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    Dell Recovery disks: anyone use burn-to-USB option?

    Discussion in 'Dell XPS and Studio XPS' started by toronto, Nov 19, 2011.

  1. toronto

    toronto Notebook Deity

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    Upon first boot of new XPS 15, Dell DataSafe Local Backup prompts to create bootable Dell recovery disks. It requires 3 DVD-R disks, or can be burned to USB flash drive.

    The XPS 15 printed manual says it can be burned to an 8 GB USB flash drive.
    When running Dell DataSafe Local Backup, it says it needs a minimum 9 GB USB flash drive.

    Which one is correct? I'd like to use the USB option, as it;s more convenient to retain an emergency USB flash drive rather than three DVD-R disks. But, "minimum 9 GB" would mean a 16 GB flash drive, which is twice the price of an 8 GB.

    Anyone done this successfully to an 8 GB?
     
    toronto, Nov 19, 2011
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  2. toronto

    toronto Notebook Deity

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    P.S. Once the recovery media are burned to USB flash drive, I'm guessing the drive can't be used for anything else because of the boot files, or can it?

    e.g. I made an Xboot bootable USB flash drive loaded with ISOs of various repair and imaging tools. (Xboot is a front end for easier use of Grub4DOS.)
    Could I somehow include the Dell DataSafe system Recovery media into my Xboot/Grub4DOS bootable USB flash drive?
     
    toronto, Nov 19, 2011
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  3. Vipervlv

    Vipervlv Notebook Enthusiast

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    I have done it with 16GB of USB as i wanted to include the copy of Windows Dell gave me, but the actual size is 7.6GB so if you use a 8GB usb it will be ok.
     
    Vipervlv, Nov 19, 2011
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  4. toronto

    toronto Notebook Deity

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    How do you mean that you included Windows on the USB key? Can you boot from that USB flash drive into Dell Recovery? Can you boot from Windows installer as well?
     
    toronto, Nov 19, 2011
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  5. Vipervlv

    Vipervlv Notebook Enthusiast

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    Copied it on the USB as i had it on my hard drive. The usb imo is only used when you have datasafe recovery ihnstalled on the laptop or in the emergency start up. I haven't had the chance to use it.
     
    Vipervlv, Nov 19, 2011
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  6. toronto

    toronto Notebook Deity

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    I don't think that's correct. I believe the USB is the same as the Dell Recovery DVDs that can be burned by DataSafe, three DVD-Rs for my system. The DVD-Rs are bootable, as would be the USB flash drive, and after booting from one of those then the system can be repaired or the hard drive restored to its original factory state.

    You should try booting from yours, because when creating the USB a DataSafe warning says
    “Once you have created your USB recovery media, do not remove or add any files to it.”

    Also, I was unable to burn the recovery to an 8 GB USB flash drive. When I tried, DataSafe said it required a USB flash drive with at least 9 GB.
     
    toronto, Nov 19, 2011
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