[Ste]

Hi, I’m having a problem resetting my Mother’s laptop to factory settings. (Dell Inspiron M5040. Win7 home premium 64bit. 4GB ram, AMD C-60 APU. No OS disk came with the laptop).

She is 86 and had it over a year now. It hasn’t been used much and I don’t really know what has happened but it seems very sluggish and seems to ignore the setting to shut down when the lid is closed.
I have cleaned it using CCleaner and also Comodo system cleaner. I also scanned for viruses but still no real changes. Not thinking it could be subjected to much that might cause it problems I neglected to create a system image. I have since created recovery DVD’s and also have a Win7 Ultimate OP disk from another system and a win7 rescue disk.

The system actually boots OK but the problem is, after inserting the 1st recovery disk Windows Boot Manager comes up with the ‘Windows failed to start’ screen suggesting that the OS disk should be inserted and the ‘repair’ option chosen. As with the rescue disk, on clicking ‘repair’ the system just boots up as normal. This also happens if I use the Win7 Ultimate disk.

I have tried alternative procedures which I have read online and received the message that ‘winload.exe’ is missing or corrupt- status ‘0Xc0000001’
In ‘command prompt’ the instruction ‘copy ‘Winload~1.exe winload.exe’, the response is ‘The system cannot find he file specified’

Startup repair just goes on forever but with no fix, (over 30mins).
The OS, recovery, and OEM partitions all exist and read healthy.

Though the system still boots I would like to start again with a factory reset which I hope will also help with the speed issue. Help needed........thanks.
Steve.

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Hi, I’m having a problem resetting my Mother’s laptop to factory settings. (Dell Inspiron M5040. Win7 home premium 64bit. 4GB ram, AMD C-60 APU. No OS disk came with the laptop).
She is 86 and had it over a year now. It hasn’t been used much and I don’t really know what has happened but it seems very sluggish and seems to ignore the setting to shut down when the lid is closed.
I have cleaned it using CCleaner and also Comodo system cleaner. I also scanned for viruses but still no real changes. Not thinking it could be subjected to much that might cause it problems I neglected to create a system image. I have since created recovery DVD’s and also have a Win7 Ultimate OP disk from another system and a win7 rescue disk.

The system actually boots OK but the problem is, after inserting the 1st recovery disk Windows Boot Manager comes up with the ‘Windows failed to start’ screen suggesting that the OS disk should be inserted and the ‘repair’ option chosen. As with the rescue disk, on clicking ‘repair’ the system just boots up as normal. This also happens if I use the Win7 Ultimate disk.

I have tried alternative procedures which I have read online and received the message that ‘winload.exe’ is missing or corrupt- status ‘0Xc0000001’
In ‘command prompt’ the instruction ‘copy ‘Winload~1.exe winload.exe’, the response is ‘The system cannot find he file specified’

Startup repair just goes on forever but with no fix, (over 30mins).
The OS, recovery, and OEM partitions all exist and read healthy.

Though the system still boots I would like to start again with a factory reset which I hope will also help with the speed issue. Help needed........thanks.
Steve.

[Ste]

Hi, I’m having a problem resetting my Mother’s laptop to factory settings. (Dell Inspiron M5040. Win7 home premium 64bit. 4GB ram, AMD C-60 APU. No OS disk came with the laptop).
She is 86 and had it over a year now. It hasn’t been used much and I don’t really know what has happened but it seems very sluggish and seems to ignore the setting to shut down when the lid is closed.
I have cleaned it using CCleaner and also Comodo system cleaner. I also scanned for viruses but still no real changes. Not thinking it could be subjected to much that might cause it problems I neglected to create a system image. I have since created recovery DVD’s and also have a Win7 Ultimate OP disk from another system and a win7 rescue disk.

The system actually boots OK but the problem is, after inserting the 1st recovery disk Windows Boot Manager comes up with the ‘Windows failed to start’ screen suggesting that the OS disk should be inserted and the ‘repair’ option chosen. As with the rescue disk, on clicking ‘repair’ the system just boots up as normal. This also happens if I use the Win7 Ultimate disk.

I have tried alternative procedures which I have read online and received the message that ‘winload.exe’ is missing or corrupt- status ‘0Xc0000001’
In ‘command prompt’ the instruction ‘copy ‘Winload~1.exe winload.exe’, the response is ‘The system cannot find he file specified’

Startup repair just goes on forever but with no fix, (over 30mins).
The OS, recovery, and OEM partitions all exist and read healthy.

Though the system still boots I would like to start again with a factory reset which I hope will also help with the speed issue. Help needed........thanks.
Steve.

[phillpower2]

Hello Ste

Is there any data on the HDD that you would like to back up first.

Have you tried theDell diagnostic tool.

Are the steps below what you have tried in order to do a factory restore;

Remove any other unnecessary external drive and restart the notebook.
Press the F8 key, continue until you see the 'Advanced Boot Options'.
Use your keyboard arrow key to select 'Repair Your Computer' from the list then press Enter.
Now click 'Next' and login as the administrator account.
Press Dell Factory Image Recovery and Data Safe options', select your language option and click 'Next'.
Select the check box 'Yes, reformat hard drive and restore system software to factory condition' and click 'Next' to start Dell Inspiron reset process

[Ste]

High Phil and thanks for the reply. I ran the diagnostics available on the PC, can't remember where I found them but they all showed as OK. I will check out the link to the online diagnostics.

Meanwhile, yes I have backed up all the files'

As for 'Repair your computer', yes I have tried but when I click on that the Windows error recovery' page comes up(not a login option). 'Launch start up repair' is highlighted and the page refreshes repeatedly after about 30secs. Clicking on 'Launch start up repair' has the same effect, won't go off that page unless I choose 'Start Windows normally', then it boots up OK to the blue login page.

Steve.

[phillpower2]

Hello Steve

It would appear that a Windows Repair is being attempted by the computer as opposed to allowing a factory restore to take place.

Go to Start and then to Search
Type in compmgmt.msc and click Enter
On the left side click on Disk Management
On the right side you will see your hard drive.
Now I need you to take an expanded screenshot and attach it to your next reply.

To capture and post a screenshot;

Click on the ALT key + PRT SCR key..its on the top row..right hand side..now click on start...all programs...accessories...paint....left click in the white area ...press CTRL + V...click on file...click on save...save it to your desktop...name it something related to the screen your capturing... BE SURE TO SAVE IT AS A .JPG ...otherwise it may be to big to upload... then after typing in any response you have... click on browse...desktop...find the screenshot..select it and click on the upload button...then on the lower left...after it says upload successful...click on add reply like you normally would.

Screenshot instructions are provided to assist those that may read this topic but are not yet aware of the “how to”.

You are welcome BTW

[emeraldnzl]

You may only post one topic per issue.

I have removed the other two.

[Ste]

Hi Phil, I ran a full diagnostic from the link you gave and noticed it was passing the tests but didn't see the end. The page was as it was before the test so I presume it passed?
I had installed a screengrab program so used that. The way you described is handy to know though. I have attached the file and notice there are more partitions on my laptop than my Mothers.

Steve.

[Ste]

Hi Phil , I ran a full diagnostic from the link you gave and noticed it was passing the tests but didn't see the end. The page was as it was before the test so I presume it passed?
I had installed a screengrab program so used that. The way you described is handy to know though. I have attached the file and notice there are more partitions on my laptop than my Mothers.

Steve.

[Ste]

Hi Phil , I ran a full diagnostic from the link you gave and noticed it was passing the tests but didn't see the end. The page was as it was before the test so I presume it passed?
I had installed a screengrab program so used that. The way you described is handy to know though. I have attached the file and notice there are more partitions on my laptop than my Mothers.

Steve.

[Ste]

.

Edited by Ste, 19 November 2013 - 06:08 PM.

[Ste]

Sorry about repeats, no sign it had completed just 'Waiting for geekstogo.com'.

Steve.

[Ztruker]

The Inspiron M5040 has a built in recovery partition. See here to use it to restore to factory state:

Restore Dell Recovery Partition (Dell DataSafe) Windows 7

It's a Youtube video that walks you through the process.

[Ste]

Hi, I am a little confused as to the reason for the post concerning other topics 'emeraldnzl' as the topic in question is resetting a Dell laptop. I have explained that the procedure related to in the link provided by 'dZtruker' and also other methods do not work and 'phillpower2' was helping me discover why.

I am not sure if these posts are still live now as I can view them all from the forum 'Windows 7 and Vista' section but not from the emailed link notification for the last post. What were the other topics thought to be?

Ste

[Ztruker]

I just realizes this is a WIndows 7 system but you posted in the XP/2000 forum. SO, since this is a Win 7 system:

If you do not have a Windows 7 installation DVD, or it's not up to the Service Pack level currently installed, you can download a legal copy with SP1 integrated from here:

Windows 7 Direct Download Links

Make sure you get the same version you have, Home Premium, Pro or Ultimate and 32 or 64 bit. Note that Basic or Starter is not available.

I recommend using ImgBurn at 4X speed (or the slowest available) to create the DVD from the downloaded .iso file. Just be careful during the install not to accidentally install some of the bundled junk that comes with it. Always take The Custom Install option.

You can do this on any computer capable of burning a DVD.

YOU MUST HAVE A VALID KEY TO INSTALL THIS .ISO. The one on the COA sticker on your computer will work.

You can also create a bootable USB Flash drive (4GB or larger) to install Windows 7 from.

• Download and run Universal USB Installer – Easy as 1 2 3
• Select Windows 7 from the first drop down list, all the way to the bottom
• Select the downloaded Windows 7 iso file
• Select your USB flash drive
• Click Create

For techies or folks who work on computers: Create Windows 7 Universal ISO With All Editions Selection On Install with ei.cfg Removal Utility.
This will fit on a 6GB flash drive or can be burned to a DVD.

You can download the version you need the burn to DVD or create a bootable flash drive to install from (this is what I do).

[emeraldnzl]

Hi, I am a little confused as to the reason for the post concerning other topics 'emeraldnzl' as the topic in question is resetting a Dell laptop.

I am a bit confused now too Ste.

When I looked there seemed to be three topics open, all referring to the one issue, your mothers laptop.

Receiving advice from different people for the same issue can be a problem, possibly even, leading to corruption of the machine being dealt with.

For that reason we don't allow multiple topics for the same issue.

There can be even more confusion when something happens with the forum software, say and update or some such, and a user tries again when he/she doesn't see their topic showing up. Net result, multiple topics which was not the intention in the first place.

Having said all that, what is the position now?

Is this topic covering the same issue as you have here? Looking at Ztruker's reply to you it looks like this is a Win 7 machine but we are in the XP/2000 forum?

There was also, what appeared to be an identical topic in the Vista /Win 7 forum that I removed. Was I mistaken about that one and it really was about another machine?