[Jason1978]

My system was wiped out by malware and such. I lost my installation cd's and was wondering if there was a built in way to restore a dell inspiron 9400 also known as the E1705 to the factory settings? I have tried F11 and ctrl, nothing happens F12 takes me to the boot menu where I can choose to go to the bios but I can restore from there either. I am truly stumped on this one. Please help. Thank you.

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Welcome to Geeks To Go

Can you still boot into Windows? if so...

Have you tried to have your malware issues addressed with our malware experts here. Most infections can be removed and the computer fixed without having to start over.

Click --> Here
This link will help you clean up 70% of your problems...

Once you have completed that section then please click --> HERE

Please post a NEW TOPIC and paste the 4 requested logs in that thread.
Then wait and one of our experts will get to you and help you figure out how to figure out your problem...



If you have done all of this and your system has been deemed a "loss" then I would continue with the instructions below..

Normally when you purchase a new computer you are given one of two ways to back it up

The factory discs
OR
They place the data from the discs on a "secret partition" on the hard drive. Allowing you to start the computer over like it was from day one...

I'm hoping you made a mistake in trying to restore so that you can in fact restore...
Try this link --> here
follow the instructions, if in fact you have a secret partition this will allow you to "start over" and restore the computer to the first day you took it out of its box.

If this procedure doesn't work and you don't have the factory discs, then you will need to purchase a new Operating system (OS) or install a version of linux OS

Good luck

I hope this helps...

[cbarnard]

Welcome to Geeks To Go

Can you still boot into Windows? if so...

Have you tried to have your malware issues addressed with our malware experts here. Most infections can be removed and the computer fixed without having to start over.

Click --> Here
This link will help you clean up 70% of your problems...

Once you have completed that section then please click --> HERE

Please post a NEW TOPIC and paste the 4 requested logs in that thread.
Then wait and one of our experts will get to you and help you figure out how to figure out your problem...



If you have done all of this and your system has been deemed a "loss" then I would continue with the instructions below..

Normally when you purchase a new computer you are given one of two ways to back it up

The factory discs
OR
They place the data from the discs on a "secret partition" on the hard drive. Allowing you to start the computer over like it was from day one...

I'm hoping you made a mistake in trying to restore so that you can in fact restore...
Try this link --> here
follow the instructions, if in fact you have a secret partition this will allow you to "start over" and restore the computer to the first day you took it out of its box.

If this procedure doesn't work and you don't have the factory discs, then you will need to purchase a new Operating system (OS) or install a version of linux OS

Good luck

I hope this helps...

[happyrock]

if you have a vista OS you get to the system reinstall by pressing F8 at boot up and one of the options will be a destructive recovery...it puts the computer back to like the day it left the factory...

not vista...are you pressing the F11 and ctrl keys at the same time as soon as you power up the computer...
possible fix here...
Troubleshooting the Restore Process

The Dell-specific Ctrl+F11 process is supposed to completely automate the restoration process, returning the hard disk to the state it was in when Dell shipped the computer. However, overwriting the MBR by using a boot manager, using the commands "fixmbr" or "fdisk /mbr", installing from a Windows installation CD, and assorted other tasks a user might do will inadvertently break Ctrl+F11, rendering the system unable to boot the DSR partition. Furthermore, changing the partitioning by adding, deleting, or resizing partitions will cause DSRcheck to fail, so even if Ctrl+F11 works, the restore process will abort without attempting to restore the Ghost image.

The link I provided explains how to fix the Ctrl+F11 and DSR process following repartitioning or OS reinstallation.

or you can go here and buy a cd/dvd that will restore it back like new for $35.00 or try DELLS site and see what they charge

Edited by happyrock, 14 March 2010 - 10:40 AM.

[Jason1978]

No I can not even boot into windows.

[Jason1978]

I tried it again but it is not working at all. I got the computer used so I don't know if it had an OS installed over the original one or not. It had media edition. I'm looking into getting a copy of Linux now but every one I find online wont boot all the way. It stops and says boot error. I reset the BIOS to the factory settings and tried again but it did it again. Anyone know where I can get a good copy of Linux to install? I know its free but when I go to Linux.org it sends me to a mirror site that wont open.

[happyrock]

your not trying to boot into windows...your trying to get to the recovery partition so you can reinstall windows...
as soon as you turn on the power ...press the ctrl key and the F11 key at the same time...