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I got a Dell Inspiron 1521 laptop from a local computer store that a buddy of mine works at. When I turned it on I had come to realize it has not been wiped and reverted to factory defaults.
How can revert the machine to factory defaults?
I do not have any of the CDs that came with the machine, all I have is the computer and the power brick.
But if it helps any I can able to get into Windows so I full access to the machine.
ianc1215
Posted 2011-01-10T22:09:48.847
Reputation: 2 884
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Windows Vista or W7, use F8 at the Dell logo screen at boot time to access the restore function.
If it is XP use Ctrl+F11
This will only work if the restore partition is still present and no one has tinkered with the Master Boot Record.
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Moab
Posted 2011-01-10T22:09:48.847
Reputation: 54 203
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Do what Moab said, or if you have lost your Dell Restore partition... get your hands on a Dell System Restore disk for this model, boot from that, and it will be fairly self explanatory from there.
Essobi
Posted 2011-01-10T22:09:48.847
Reputation: 201
Yeah I was able to find the restore partition and it worked like charm. Thanks for the help. – ianc1215 – 2011-01-10T22:55:04.953
I would make a "full disk image" (all partitions) of that hard drive, you can use it to restore the system if the hard drive ever dies. – Moab – 2011-01-11T03:17:20.773