need help restoring Dell Latitude to factory settings

absolut_fate · 02-28-2009, 02:37 PM

Hi all, 1st time poster and new to the site. I looked around and seems like a great forum to be a part of.

I just bought a Dell Latitude C840 it has:
Mobile Intel Pent. 4 - M CPU 1.80GHz
1.18GHz, 256 MB RAM
MS Win xp prof ver. 2002
Service pack 3

It seems as though it was previously used by a teacher. I need help getting it back to factory settings b/c it seems as though the previous owner tried deleting everything, but not very well. I would like to, but cannnot get it out of administration setting and it will not stay logged on to the internet. I'm not sure what info to provide but will with request. need to mention that the hot key start up/ boot menu doesn't have the symt. restore option.

~A_F

**TriggerFinger** · 02-28-2009, 03:13 PM

Try the steps here: Laptop Recovery Instructions

absolut_fate · 02-28-2009, 04:27 PM

I tried the recovery instructions many times, and it just started up like normal. Is it possible that Symantec not present?

**TriggerFinger** · 02-28-2009, 04:37 PM

If you tried the recovery instructions and it did not help may you do not have the recovery partition. Check the partitioning of the drive, if it is only one then you have no recovery partition.

What to do now? Call DELL and order a recovery CD... that is if you really want to restore to factory defaults. If not just reinstall Windows and get the drivers from DELL website.

absolut_fate · 02-28-2009, 04:54 PM

is there a free downloadable Windows?

**TriggerFinger** · 02-28-2009, 05:00 PM

Nope..

absolut_fate · 02-28-2009, 05:04 PM

eh...I guess I will give dell a call thanks for your time and help

**TriggerFinger** · 02-28-2009, 05:13 PM

I believe DELL can help you in getting a recovery CD. I just do not know how much it would cost - HP/Compaq sell theirs for like under $20.

rbalaji · 02-28-2009, 07:16 PM

Dell will send you one set of recovery discs for free if you order through the support website.

02-28-2009, 02:37 PM	#1 (permalink)
absolut_fate Registered User Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 5 OS: xp	need help restoring Dell Latitude to factory settings Hi all, 1st time poster and new to the site. I looked around and seems like a great forum to be a part of. I just bought a Dell Latitude C840 it has: Mobile Intel Pent. 4 - M CPU 1.80GHz 1.18GHz, 256 MB RAM MS Win xp prof ver. 2002 Service pack 3 It seems as though it was previously used by a teacher. I need help getting it back to factory settings b/c it seems as though the previous owner tried deleting everything, but not very well. I would like to, but cannnot get it out of administration setting and it will not stay logged on to the internet. I'm not sure what info to provide but will with request. need to mention that the hot key start up/ boot menu doesn't have the symt. restore option. ~A_F Last edited by absolut_fate; 02-28-2009 at 02:54 PM. Reason: forgot to add hot key info

02-28-2009, 03:13 PM	#2 (permalink)
TriggerFinger Moderator Hardware Team Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: USA Posts: 11,841 OS: Vista SP1, XP SP3, PCLinuxOS2007	Re: need help restoring Dell Latitude to factory settings Try the steps here: Laptop Recovery Instructions __________________ DBAN - Memtest86+ - BartPE - Linux LiveCD - ImgBurn - HDD Diags - Disk Copy HOW TO BURN AN ISO FILE

02-28-2009, 04:27 PM	#3 (permalink)
absolut_fate Registered User Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 5 OS: xp	Re: need help restoring Dell Latitude to factory settings I tried the recovery instructions many times, and it just started up like normal. Is it possible that Symantec not present?

02-28-2009, 04:37 PM	#4 (permalink)
TriggerFinger Moderator Hardware Team Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: USA Posts: 11,841 OS: Vista SP1, XP SP3, PCLinuxOS2007	Re: need help restoring Dell Latitude to factory settings If you tried the recovery instructions and it did not help may you do not have the recovery partition. Check the partitioning of the drive, if it is only one then you have no recovery partition. What to do now? Call DELL and order a recovery CD... that is if you really want to restore to factory defaults. If not just reinstall Windows and get the drivers from DELL website. __________________ DBAN - Memtest86+ - BartPE - Linux LiveCD - ImgBurn - HDD Diags - Disk Copy HOW TO BURN AN ISO FILE

02-28-2009, 04:54 PM	#5 (permalink)
absolut_fate Registered User Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 5 OS: xp	Re: need help restoring Dell Latitude to factory settings is there a free downloadable Windows?

02-28-2009, 05:00 PM	#6 (permalink)
TriggerFinger Moderator Hardware Team Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: USA Posts: 11,841 OS: Vista SP1, XP SP3, PCLinuxOS2007	Re: need help restoring Dell Latitude to factory settings Nope.. __________________ DBAN - Memtest86+ - BartPE - Linux LiveCD - ImgBurn - HDD Diags - Disk Copy HOW TO BURN AN ISO FILE

02-28-2009, 05:04 PM	#7 (permalink)
absolut_fate Registered User Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 5 OS: xp	Re: need help restoring Dell Latitude to factory settings eh...I guess I will give dell a call thanks for your time and help

02-28-2009, 05:13 PM	#8 (permalink)
TriggerFinger Moderator Hardware Team Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: USA Posts: 11,841 OS: Vista SP1, XP SP3, PCLinuxOS2007	Re: need help restoring Dell Latitude to factory settings I believe DELL can help you in getting a recovery CD. I just do not know how much it would cost - HP/Compaq sell theirs for like under $20. __________________ DBAN - Memtest86+ - BartPE - Linux LiveCD - ImgBurn - HDD Diags - Disk Copy HOW TO BURN AN ISO FILE

02-28-2009, 07:16 PM	#9 (permalink)
rbalaji Tech, Microsoft Support Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Chicagoland Posts: 1,193 OS: Windows XP SP3	Re: need help restoring Dell Latitude to factory settings Dell will send you one set of recovery discs for free if you order through the support website. __________________ Balaji Ramanathan Computers - You can't live with them, you can't live without them!