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Dell forum: Dell E521 desktop help doing a total recovery

by: Strikeforce1 August 23, 2011 2:47 PM PDT

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Dell E521 desktop help doing a total recovery

by Strikeforce1 - 8/23/11 2:47 PM

Dell recently sent me 2 disks 1 for the drives and 1 for windows.
I an confused with these I have a HP and when I want to do a total wipe out and a fresh load to factory state I just use those disk and away i go.

With the Dell it gives me 2 options (Upgrade)or Custom..So my question is what the heck to I do to do a total recovery and wipe out the hard drive and start from fresh to factory state. I am using Vista 32 bit.


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Try both.

by R. Proffitt Moderator - 8/23/11 4:34 PM

In Reply to: Dell E521 desktop help doing a total recovery by Strikeforce1

That's a new option I haven't seen before on system recovery disks.

It seems this is the older install where it's just like you install Windows from Microsoft. In that case you select Custom and delete the old partitions, then ... Let's say it's Vista? Here's a link.

http://www.blackviper.com/Articles/OS/InstallVista/installvista1.htm

The second disk is for all the drivers.

Again this sounds like the older install/recovery method.
Bob


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Trouble with factory restore

by KirstyBing - 8/24/11 2:23 PM

In Reply to: Try both. by R. Proffitt Moderator

I am having a similar problem with my Dell Studio 540 desktop. I am running a 32 bit Vista and recently had a virus. I am trying to completely restore/reformat my desktop. I have came across many problems whilst doing this. I have tried to reformat it from the Dell factory image, but it wont do so. It seems that there is no one. Or it's there, but it wont use it, for some reason.
I have also used the windows disk, it said that it would delete all my files, which is what i wanted, but after following the steps above, the windows installed and there were still files in my C drive.
I really don't know what to do next, if anyone knows of anything, I would appreciate it?


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We only lose what we don't backup.

by R. Proffitt Moderator - 8/24/11 2:35 PM

In Reply to: Trouble with factory restore by KirstyBing

If losing files is an issue, we discuss that first.

If installing the OS is the issue we discuss that.

You can for much less than any service counter cost replace the hard drive with a new drive and put the old drive into some USB case for access later to your files you forgot to backup.
Bob


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