Dell PC Restore unaccessible

  • Thread starter Thread starter Zach Hall
  • Start date Start date
Z

Zach Hall

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)]
 
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.
 
It's CTRL+F11, but the boot loader is gone.

Google DSRFix. This is a program that will fix the problem.

Tom
Colin Barnhorst said:
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.

Zach Hall said:
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
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
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
 
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."
 
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."
 
Colin said:
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."
Click to expand...

Have you tried calling Dell support recently?
 
Will DSRFix still let me boot to vista?
(go into blue bar, then windows boot manager, then vista?)
Tom Scales said:
It's CTRL+F11, but the boot loader is gone.

Google DSRFix. This is a program that will fix the problem.

Tom
Colin Barnhorst said:
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.

Zach Hall said:
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
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
Chris Game said:
Have you tried calling Dell support recently?
Click to expand...

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
 
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
Zach Hall said:
Will DSRFix still let me boot to vista?
(go into blue bar, then windows boot manager, then vista?)
Tom Scales said:
It's CTRL+F11, but the boot loader is gone.

Google DSRFix. This is a program that will fix the problem.

Tom
Colin Barnhorst said:
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 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
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
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



Chris Game said:
Tom said:
I have an it was excellent. Short hold time, knowledgeable
technician, simple troubleshooting.
Click to expand...

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

--
Chris Game

"PL..- Ah, just a moment [twiddle, fiddle, clickety-tweak] (got it!)
-..ONK!"
Click to expand...
 
Chris Game said:
Tom said:
I have an it was excellent. Short hold time, knowledgeable
technician, simple troubleshooting.
Click to expand...

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

--
Chris Game

"PL..- Ah, just a moment [twiddle, fiddle, clickety-tweak] (got it!)
-..ONK!"
Click to expand...

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
 
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