Dan Goodell in private communication). The result is that by futzing with the partitions, the average user is bound to screw things up. Dell has caught a lot of flak for that, and its MediaDirect contractor has been busy authoring a version 4.0 of MediaDirect that is not so fragile. In the meantime, the best thing to do is to clone your Vista partition to backup media. Utilities like Casper can clone Vista down to a 20GB partition if you haven't added a lot of app and/or data files to the basic installation. (Yes, I meant "clone", not "image file".) Then say goodbye to MediaDirect and delete all the partitions. Then, using a pre-Vista partition editor such as Gparted - either from live CD or from live USB stick like I do - create all the partitions you need. Then re-clone the cloned Vista back to its new partition, letting it take up all the space in the new partition. Don't re-install MediaDirect - it will only screw up your disk again, and don't use Vista to do any partition editing - Vista will be just as happy using a pre-Vista partition as it would with a Vista partition. Then use the Vista installation CD's Repair Console's Command Prompt to run "bootrec /fixmbr" to restore the standard Microsoft MBR. Also run "bootrec /rebuildbcd" to fix up the BCD store to accomodate Vista's new location. You might also have to run "bootrec /fixboot", but I didn't. Your hard drive will then contain standard partitions that can be edited and used by a universe of utilities and you won't have a mish-mash of hybridized partitions to deal with. *TimDaniels*
From: Doughnut on 10 Jul 2008 18:19
Dell uses Imagex as a tool for imaging its hard drive, to get it back you could try downloading the developers pack and getting "imagex" application from it and put it on a memory stick. Boot off a live cd (bartpe cd) and use a command prompt and get to the directory imagex is in and type without the quotes imagex /apply d:\dell\image\factory.wim 1 c:\ if your directory structure on the restore partition "drive d" is as mine then this should restore your pc to factory image. hope that helped. Doughnut "Timothy Daniels" <SpamBucket(a)NoSpamPlease.biz> wrote in message news:2LydndPmzJw7nejVnZ2dnUVZ_jednZ2d(a)earthlink.com... > "Andrew Wan" wrote: >>I have a Dell Vostro 1400 laptop with Windows Vista. I learnt about >> the F8 "Advanced Recovery Options". Dell has a SPECIAL option called >> "Factory Default Restore Image"... whereas normal Windows Vista >> Advanced Recovery Options don't have this last SPECIAL option. >> >> Since I just bought this new laptop, I decided to TEST the recovery >> features NOW rather than LATER. So I used the "Factory Default >> Restore Image" via F8. It worked really well and is very similar to OEM >> "sealed" out-of-box experience with Windows XP back in the old days. >> >> Partitions are like: >> >> /dev/sda1 fat16 117.63MB (63/240974) >> /dev/sda2 ntfs 10GB (241664/21213183) RECOVERY >> /dev/sda3 ntfs your_size (?/?) OS >> /dev/sda4 extended your_size (?/?) >> /dev/sda5 fat32 2.5GB (307337216/312578047) MEDIADIRECT >> >> The only visible partition is C:\. I want to have C:\ OS & D:\ >> PERSONAL_DOCS partitions. Since we are only allowed 4 top- >> level primary partitions I had to resize /dev/sda3 OS partition down >> to 32GB from 110GB. Then I enlarged /dev/sda4 extended partition >> from 2.5GB to 100GB to fill the space created from C:\. I then >> created a logical partition within the extended partition... which is >> now D:\ of 100GB. >> >> I used PartedMagic GParted to resize partitions. >> >> Everything looks good. Now I want to test whether Dell's Factory >> Restore Image will nicely fill in NEW C:\ and keeping my NEW >> D:\ untouched. My F8 option has totally changed. Somehow >> Windows Vista found the MBR corrupted and replaced it with >> generic MBR. My F8 is now generic boot options... with no >> Advanced Recovery Options. >> >> Does anyone know how to get the Dell's special MBR again? > > Forget the Dell special MBR. (In fact, Dan Goodell maintains that > the Dell MBR is exactly the standard Microsoft MBR.). And forget > the System Recovery partition. That is only of value in the first few > days or weeks of ownership before you add a few dozen OS updates, > app files, data files, system settings, email and appearance settings, > and you install subscribed software such as anti-virus utilities. > > Your first mistake was resizing and adding to a Vista Extended > partition using a pre-Vista partition editor (i.e. Gparted). (See > http://www.multibooters.co.uk/partitions.html .) Vista uses a non- > standard 2,048-sector offset in its partitions, and Dell uses a mix of > standard 1-cylinder offset for its Primary partitions and a Vista offset > for its Extended partition that contains MediaDirect (again according > to Dan Goodell in private communication). The result is that by > futzing with the partitions, the average user is bound to screw things up. > Dell has caught a lot of flak for that, and its MediaDirect contractor > has been busy authoring a version 4.0 of MediaDirect that is not so > fragile. In the meantime, the best thing to do is to clone your Vista > partition to backup media. Utilities like Casper can clone Vista down > to a 20GB partition if you haven't added a lot of app and/or data files > to the basic installation. (Yes, I meant "clone", not "image file".) > Then > say goodbye to MediaDirect and delete all the partitions. Then, using > a pre-Vista partition editor such as Gparted - either from live CD > or from live USB stick like I do - create all the partitions you need. > Then re-clone the cloned Vista back to its new partition, letting it take > up all the space in the new partition. Don't re-install MediaDirect - it > will only screw up your disk again, and don't use Vista to do any > partition editing - Vista will be just as happy using a pre-Vista > partition > as it would with a Vista partition. Then use the Vista installation CD's > Repair Console's Command Prompt to run "bootrec /fixmbr" to restore > the standard Microsoft MBR. Also run "bootrec /rebuildbcd" to fix > up the BCD store to accomodate Vista's new location. You might > also have to run "bootrec /fixboot", but I didn't. Your hard drive will > then contain standard partitions that can be edited and used by a > universe of utilities and you won't have a mish-mash of hybridized > partitions to deal with. > > *TimDaniels* > > |