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Windows Forum / Windows Vista / Setup and Deployment / May 2008Dell PC Restore unaccessible
After I installed the public beta of Windows Vista on my new Dell E510 PC (upgraded from XP media center), the Dell PC Restore option has stopped working. Windows disk manager shows that the PC Restore partition is still on my hard drive, but I cannot boot to it. (The "blue bar" displaying dell.com does not show up.) As this is the only way for me to get Windows XP Media Center 2005 back on my hard disk, I am concerned. Scanning my hard disk, I see that Vista has incorporated all the hidden partitions into one big c:\ drive. Looking for evidence of PC Restore on my computer, I found these files: i386 [directory] dell.sdr [file] dell [directory] drivers [directory] I am not sure if these files are related to Dell PC Restore, but I decided to mention them. My questions are as follows: Is there a way to restore my computer back to XP media center? If I use my Partition Magic application, and set what I think is the Dell PC Restore partition (no label, about 4GB) to be the active partition, will the computer boot into Dell PC Restore? Is there a way to uninstall Windows Vista, and get back what I had before? When the Vista beta expires, will there be a way to uninstall, or will I be stuck with a non working computer? Can I download the Dell PC Restore stuff from Dell.com? I just want to make sure that I can reverse the Vista installation somehow if something goes wrong. Sincerely, Zach Did your computer come with a restore disk? If so, you should be able to recover XP media center with that. The system recovery files, on the partion, are usually not bootable. No my computer didn't come with one of those CD's [even though I ordered one, and expected to get one]. Grr... I'm checking the dell forums now, and found that other people are having this problem. There might be a fix, but I'm not sure yet. [Yay, other people have this problem, its bad, but its good (semisweet)] > Did your computer come with a restore disk? If so, you should be able to > recover XP media center with that. The system recovery files, on the > partion, > are usually not bootable. If I remember right you press F11 or F12 while the Dell splash screen is showing during startup to start the recovery process. The problem may be that Vista has overwritten the code that enables that function and you may need a fix from Dell to restore the functionality. > After I installed the public beta of Windows Vista on my new Dell E510 PC > (upgraded from XP media center), the Dell PC Restore option has stopped [quoted text clipped - 32 lines] > Sincerely, > Zach It's CTRL+F11, but the boot loader is gone. Google DSRFix. This is a program that will fix the problem. Tom > If I remember right you press F11 or F12 while the Dell splash screen is > showing during startup to start the recovery process. The problem may be [quoted text clipped - 37 lines] >> Sincerely, >> Zach Kinda like taking the green pill to counter the effects of the yellow pill... It's CTRL+F11, but the boot loader is gone. Google DSRFix. This is a program that will fix the problem. Tom Just trying to get the system back > Kinda like taking the green pill to counter the effects of the yellow > pill... [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > > Tom Mark, I have yet to read a post which said, "I called Dell before I started to get instructions on what to do if I install Vista and want to get back to XP." > Kinda like taking the green pill to counter the effects of the yellow > pill... [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > > Tom I would pay serious money to sit in at eMachines or Dell tech phone banks and listen to the stupidity flow! Just can't leave the country for that long... Mark, I have yet to read a post which said, "I called Dell before I started to get instructions on what to do if I install Vista and want to get back to XP." > Mark, I have yet to read a post which said, "I called Dell before > I started to get instructions on what to do if I install Vista > and want to get back to XP." Have you tried calling Dell support recently?  SignatureChris Game "PL..- Ah, just a moment [twiddle, fiddle, clickety-tweak] (got it!) -..ONK!" >> Mark, I have yet to read a post which said, "I called Dell before >> I started to get instructions on what to do if I install Vista >> and want to get back to XP." > > Have you tried calling Dell support recently? I have an it was excellent. Short hold time, knowledgeable technician, simple troubleshooting. Turned out the video card on my laptop was bad. DHL delivered a box at 10am on Tuesday and waited for me to pack it. It arrived back, repaired flawlessly at 9am on Thursday, less than 48 hours later. What's your point? Tom > I have an it was excellent. Short hold time, knowledgeable > technician, simple troubleshooting. This is so unlike the usual experience with dell support these days, I suspect you either work for them, or are delusional. Check the support forums for support for this view. http://makeashorterlink.com/?L18C45B5D SignatureChris Game "PL..- Ah, just a moment [twiddle, fiddle, clickety-tweak] (got it!) -..ONK!" Just because someone actually had a good experience with Dell support does NOT mean they either work for Dell or they're delusional. There's no doubt that alot of people have had bad experiance with Dell support. Neither Tom nor I work for Dell and I have also had several good experiances with Dell support. The method that's worked best for me the last several times I've needed support, is use the 'Chat' feature on Dell's web site. No language barrier nor accent to deal with, and every time I've used it, the Dell person was very knowledgeable , polite, and helpful. In every case, the problem was resolved in less than 10min. Aside from that, were you able to find Dan Goodells web site that explains the use of DRSFIX.exe ? It's worked great for me in the past with my E510. http://www.goodells.net/dellrestore/fixes.htm >> I have an it was excellent. Short hold time, knowledgeable >> technician, simple troubleshooting. [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > support forums for support for this view. > http://makeashorterlink.com/?L18C45B5D >> I have an it was excellent. Short hold time, knowledgeable >> technician, simple troubleshooting. [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > support forums for support for this view. > http://makeashorterlink.com/?L18C45B5D Chris, Neither, of course, although I do appreciate it that you found the time to insult me. Really speaks well for your character. Dell's support is as good as anybody else's. In other words, it is mediocre because the buying public wants to pay $399 for a complete computer. Dell, unlike many other vendors, offers Gold level support if you are willing to pay for it. Gold support is very, very good. Costs a couple hundred for four years. No one pays for it. I didn't, but I know the secret trick for getting good support that is absolutely beyond the comprehension of virtually every caller. I'm polite. I listen to what they have to say I'm polite. I follow their script faithfully and patiently, even if I know the eventual outcome, as I know they have to do it. I'm polite. If you call with a chip on your shoulder, which it sounds like perhaps you do, then yes, your support experience will likely not be as good as mine. Your original post showed that chip. Must be heavy to cart around all the time. Tom Will DSRFix still let me boot to vista? (go into blue bar, then windows boot manager, then vista?) > It's CTRL+F11, but the boot loader is gone. > [quoted text clipped - 42 lines] >>> Sincerely, >>> Zach No, you've got to start over with XP. DSRFix will let you restore your system to the state it was in when you opened the box. No data, nothing you've installed. Nothing. Nada. Wiped out. So, back everything up before you do it. Then after you have XP perfect, back it up properly with something like Acronis True Image. Then and only then, either install a second hard drive (preferred) or partition your hard drive (with something like Partition Magic -- that you have to buy for as much as a second hard drive). Then install Vista as a dual boot. Tom > Will DSRFix still let me boot to vista? > (go into blue bar, then windows boot manager, then vista?) [quoted text clipped - 44 lines] >>>> Sincerely, >>>> Zach To restore the system thru Dell PCRestore for Vista Press F8 and select Repair My Computer And select Dell Factory Image Restore. Signaturehyde |
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