Dell Inspiron 14 :: Creating Factory Backup Will Delete All Other Data From Drive?
Feb 2, 2015
I'd like to create a factory backup disk to the Dell laptop that I recently aquired (Inspiron 14). I want to save this factory backup on an external WD flash drive (that has 500GB). This disk contains, already 100GB of other personal data.
My question is: will the process of creating factory disk delete all other data on that drive (I don't want that to happend of course) or it will create the Image disk in addition to the other data the in this disk?? Dell's wizard said that the factory data requires only 9.2GB so there's plenty of space for all the data together.
Back in my Windows days and for my servers at work (just a few), I always did the following to do backup:
1) DATA Use SyncToy or copy the data folders (My Documents, etc.) to an external hard drive
2) OS and APPLICATIONS Create an image using Acronis's TrueImage, so I don't have to re-install the applications or re-configure the OS
With Time Machine, I know it backups my User folder (Documents, Music, etc.), but does it also backup the computer settings, such that in the case of re-install, I just pop-in the original OSX Installation CD and restore from Time Machine without reconfiguring the OS AND re-installing the application again?
I noticed in the Time Machine hard drive there is also an Applications folder that contains the list of the same applications as installed in my MBP.
I have a Dell Inspiron 17R Special Edition Laptop with Windows 8, bought on 12/16/2012. The Dell Backup and Recovery version 1.0.0.2 does not seem to work properly when using the "Recovery Media" option (“Create a copy of your factory image in case of critical hardware failure.”) for doing a "Factory Backup" with Discs.I am using new Maxell DVD+R discs.
After the first disc is written and validated it is ejected. A new blank disc is requested, placed in the drive, and then OK is clicked, and the new disc is in for a short while and then ejected without anything being written to it. Also, the DVD is still listed in the File Explorer as "DVD RW Drive (D:) Recovery" even though no DVD is in the drive and the drive tray is in (normally, when there is no DVD in the drive the DVD drive is no longer shown in the File Explorer).
If the backup is canceled and a blank disc is placed back in, then checking the properties of the disc shows 0 GB available and 0 GB Used - this error is corrected by Restarting the computer. After the Restart the disc is properly shown to have 3.9GB Available and 0GB Used.I tried again to do the backup and the same thing happened, with only the first disc actually being written and validated. That first disc is named “Recovery” and it does contain folders: Boot, EFI, preload, and Recovery. It has files: AUTORUN.INF, BOO.MGR, BOOTMGR, BOOTMGR.EFI, MASTERLOG, and Media.ico. Used space is 3.81 GB.
Since the Dell backup program for the factory image does not seem to recognize that a new blank disc is inserted after it was done with the first disc, I cannot make a backup of the factory image.
I made a USB back up using the Dell Backup and Recovery/Factory backup. I can't seem to get my laptop to boot up from a USB, though. I've looked at all the options I see via F2 and F12. But I see no mention of USB as something it could boot from.
I am trying to bring my inspiron 560 desktop to factory settins but its not giving me the option for Dell Data Safe during system recovery. I have the recovery disks that I prepared when I first purchased the computer but I don't know how to do it with the CDs...
Does the factory default., only back up the files that were originally on the drive when I first bought it, regardless of what I install afterwards? and the Custom backsup everything? I noticed that Factory Default is 10GB, but the Custom is 29GB. This is confusing because I only install two small programs on top the Factory Default. WHat is the other 19GB?
I have a Aspire 6930G that came with 3 partitions.
After I make my backup image, so I still need the recovery partitions?
I have a laptop in our lab that was full of a bunch of software that had been installed over the last year or so and I was trying to bring it back to how it was shipped from the factory. After booting with the F8 option then through Advanced Options I selected to restore the laptop to the factory image since there was no data that I needed from the unit. After the laptop restoration was finished I now boot to the BSOD and it perpetually asks for a startup repair which does not work. I made this unit a door stopper needless to say since there are no disks included in the purchase. Is there any way to get this laptop back to factory?
I have been given an Acer 6930G by a family member to setup. After realising there's 0 discs included with the laptop, the Acer pop up message tells me I have to make my own factory default image. I have successfully made it on 2 DVDs, my question is now in the manual there is nothing about how to use it, I was wondering if anyone can share any insight to me as to how it works.
Basically I know it is probably a bootable DVD as the root of the DVD suggests (several "BOOT" files) I was wondering how it actually looks like? I haven't tested it yet as the user was extremely desperate to get it running so I had to give it up the moment the DVDs were made.
If I put the DVD in and select to boot from it at start up (before getting into windows) does it take me to some sort of custom screen where I can SELECT that I want to reformat and restore the laptop? I want to know what options I am given and I can only assume that it's the same for most laptops.
And I can only assume again, that if I factory restore it, it will come back with Vista activated and all the initial bloatware again, along with all the drivers for it (so I don't need to go track them down).
This is all I need to know, I wish I can test it but I can't even get the laptop back now (until it breaks ...)
If someone can post their experiences with it I will be grateful, this is just more for reassurance than anything, and confirm my assumptions? Many thanks in advance!
EDIT: I have discovered that I can launch that recovery app by pushing ALT+F10, I have managed to wrangle the laptop temporarily to test and have discovered that I can choose from 2 back up options, but I dare not go any further, can someone tell me the next steps? One says factory default, and the other is user's backup.
I can guess that if I choose the first option, factory default, it'll ask for the DVDs I have created? And the 2nd option will restore a backup I made selecting the user option on the recovery app.
I bought a Dell XPS13z (L321X) in near future. But It's broken because of an Accident. The screen is broken completely. Probably it will be repaired after insurance procedure finished. Just because of it will take time and I need a computer I bought the new XPS13z again.
I have created a Factory Restore USB Flash Disc for my first laptop. Can I use this USB Flash Recovery for Both Laptops. Or Should I create the new one for the second laptop. They both are XPS13z (L321X) with same hardware. If the recovery usb includes same software I want to keep only one Recovery USB for Both.
My Laptop Dell Inspiron 15R , delete key not working. When I click on any file , The message comes for its deletion "Do you want to delete the item and move to recycle bi?". Continuously messages are coming for deletion. In text while typing, the text goes automatically deleted.
I had done a human error after a problem with sound in my inspiron N4010 I tried to do a recovery factory but I didn't a backup of all my important files so that I lost all my information now. That I did. I used Dell data safe local backup application to restore drivers, the hard drive was formatted and re-installed all of the software originally shipping on my computer, Dell Data safe mode basic. not returned me all files. so that I lost important files. How can I recover data? it is possible to recover lost data?
The hard drive crashed on my Inspiron 1750. We purchased this laptop in 2009 with Windows 7 OS. I am trying to find a link/section on Dell site to purchase replacement Microsoft Windows 7 OS CD/DVD for my system, but so far not successful. I did not create backup OS CD/DVD when I purchased, I thought I did.
My 15R 5537 harddrive is completely broken. I do not have recovery disks - silly me - and the automated recovery wont work because its truly toast. So since the rest of it is fine I have 2 questions:
(1) What replacement hard drive should I purchase - am thinking whatever was in it but not from Dell?
(2) How do I most easily reload everything from Windows 8 etc. up? I understand the Windows license is hardwired onto the Motherboard but how can I take a new blank harddrive and get it back to a vanialla Dell/Windows 8 setup without losing my mind?
Inspiron 15z Ultrabook, Windows 8, DELL System Recovery.
I have an external Seagate Expansion Drive 2TB and had backup files on it. I created a new partition by shrinking the E: volume and made F: to use for the DELL System Recovery.
I selected the F: partition when asked what drive to use. I was 100% certain E: would never chosen during any steps in the process. After it finished I looked in Computer and found both partitions had been formatted and a DBR_Boot placed in both. Yet E: (where personal files were stored) is basically empty other than what appears to be a boot up capability and F: has the recovery files.
Why has this happened? I need those files. Is there a way to reverse the process or will file recovery software be needed in an attempt to regain those files?
I can't believe this hasn't happened to other people, must be a common occurrence. What I could do to recover lost files.
I have HP Probook G2 G6W28EA#ACB. When I did off of my laptop I had a problem. It is not off up to the end ( key lights was on).I swithed off it only by taken out battery.I recovery OS from boot sector SSD HP ( by F11). After that on the client security screen I found all recovery logins. After last recovery I do not see any logins on the client security screen? but see in BIOS ( by F10 in BIOS). How to go back to factory settings of Bios and delete from Bios all informations about users.
I am still on a long learning curve operating my PC. After refreshing my Aspire E1-570. Windows to remove malware, I had to reinstall all my new apps & software which deleted . After doing that I received a message to create a recovery file to factory default file on a USB. When I tried to do there was message that new apps & software would be deleted. Can I create a recovery file without having to re-install all new apps & software again.
I recently purchased a Dell Inspiron 15 that came with the partitioned data recovery feature. I immediately created 2 recovery disks. Yesterday, I sectioned my active hard drive so that I could have, in effect, 2 hard drives. The newly partitionedsection of the hard drive is naturally blank and I would like to install my data recovery or disk recovery information on it.
Can I recover MS Office Home & Student 2007 Trial Edition from the factory backup I did when I get the laptop, but without recovering anything else?
This is an Aspire 4530 running Vista.
The trial version expired and I wanted to uninstall it and install my own copy of Office 2003. But if course it would not uninstall - probably because I wasn't the real "Administrator" at the time. I followed the MS guide for forceably uninstalling and deleting the product, but that failed also.
The only recourse seems to be to re-install it from the 3 factory backup DVDs that I made when I got the laptop. But I have a feeling that all I can do is recover (overwrite) the C drive from the recovery DVDs - either all or nothing. Is that correct?
I read some other thread it points to something got uninstalled that causes "this computer does not have a drive capable of creating cds or dvds. Contact HP Support."
it mention one of the solution is to restore to an earlier version. But I prefer not to restore to earlier version if possible. is there a program that I can download from HP , to be able to create the recovery disk ?
MY DVD HL-DT-ST DVDRAM GSA-T20L ATA Device Driver Date: 21/06/2006 Driver Version: 6.0.6001.18000
My hdx16 can't access this option for some reason. i have a Blu-Ray ROM with SuperMulti DVD+/-R/RW Double Layer.This always show up "This computer does not have a drive capable of creating CD's or DVDs". When i purchased this computer, i bought the recovery dvds too so im not worried, but i want to know why this computer is having this issue from the recovery manager.
The laptop is now 2 months old. I deleted all the games, but there is alot left over. After years of admin work on Win2k, and nothing comparable on Vista, I need advice on what I can safely delete and what I may, sooner or later, need.
Here is a list. Let me know what I can and should not delete. I know I have a factory default in a hidden partition. And note that once I delete something, further backups will be made without that software.
1) Welcome Center (Would be nice to get rid of for all users. But I am the only user on this system for the foreseeable future)
2) Windows Media Center - I may back up an audio CD or convert audio to WMA, I may make a back up of my DVDs, but I don't play CD's or DVDs.
3) Windows Photo Gallery. This is actually nice software, but the camera comes with its own, and I play any video CDs in my DVD player.
4) Extras and Upgrades - Anytime Upgrade, Marketplace, Windows Web Site. Beyond purchasing software, why would I use this?
5) Windows DVD maker - Does the Acer backup software use this? I'm still very happy with Nero, and this doesn't seem easy to use.
6) Windows Movie Maker - I don't have a video camera to make movies with, and no inclination to make any at all. I suffered through my father's home movies. - Never again.
7) Live Messenger Download. - I'm not an online chatterer. What else would I need this for? IS this needed by Live Meeting?
8) Windows Meeting Space - I would use this very rarely if at all, and certainly not in the foreseeable future. Live meeting would NOT need this as I understand.
9) Windows Sidebar - From what I read about it, it doesn't seem needed. Aren't shortcuts the same?
10) Table PC - This isn't a tablet PC. But I like the fact that the right side of the touch-pad acts as a scrolling device. Is Tablet PC needed for that?
I have a hp envy m7j010dx with windows 8.1. it came preinstalled (windows 8) on a 1 tb hdd. I recently purchased a samsung 840 pro 250 gb ssd that i wouold like to make the system drive and make the original drive my data drive. confused on how to do so. want it fresh not clone. all i can find is restore or backup stuff. i just want to put the original computer on the new drive.
Can the hidden partition be emptied and made "visible"?
My laptop is rather new, and I noted that the C drive was pretty full already. I deleted many software items and added other software that I needed, but there isn't much left anyway. The D drive is largely empty however. Can the C drive be repartitioned? Is any special software needed to do that?
The hidden partition seems not to be of much use after one has made the 3 DVD factory default backup. Can it be deleted? Made Visible and used for something else?
I have Dell XPS 2013 laptop purchased in June 2013 with Windows 7 professional OS install in it. Suddenly the laptop stopped working giving an error message with complete black screen:
error: no such partition. grub rescue >
When I took it to the service center they told me the hard drive of the system might have failed leading to such error. I am still unsure is it due to hard disk failure? On the top of that I have many important working files stored in the system for which I could not able to take back up. Is there any way I can retrieve my files? If I need to purchase a new hard drive which specifications I need to order. Unfortunately the system had only 1-year warranty period...
I have a dv2000 that doesnt work, but I want to recover the data from the hard drive. I tried ordering a sabrent USB to SATA/IDE adapter, but it doesnt fit my laptop serial ata hard drive. I've made this task a lot harder then it needed to be, but I can't figure out what part I need in order to make this work. Below is an image of the back of the hard drive. Let me know if there are any other things I should include.
I have a HP 2000 2b09wm. It just broke, giving me the error message saying in so many words that I needed a new hard drive. Guess the old one went kaput (even though I just bought this pc on eBay not a month or two ago). I have a new HD and a Windows 8 reinstall software from a dealer on eBay. I tried multiple routes in attempting to reinstall the OS resulting in as many dead ends*.The last thing offered up was to delete partitions in the new HD. I looked at an eHow page, How to Delete Partitions on a Hard Drive. It says to get a CD that includes fdisk.com. I burned super fdisk (2 MB) from SFbootablecd.iso and fdisk (40 MB) from fd11src.iso. I went to the BIOS to configure the boot order. I put Internal CD/DVD ROM Drive first, saved it and tried both CDs. It always just boots to a screen with this:
Boot Device Not Found. Please install an operating system on your hard diskHard Disk (3F0)F2 System DiagnosticsFor more information, please visit: [URL] .....
I even tried putting USB CD/DVD ROM Drive first…same results.
So, my questions to you, I guess, is firstly, why are the fdisk CDs not booting? Did I burn the wrong fdisk? Secondly, do you know why my OS couldn’t be installed using the reinstall software? I’m assuming the software is legit and the computer did in fact originate with Windows 8.
*A couple of the dead ends:
Compatibility report - The computer started using the Windows installation media. Remove the installation media and restart your computer so that Windows starts normally. Then, insert the installation media and restart the upgrade. Do not select [ICustom advanced]I to perform an upgrade. [ICustom advanced]I installs a new copy of Windows and deletes your programs and settings.
Another route for Windows Setup, I get to this: Select the driver to install: Browse for Folder - Browse to the driver, and then click OK.It gives you the list under "Computer" which includes "CD Drive (E HRM_CCSA_X64FRE_EN-US_DV5" (the reinstall software) and underneath that, the folders - boot - efi - sources - support.Picking just the E drive itself, message appears: Load driver: No signed device drivers were found. Make sure that the installation media contains the correct drivers, and then click OK.
I have hp Pavilion g6 1200tx. On Windows 7... How to format only c drive without deleting any othere drives and data, i was partition drives by shrink option...
If I want to replace my HD in my MBP, and I use time machine to backup my hard drive.
I don't want to lose any content or reformat, so I think time machine would be my best bet.
The thing is, I have a lot of purchased music/movies from itunes. Would time machine preserve the authorizations etc..to play this stuff on the new hard drive?
My sons laptop has died and needs returned for warranty work - likely a problem with the mother board. It was suggested that we backup files on the hard drive before sending. I pulled the hard drive and attached it to another computer via Serial ATA to USB cable. A portion of the hard drive can be accessed through Windows Explorer which shows 25GB of the 750GB hard drive and only shows an applications and a drivers folder. Word documents, data and pictures cannot be found.
I tried to take ownership of the hard drive thinking that this might make the data visible but it did not. I expect there is about 150GB of file storage (excluding programs) that we would like to back-up. Am concerned that the hard drive may have been damaged but the data that is accessible seems to be whole and intact.
