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    how to boot from recovery partition on M17xR3

    Discussion in 'Alienware 17 and M17x' started by Tigress Orchid, May 4, 2012.

  1. Tigress Orchid

    Tigress Orchid Notebook Consultant

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    Hi ,

    anyone knows how to boot up from recovery partition on M17xR3 ?
    when i hit F12, there isnt recovery part. option.
    another question is, i have 3 partitions C: D: and E: , if i boot from recovery partition, will it delete only C drive or all C D and E ? thx

    REASON: the system behaviour is weird. Random freezes sometimes, BSOD = now solved with new GPU drivers. BUT now ntdll.dll app crash.... wTH ?
     
  2. maxheap

    maxheap caparison horus :)

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    if you created the partition I am sure it will revert back to factory setup (so it will format C&D and create single partition)
     
  3. Tigress Orchid

    Tigress Orchid Notebook Consultant

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    realy ? i thought it will delete only C.
     
  4. maxheap

    maxheap caparison horus :)

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    my past experience with other laptops have been always that way, but I never recovered alienware so I am not sure definitely, but it should keep the factory settings, which came with single partition and recovery partition in my case
     
  5. Mr. Fox

    Mr. Fox BGA Filth-Hating Elitist®

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    You can do the recovery within Windows using AlienRespawn. If you haven't already created a USB, DVD or BD recovery option, you should do that while you still have an opportunity to do so.

    The USB/DVD/BD bootable media can delete all drive partitions and create a factory-fresh drive setup in the unallocated disc space. It works for both HDD and SSD. Using an 8GB USB stick is the best option.

    Do you see a boot menu option for something like System Diagnostics or anything other than a bootable drive source (like HDD, CD/DVD, USB)? If your Windows BDC (boot sector and boot files) has been modified, the recovery option might not be visible pressing F12 during POST. The Alienware factory installation has the Windows BCD set up in the AlienRespawn partition to allow this option.
     
  6. Tigress Orchid

    Tigress Orchid Notebook Consultant

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    thx, for info.

    But, so, is the USB recovery part. needed to be created ? i have original DVD from ailenware with OS + another with drivers. (but i understand, the recovery part has both together right ? so how to do it ?

    i think yes, there is system diagnostics in F12.
    alien respawn, i have probably delete this software, i cant see it in programs.

    UPDATE: o ou. i run the diagnostics 3 times. 1st time i got this error message"
    "error code 2000-0233
    validation 28553
    MSG: Systemboard - RTC "seconds" count is not updating."

    the rest are ok.

    then i run the test for 2nd and 3rd time, and now no errors, all passed ok.

    ???



    AND regarding what you have said about alienware respawn and boot...... 1 time, i dont know 2 months ago, i decided to rollback with backup using acronis true image home. On the first try, it didnt do what was expected, it did nothing. so i run it for 2nd time, and now it works, it copy my old image into C: drive.
    But...
    after it reboots, there was error message, like, i dont know exactly..... ehm... "booting records is corrupted and need to be repaired...." after 20 seconds it dissapears and reboots. since then everything works ok.

    uh, do you think something went wrong ? alienware respawn software is gone, i have check it. in F12 , there isnt recovery partition visible..... so should i install the software back, create USB recovery partition USB flashdisk, and then boot from it ?
    thank you.
     
  7. Tigress Orchid

    Tigress Orchid Notebook Consultant

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    ok, i read some articles about alienrespawn.
    so its software, and it uses the "recovery partition" image. Software is gone. but i see the partition. i will buy 8 GB flash disc, and downlaod that software. Then create the USB recovery flash disk.

    last question. Can I then delete the "recovery partition" from laptop ? i mean, i will have all the data inside that USB 8GB stick, right ?

    thank you for help

    EDIT: i found here a thread about alien respawn. I have gone though all 3 points without error. Right now downloading alien respawn software. (its bigger not 183 megs, now its 300 megs :eek:)

    EDIT2: software successfully installed, USB stick ordered.