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    Restore help please

    Discussion in 'Alienware 17 and M17x' started by BrightStar, Nov 12, 2012.

  1. BrightStar

    BrightStar Notebook Enthusiast

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    I am trying to restore my M17x to its original state and have a few questions which hopefully someone can help with.

    I dont have any recovery dvds and recovery partition doesnt seem to work. Looking at various partitions, I have a hidden partition from where I have copied a Factory.WIM file into my internal second drive (E :). My C drive has been paritioned and now consists of C: and D:

    1) Is it possible to install windows / drivers / themes etc which came with my original laptop from this Factory.WIM file?
    2) If it is possible how do I do that? Could I create a dvd media or some other way?
    3) Would C and D drives be formatted automatically and made as one partition if I somehow recover to original factory settings? I ask this as I have very imporant data in D drive.

    Would appreciate an advise. :thumbsup:

    Thanks
     
    BrightStar, Nov 12, 2012
    #1
  2. utumkodur

    utumkodur Notebook Geek

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    Hello, as far as i know

    1 - wim is a file containing sys image which can be easy restored to specified partition/hdd, there are lots of tools, most of them are command line, google will help you a lot
    2 - no idea and too lazy to check it for you ;D
    3 - as long as you restore system using dell recovery software only partition with installed operating system will be affected, if you choose proper option during process ofc :D
     
    utumkodur, Nov 12, 2012
    #2
  3. BrightStar

    BrightStar Notebook Enthusiast

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    Just would like you guys to know that I was able to restore it to factory's settings without any issues.

    This is how I did.

    1 - Download WAIK and install it.
    2 - Copy imagex.exe file from x32 folder to a usb drive.
    3 - Copy Factory.wim file to the usb drive or any other partition.
    4 - Boot via Hiren CD into MiniXP or Mini Windows 7.
    5 - Quick format OS drive (C in my case).
    6 - X:\imagex /apply X:\factory.wim 1 C:\ (C is my OS active drive and X is my usb where imagex and factory.wim are located).
    7 - 10 Minutes and you get fully restored computer to it's original state.

    Tutorial I used is located here.
    Unable to restore an Alienware M11x - Laptop General Hardware Forum - Laptop - Dell Community

    Hope it helps :)
     
    BrightStar, Nov 13, 2012
    #3
  4. Alienware-Luis_Pardo

    Alienware-Luis_Pardo Guest

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    Thanks for sharing, didn't know it could be done this way :)
     
    Alienware-Luis_Pardo, Nov 13, 2012
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  5. BrightStar

    BrightStar Notebook Enthusiast

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    Interesting thing is I forgot to format the C drive and it restored to all original themes and software plus anything installed previously stayed on. I had to start again but just for the info :)
     
    BrightStar, Nov 13, 2012
    #5