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Restore factory settings on Dell Inspiron [Solved/Closed]

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 cox -
Hello, I have Dell Inspiron E1505 and would like to Restore to the factory settings. I have done this before on the phone with Dell, but they cost so much to help me. Does anyone know what the keystrokes are. I thought it was something like Ctrl Alt F12 during boot up, but apparently not. Please, can anyone help!

Thanks so much
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19 replies

Answer 1 / 19

I will give the step by step procedure to do Dell factory defaults:
1. If your operating system is XP, CTRL and F11 key simultaneously when you see the dell logo after turning on the Laptop and follow the screen instructions.

* Power the computer on.
* When the Dell screen appears press and hold the CTRL and F11 key simultaneously on the keyboard, then release them both at the same time.
The Dell PC Restore by Symantec window appears.
* Click the Restore button or press the key to highlight Restore and press the key.
A caution message appears advising that all data will be lost.
* Click the Confirm button or press the key to highlight Confirm and press the key.
The Progress window appears. Once the process is begun, Dell PC Restore usually takes only 8 to 10 minutes to complete.
When the restore is complete, the message The system recovery process was successful appears.
* Click the Finish button or press the key to highlight Finish and press the key.
The computer will restart.

2. If your operating system is VISTA / Win 7, tap F8 key when you see the dell logo. It will take you to advanced boot menu options under which you will see Repair your Computer, Select that option and enter your password if it asked, then you will be seeing list of options like system restore, command promt, etc., In that the last option says Dell PC restore or some thing like that. Select that option and follow the screens .. Thats it.

* Start the computer.
* As the computer starts, press the F8 key until the Advanced Boot Options menu appears on the screen.
* Press the (Down Arrow) to select Repair Your Computer on the Advanced Boot Options menu, and then press Enter.
* Specify the language settings that you want, and then click Next.
* Log in as a user who has administrative credentials, and then click OK.
* Click Dell Factory Image Restore.
* In the Dell Factory Image Restore window, click Next.
* Click to select the check box for Yes, reformat hard drive and restore system software to factory condition.
* Click Next. The computer is restored to the default factory configuration.
* When the restore operation is completed, click Finish to restart the computer.

3. If in both case, the Factory default didn't work, then your laptop's factory image defaults partition have vanished (i.e. Corrupted / Deleted). So you have to do Operating System re installation with the Operating System CD / DVD shipped along with laptop. Follow the below link to install windows XP Pro on your own.
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yeah my image has vanished. After I install the Operating system CD. will I be finished, or will I still have to restore to factory default?
Answer 2 / 19

I found it!!!
Simply press F8 during boot sequence and you should see the same ol Windows Startup options screen. Hit enter on repair Windows and then click on Full Factory Restore. Cheers!
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yeah this is for vista thanks bro
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woohoo!!!! thanks!!! worked on vista!!!
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mine does not say repair windows at all
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Worked on Vista for me. Thanks alot.
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Thank you!!!
Answer 3 / 19

At long last...

I was working on an Inspiron 1545 laptop with the Windows XP Pro downgrade option(from Vista Business).

The CTRL / F11 does work....but you apparently need to use the CTRL button on the right side of the keyboard. I also did not use the 'fn' key to activate F11.
Answer 4 / 19

To reset the dell laptop to the factory settings just
ctrl and F-11 during boot up. Right when you turn the laptop on during the dell screen.
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mine won't go to system restore like that....
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thanks dude this is what really work the crlt+ f11 dont work thanks a bunch
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mine just beeps like crazy when I do that
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You three should pack up your computers and send them back to the vendor for a refund.
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i did the same thing. I restarted my computer 30-40 times using ctrl + f11 like evryone told me to. computer just beeped 4 or 5 before continuing restarting windows everytime. got so frustated, spent hours looking for my owner's manual, found out that the command for a system restore for my DELLXPS m1330 was F8. So folks, don't listen to these people who act like they know everything. Apparently the command is not the same i.e ctrl+f11 for all computers. Just look for owner's manual and you'll find out. If you can't find your manual, look it up online. Sometimes the manual's are in pdf files online.
Answer 5 / 19

Hit f8 during startup and follow the menu options to complete a 'factory restore'. :)
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ok, after u do that, then what...because I put it in safe mode to restore the settings but its still slow as hell...is there a way to just factory set it with control key options?
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That actually worked !! thank you SO MUCH!! I was freaking out here! :)
Answer 6 / 19

Can someone help me here? I need to do restore the laptob to factory settings, but when I press f8 and press repair your computer nothing happens.
Answer 7 / 19

As said be for press F8 to reach Vista's Boot Menu.
Select Repair PC
Enter your keboard config etc.....
You will then see at the bottom an option for: Dell Factory Image Restore

It apears that Dell have integrated their factory restore into the Vista Recovery Console.... Which stumped me for a bit.

Full info here:
https://www.dell.com/fr-fr
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How long does it take for a factory image restore to complete?
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Thank you so much for this! Not even the Dell support site provided the correct information, but this worked perfectly. Thank you again
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> krystal
At times it might take quit a few attempts using ctrl and F11. You might want to first run a cirus, asware, spyware, and malware program.

http://www.malwarebytes.org/mbam.php
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> mars
I've got a dell inspiron 1545 laptop and ive tried everything everybody has said. Such as the F8 and the cntrl F11 and none of it has worked. It beeps and gives me a screen saying no boot manager so now what do I do. I have all the disks to restore but none of it works. PLEASE HELP!!!
Answer 8 / 19

if its a vista laptop, press f8 when at dell screen when powered on, then choose repair computer, then choose Dell factory image from the next menu.
Answer 9 / 19

its press the ctrl and the f11 at same time on start up! but I just did it and am having a hard time getting it running good again.it did solve some problems but created others so be carefull
Answer 10 / 19

You should be able to reach the menu in question by pressing F8 during boot up. This is BEFORE YOU see the windows logo... you may have to try this several times to get it...
Answer 11 / 19
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"Restart the computer. To do this, click Start, click the arrow next to the Lock button, and then click Restart.

As the computer restarts, press the F8 key until the Advanced Boot Options menu appears on the screen.

Press the (Down Arrow) to select Repair Your Computer on the Advanced Boot Options menu, and then press Enter.

Specify the language settings that you want, and then click Next.

Log in as a user who has administrative credentials, and then click OK.

Click Dell Factory Image Restore.

In the Dell Factory Image Restore window, click Next.

Click to select the check box for Yes, reformat hard drive and restore system software to factory condition.

Click Next. The computer is restored to the default factory configuration.

When the restore operation is completed, click Finish to restart the computer."

I hope this helps.
Answer 12 / 19

Try hitting ctrl and F-11 during boot up. Right when you turn the laptop on during the dell screen.
Answer 13 / 19
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Examine the printer to find your model number. Most HP printers place the model number on the front or back of the printer. The model number displays as "HP Deskjet D4200" or similar.

Visit the HP Support website to download the appropriate drivers. See the HP Customer Support resource below for the link. Enter your model number and choose your operating system (Windows XP, Vista, etc.) to download the correct drivers.

Connect the printer to the computer according to the package instructions.
Open your computer's Start menu and select "Control Panel," and then select "Printers" under "Hardware." Click on "Add a Printer." Use the recommended port to install the printer.

Select the brand (HP) of your printer, then select the model number. Click "Next" and allow the wizard to install your printer. Print a test page to make sure it works correctly.
Kristain Hayes
Answer 14 / 19

mine didnt work either at first hold control f11 at same time as soon as u turn on computer until it beeps
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try the right side of the cntrl key + f11
Answer 15 / 19

cntrl f11 repeatedly still proper screen shows up at the beginning of start up
Answer 16 / 19

same way only use F8
Answer 17 / 19

ctrl+f11
Answer 18 / 19

CTRL F11
Answer 19 / 19

it is ctrl F11
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