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Resolved Question

help with OS restore and Imagex?

Feb 29, 2012 1:00AM PST

>>>>>>I STARTED WITH THIS:

Download Hiren's BootCD from Download HirensBootCD 15.1 | HBCD Fan & Discussion Platform
Burn Hiren's BootCD to a CD
Put the Hiren's BootCD into CD Drive and Reboot computer
Select "Mini XP" from the menu
Double click on "My Computer"
Identify the partition that you use for your operating system
Right click on that partition and select "Format" to ensure a clean install

>>>>> ALL THIS WORKED FINE!

Identify the recovery partition and go to the "Imaging" folder
Right click on the "Imaging" folder and select "Command Prompt Here"
At the command prompt type (substituting c for your particular recovery partition and e for the partition that you use for your operating system)

imagex /apply c:\dell\image\factory.wim 1 e:\

>>>>AT THIS STEP IS WHERE I RAN INTO TROUBLE AND GOT THIS ERROR: imagex is not recognized as an internal or external command, operable program or batch file.


I'm not sure what to do now, because there IS a factory.wim file at this location. Please, any help would be appreciated, thank you!

vista, dell inspiron 537

Discussion is locked

Angel_Leigh has chosen the best answer to their question. View answer

Best Answer

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Back to dell now.
Feb 29, 2012 1:57AM PST

What you did with the Hirens CD looks to have damaged the restore feature. To restore you turn to your restore DVDs and if not, call Dell to ask what to do next.

I did not find this procedure at Dell so if someone told you to do this, they mislead you and now you get to pick up the pieces.
Bob

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ooooook
Feb 29, 2012 10:59AM PST

wow, I come to forums because I count on people to know things, and all I get is dell support? there is no support. pfft

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This is what I know. Someone mislead you.
Feb 29, 2012 11:10AM PST

That method is a surefire way to break the disk to disk restore feature. If you feel it should work, let's find who told you to do this and let's get them to fix it.

All I can offer is how to recover (use the recovery media.)

And some (like you) take offense when they break the system and folk commiserate but can't fix it or supply the answer they want to read. Is this you? If so, I can remove my reply as penance and apologize.
Bob

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thanks for trying
Feb 29, 2012 11:57AM PST

sorry Bob, but I didnt break the factory restore, it quit working after the security check virus.. I'm just trying to fix whats left of it. although it was probably a mistake to try and fix it myself, I'm still trying to find an answer. dell is no help, they charge way too much and I'm on disability, soooo...

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Let me share how I fix my factory restore.
Feb 29, 2012 12:55PM PST

When I get a new machine I use CLONEZILLA to backup the entire HDD before I boot that HDD for the first time. Now if I lose the factory disk to disk restore I can fix that.

-> In your case the factory disk to disk restore is broken because of the virus. This is NEW INFORMATION I didn't find in your top post.

Sorry to read you were hit with that.

Now while I learned long ago how to safeguard the factory restore system, Dell and almost all other makers do not supply a means to fix the disk to disk restore.

This means we have to use the restore media supplied with the machine or that we made.
Bob