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Deleted the System Covery Partition: How to make a factory re-install cd/partition?

post #1 of 16
12/19/05 at 11:14am
Thread Starter 
Hey, I deleted my factory system recovery partition. Are there CDS that I can get from Dell to recover this thing in full just as if it were factory? What solutions do u suggest for getting this thing back to factory condition. I currently have winxp pro sp2 on it. But I'm debating if I'm gonna sell/trade my laptop..but if in any case that I do... I'd like it to be back to consumer friendly style. Since this thing is only about 2 days old.
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post #2 of 16
12/19/05 at 11:23am
The only way to get the factory load back is to have dell replace the hard drive. What I have done that works is get hold of dell and tell them your PC wouldn't boot so you used your recovery CD. When you did that, you didn't have any of the software you ordered. They will offer you a replacement HDD with the image on it again.

This time, back it up, or only install the OS on the middle partition. You will need DSRfix to enable the bood block for system restore but it will at least be there.
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post #3 of 16
12/19/05 at 8:29pm
Thread Starter 
Well is there a way to get it back to factory condition with recovery cds of some sort? I mean basically like ALMOST factory (just without the separate partition etc)?
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post #4 of 16
12/19/05 at 8:53pm
Well, if you have an OS CD, like the green or blue XP cd, you can load that. It will be a bare OS. You will need to load drivers and whatnot. Certainly not the customer friendly route.
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post #5 of 16
12/19/05 at 9:11pm
Should have ghosted the HDD before you reformatted. The best you can do now is to wipe the drive with dban and reformat/install SP2, install drivers and Windows update. And maybe some basic apps--as long as you have the install CDs....
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post #6 of 16
12/19/05 at 11:23pm
Thread Starter 
yeah it sucks because I am trying to sell this thing. I feel so stupid for deleting the partition. I really thought I was gonna keep this thing. pathetic. YES I AM. I just did a clean install of Windows XP SP2 with all the 9300 drivers. Looks decently factory. But I notice on the bottom of the laptop it has the product key for Media Center. How would one obtain another one just in case the buyer is begging to use that OS?
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post #7 of 16
12/19/05 at 11:39pm
Are you saying that the PC originally came with Media Center? It must have, if it has an MCE key, no? Just contact Dell for the MCE restore DVD.
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post #8 of 16
12/20/05 at 5:34am
Thread Starter 
yes that is what i am saying..wonder how long it will take me to get in touch with dell ..hopefully they can ship this week. Any certain things I need to say/ask dell to get the CD without paying for it?
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post #9 of 16
12/20/05 at 5:35am
Hope for the right tech support guy.
And keep arguing.
It's definitely in your rights for a CD for free.
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post #10 of 16
12/20/05 at 5:38am
there;s no way you need to call back dell and ask for the disk

remember they have to send it to you
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post #11 of 16
12/20/05 at 1:30pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by dialekt
Any certain things I need to say/ask dell to get the CD without paying for it?
Have a look here....
http://www.notebookforums.com/showthread.php?t=102715
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post #12 of 16
9/24/08 at 9:18am
I did something similar to my laptop, and the disc with the system image recovery option on it doesn't work now (because the partition is gone), but the image disk with Windows XP on it does. Did your system come with both of these items, because if that is the case you can install the OS and go back and make the partitions yourself through Windows.
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post #13 of 16
9/25/08 at 1:04am
Once you delete that partition it is gone forever. Dell will ONLY send you an imaged Hard Drive within the first year, after that the drives start coming blank and you are on your own for reinstalling the OS.

Quote:
Originally Posted by E-Down. View Post
I did something similar to my laptop, and the disc with the system image recovery option on it doesn't work now (because the partition is gone), but the image disk with Windows XP on it does. Did your system come with both of these items, because if that is the case you can install the OS and go back and make the partitions yourself through Windows.
The disc you speak of is just a normal Windows OEM CD with Dell's label on it and some RAID drivers slipstreamed in.
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post #14 of 16
9/29/08 at 1:29pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by MrEvil View Post
Once you delete that partition it is gone forever. Dell will ONLY send you an imaged Hard Drive within the first year, after that the drives start coming blank and you are on your own for reinstalling the OS.

The disc you speak of is just a normal Windows OEM CD with Dell's label on it and some RAID drivers slipstreamed in.
Yeah, I think Dell computers works different from mine, my mistake. I failed to mention that I own a Fujitsu computer and it came bundled with a seperate Windows XP restore image disk, and a Drive Image Partition recovery disk as well. The Drive Image Disk only works with the embedded partition (which has since been deleted, making the disk worthless), and the Windows Image Disk contains a working, installable copy of Windows XP that only works for my system that can be installed infinitely, as long as you have the license code. It seems that Dell doesn't want it's users to have any functionally after the intial setup.
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post #15 of 16
9/30/08 at 10:00am
Quote:
Originally Posted by E-Down. View Post
Yeah, I think Dell computers works different from mine, my mistake. I failed to mention that I own a Fujitsu computer and it came bundled with a seperate Windows XP restore image disk, and a Drive Image Partition recovery disk as well. The Drive Image Disk only works with the embedded partition (which has since been deleted, making the disk worthless), and the Windows Image Disk contains a working, installable copy of Windows XP that only works for my system that can be installed infinitely, as long as you have the license code. It seems that Dell doesn't want it's users to have any functionally after the intial setup.
If the HDD craters on someone while the system is under warranty (but beyond the period where an imaged drive can be sent) Dell provides Windows discs as well as driver and application disks to customers for FREE and sends them with the hard drive. Yes, Dell's way requires a bit extra effort on the part of the user. However, its far better than with other companies like HP who expect you to shell out $50 for restore CDs if your hard disk craters. At least Fujitsu also provides an OS disc to their customers.

Dell offers a far greater degree of customization in their systems vs other manufacturers. There's no economical way they can hold onto an OS image for every one of hundreds of system configurations. This is why corporate IT shops limit their fleets to one or two configurations so they can have only 1 or 2 master images for workstations.
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post #16 of 16
9/30/08 at 10:10am
Quote:
Originally Posted by MrEvil View Post
If the HDD craters on someone while the system is under warranty (but beyond the period where an imaged drive can be sent) Dell provides Windows discs as well as driver and application disks to customers for FREE and sends them with the hard drive. Yes, Dell's way requires a bit extra effort on the part of the user. However, its far better than with other companies like HP who expect you to shell out $50 for restore CDs if your hard disk craters. At least Fujitsu also provides an OS disc to their customers.

Dell offers a far greater degree of customization in their systems vs other manufacturers. There's no economical way they can hold onto an OS image for every one of hundreds of system configurations. This is why corporate IT shops limit their fleets to one or two configurations so they can have only 1 or 2 master images for workstations.
I see. That's a good point, seeing as Dell is a lead manufacturing source for computers. I just think that some way or somehow users should come with better software for times like these. Hopefully it will get better in the future. Personally I hate messing with HDD at any rate, but things become old and they must be replaced....
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