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General discussion

Accessing The Recovery Partition In An emachines W3619

Nov 10, 2009 1:02PM PST

I latched onto an emachines W3619. It came with Vista Home Basic (and no disks according to the previous owner). The recovery partition is there, but I'll be darned if I can figure out how to use it! I can't find a recovery option anywhere. If I can't take this system back to it's original factory configuration it's of little value to me. Thanks for the help!

Ron

Discussion is locked

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If there is no Function key combination on bootup,
Nov 10, 2009 7:31PM PST
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Try Control F11
Nov 10, 2009 8:57PM PST
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Progress...of sorts
Nov 12, 2009 12:02AM PST

Thanks for the postings! They got me to thinking. I found a User Guide and a Hardware Reference backed up on the "D" Recovery drive. They told me that I needed to be looking for the Emachines Recovery Console. That program wasn't in the start menu anymore, but a search did find it on my hard drive. I'm SUPPOSED to be able to reach the system recovery option either through tapping "F8" on startup, or by selecting the full system recovery option through the Recovery Console.

I had problems with both methods. The Recovery Console just reboots my machine to Vista every time. It never takes me to the full system recovery option. Tapping F8 takes me to the Advanced Boot Options screen. But the "repair computer" option that should be showing up there isn't listed.

Again, I'm using Vista Home Basic. Is that an issue with this version of Windows? Or am I dealing with a hardware and/or software issue? If there is a workaround to get my Recovery partition fired up, that would be fine too. I hope somebody has some thoughts that they're willing to share. I'm scratching my head. (I can't pull my hair out...I'm already bald.) Thanks!

Ron

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I omitted a link.
Nov 12, 2009 12:10AM PST

Vista BASIC does not have the full machine backup and restore feature. So reading about that would only be for educational and not much more.

You wrote f8 and I noted another key combo.

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Backup and Restore
Nov 12, 2009 12:37AM PST

OK, so that leads me to another question. Wouldn't Vista backup and restore be a tad different than trying to do a full system recovery through my Recovery partition? I'm still using XP, so maybe I'm just ignorant. But I figured that I should be able to use the Recovery partition regardless of what operating system is installed.

Ron

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Emachines was NOT CLEAR on this model.
Nov 12, 2009 12:45AM PST

The emachine article was incomplete, unclear so I didn't supply a link to that.

In short I would be trying the key combo I noted then to the phones to call them and order up restore media.
Bob

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Update
Nov 29, 2009 8:14PM PST

I just wanted to let you guys know how it all worked out. I ordered the system restore disk from emachines. After about a two week wait and spending $20., it arrived and there was no problem taking the machine back to factory specs. There have been a couple of minor issues getting it up and running, but nothing really bad. I do have two thoughts though. ANY manufacturer should be building into the machine/providing the buyer with the means to take the system back to factory specs. To not do that is unforgivable. My other thought is that emachines tech support is some of the worst I've seen. I'll never buy a new system of theirs. Decent tech support is important. Thanks for all the input!

Ron

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Correct keys
Oct 3, 2012 11:11PM PDT

I see that you have resolved by purchasing a recovery disk but for future reference and other users who land here the correct key combination to access the recovery partition for most eMachines is ALT+F10
I find it amazing that emachines support will not disclose this.
Good luck
Jim

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ALT+F10 worked for me
Nov 18, 2012 9:44AM PST

Finally, thank you! I just got a new laptop over the weekend and I've been desperately trying different key combinations to find the restore menu. The restore management console was corrupt when I opened the computer was fully turned on. My dad has been really hounding me about taking the old laptop, so ordering a repair disk was definitely not an option from me.

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Start menu and search recovery
Sep 19, 2014 7:32AM PDT

I tried all the options everyone was giving me and finally I went to start menu and searched recovery and there it was. I did notice that as I was doing the recovery it did tell me that I could use the f8 key but it never did work for me.