# Solved: restore computer to factory settings without a cd



## Richyb0y5225 (Aug 16, 2008)

ok basically wat i want to do is to restore my computer back to the way it was when it was first bought nothing on the hardrive completly clean i ahve all the disks to install all the stuff i jsut dont hav e a system start up disk so plz help me


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## Elvandil (Aug 1, 2003)

Make/model/OS?

Do you have a recovery partition? If not, there is no way to reinstall unless you go buy Windows.


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## Richyb0y5225 (Aug 16, 2008)

the computer is a dell dimesnsion 4100 and i have no idea if it has a partition


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## Richyb0y5225 (Aug 16, 2008)

wat would u do if it had a partition


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## pedroguy (Jan 28, 2001)

Try going to My Computer.
If you have 2 local disks shown,very probably the one with the smallest amount of storage used will be your recovery partition.


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## pedroguy (Jan 28, 2001)

And knowing that,follow the instructions in your user's manual to do a restore.


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## Richyb0y5225 (Aug 16, 2008)

ok thx but i only have 1 local disk shown and i cant find my owners manual does dell ahve htem on their site/


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## pedroguy (Jan 28, 2001)

Probably.Log onto dell,go to tech support for your model.If available,it would probably be in the download section,or specific section for manuals.


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## pedroguy (Jan 28, 2001)

I have just been hacking around the Dell site.I cannot find a user's manual.I have found Google references to a lot of folks who seem to have had the same problem.No manual.Could not find a clear resolution to that.
Sorry.


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## DoubleHelix (Dec 10, 2004)

I think that model pre-dates the existence of the recovery partition. Without the disks, you're out of luck.


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## Richyb0y5225 (Aug 16, 2008)

well thx alo tfor the help guys ill probably jsut look into buying a new computer or unless dell can shipme the cds i need


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## Richyb0y5225 (Aug 16, 2008)

one quick question tho what cds do i ened exactly to acheive my goal?


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## DoubleHelix (Dec 10, 2004)

You need the restore disks. They would have the operating system and any software you purchased with or was included with the purchase of the system.


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## DavisMcCarn (Aug 17, 2005)

With a Dell, it is simply a matter of booting the Windows CD, telling it to install windows on the existing partition, and when it asks you, tell it to format the partition. After Windows is installed, insert the Drivers and Utilities CD which will guide you through installing those.
If you want them, you can also use the Applications CD to restore the programs that came with the unit; but, you don't have to...

If you go to http://support.dell.com , click on Technical Support, and type in your Service Tag number, everything IS available; service manual, reinstall manual, users manual, downloads, etcetera.


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## Richyb0y5225 (Aug 16, 2008)

wait so if i install windows it will clean out my hardrive


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## DavisMcCarn (Aug 17, 2005)

Yes, you need to step through a normal setup and say OK when it tells you there is a C:\Windows already; but, at the next step, you can format the drive and it will install a fresh copy.


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## Richyb0y5225 (Aug 16, 2008)

ok thx alot man maybe my computer wont be so slow anymore


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## Richyb0y5225 (Aug 16, 2008)

ok well i put in the windows cd and it tell me i ahve windows already installed and more up to date then the one on the cd. So how do i downgrade windows so ic an isntall it i ahve windows xp home editin the computer original started otu on windows 98/me but i dont ahve that cd.


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## DavisMcCarn (Aug 17, 2005)

Download the ISO image of Boot and Nuke ( http://www.dban.org/ ), burn it to a CD, and boot it to run it. That will clobber the "newer version" and let you start fresh.


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## br1ng3r (Jul 1, 2008)

Try doing a "Dell system restore". Switch off and remove any external peripherals, then switch back on again. As soon as the Dell logo screen appears (blue bar at the top of the screen, with dell in it). Hold down ctrl and continuously tap F11. When the restore screen appears click "restore". Click on confirm at the warning message. Then it should start to restore to factory settings, about 8-10 mins.


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## Richyb0y5225 (Aug 16, 2008)

im really confuesed about this boot and nuke. How do u writee it to a cd so that it will run the program i mean i ahve opened a writable cd folder and pasted the contents in the first i wrote jsut the iso image and all it did was bring up the image and didnt do any thing then i extracted it and pasted the folder of contents into a cd that jsut added pictures to my documents. would be easier to do it in floppy format? or do i mount the image with daemon tools?


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## Richyb0y5225 (Aug 16, 2008)

and thx but the dell system restore wont work on my computer


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## DoubleHelix (Dec 10, 2004)

What Windows CD are you using?


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## dustyjay (Jan 24, 2003)

You need to use a program such as Burn at Once to make a disc from the ISO file.. you can download it here for free

http://www.burnatonce.net/downloads/


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## Richyb0y5225 (Aug 16, 2008)

im using a windows xp home edition cd and i burnt the iso image to a cd but when i put it in the computer it asks me if i want to add the pictures from the cd to my documents. I also made the floppy disk version of boot and nuke and all it does is contain some data with no exectuabe file it also contaisn a winrar file that extracts it to be nothing


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## DoubleHelix (Dec 10, 2004)

You just need to boot from the Windows XP Home CD and follow the screens to reinstall Windows.


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## Richyb0y5225 (Aug 16, 2008)

the only thing is when i got to reinstall windows it tell me that the version on the computer is newer than the cd and it wont work


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## DavisMcCarn (Aug 17, 2005)

If you have Nero or Roxio; both support burning ISO images. If you don't, get ISORecorder ( http://isorecorder.alexfeinman.com/isorecorder.htm ) and the website has instructions on using it.

CAN SOMEBODY PLEASE HAVE A MODERATOR FIX MY EMAIL NOTIFICATIONS! I am supposed to be getting them, I don't use any spam software, and I really hate not being able to know when someone has posted a reply. Thanks.


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## DoubleHelix (Dec 10, 2004)

You need to _boot_ the computer with the CD. It sounds like you're just putting it in while running Windows. Put the CD in, and then restart your computer. If the computer doesn't boot up from the CD, then you may have to go into the BIOS to change the boot order so the CD drive boots before the hard drive does.

Only then will you have the option to format the hard drive and install Windows.

The other CDs that people are referencing simply erase everything on your hard drive. I don't see why that's necessary since the Windows CD will do exactly the same thing. It's just unnecessary and confusing for you at this point.


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## DavisMcCarn (Aug 17, 2005)

DoubleHelix,
I believe he is being told that the Windows on his hard drive is newer than the CD when he boots to the CD and I have seen other references to it being a problem.
If he can't get to the step where he can format the drive, he's stuck, so I was trying to have him get Boot and Nuke because he wants to wipe the old install, anyway.

My email subscription notification is still broken ....


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## Richyb0y5225 (Aug 16, 2008)

alright thx guys i didnt kno that when u said boot u ment to start up the computer with the disk inside but i ended up using boot and nuke and installing windows and i take out and reinstall all my drives but the computer works ALOT better now guys thx alot u were a big help


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## DavisMcCarn (Aug 17, 2005)

Sounds like we got the job done, huh?


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## buffoon (Jul 16, 2008)

Hi Davis! Did you try goin into "my account" at the top and then (jeez I don't know after how many steps) edit options left side. You can change yr email there. if you put the same one in, mebbe nobody'll notice. The administrators seem busy watching us sweating over issues such as the one just solved.


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## DavisMcCarn (Aug 17, 2005)

Hi buffoon,
My hosting comany had screwed up the account I use for these forums and ACACandy helped me fix it.


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## buffoon (Jul 16, 2008)

Great. Happy to hear it got fixed. Seemed a shame to have your knowledge in the limbo loop.


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## calvin-c (May 17, 2006)

As for burning the ISO image, either use one of the specific programs mentioned or look thru the menus for something relating to 'image'. The ISO file is, basically, an image of the CD-but if you burn it as a file it creates an ordinary data CD containing the ISO file. Burning it as an image should create a bootable CD-if the ISO file is an image of a bootable CD.

These are somewhat generic instructions but without knowing what program you're using to burn the CD it's tough to give exact instructions.


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## dustyjay (Jan 24, 2003)

RichbOy, You can mark this thread solved using Thread Tools if you are sure your problem is solved.


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