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Only thing i've noticed that the PCRestore.exe file looks for is a Factory.wim located in the \dell\image dir. yeah, I noticed that when I ran PCrestore.exe (from windows) and it said that factory.wim was missing. I put it then on the dell/image dir and ran it again. This time it ran properly and went ahead and asked me if I wanted to install it and it'd reformat c:, bla bla.... I didn't do it of course. However, when run from the winre environment, clicking on the menu for the Dell option or running PCrestore.exe from command doesn't do anything at all. Any other ideas guys?

Success! (well, half) I was finally able to install winRE and have it bootable from the F8 menu. ("Recover your computer") The problem seems to have been the "hidden" Dell partition (type DE) which is the Dell Uitlity that I wanted to have also on my drive. It seems that SetAutoFailOver.cmd doesn't recogonize it and thus when running the script I was indicating that winRE is installed on the 2nd partition. The script always ran successfully, however it never worked when booting from the F8 menu. So when I decided to run winRE (wim install) from "C:" drive and simply run the script as: setautofailover.cmd /target c: /wim /nohide <enter> it worked. The winre.wim is sort of unpacked in memory. Also it's not a good idea to have the recovery option running on the same drive (partition) you're planning to repair. I tried installing winre via imagex on E: and run the script as: setautofailover.cmd /target e: /nohide <enter> - it worked! The problem. Since I wanted to have four partition: Dell Utility (DE) - 50MB - Hidden RECOVERY (07h) - 10GB OS_Install (07h) - 50GB Data (07h) - 690GB I always ran the script as: setautofailover.cmd /target e: /partition 2 /nohide <enter> It never worked as it wouldn't see the DE partition and thus it wouldn't count it. So it was trying to boot from the OS partition. Of course it wouldn't work. This is for the benefit of anyone looking to do this, the only thing to keep in mind is to have the RECOVERY partiton (winRE) installed before the OS partition and keep in mind that any hidden partitions before the RECOVERY partition are apparently ignored. For full instructions go: = Windows recovery environment --> HERE (Recommended) - Windows RE notes blog --> HERE - Windows PE Walkthroughs --> HERE - Inside the Dell Utility Partition --> HERE My problem now is that I do have the Dell recovery files* (thanks redjoy!), however while PCrestore.exe shows up on the WinRE recovery menu (as Dell factory image install) when chosen nothings happens. Even if I run it via the DOS command, it won't run. I does run from windows however. If anyone has any idea as to why this could be please let me know. I think that the PCrestore.exe program has some sort of signature to the hard drive or the PC that it was initially installed in and if it doesn't match it won't do anything when ran. For now I'm happy! *Files where compared and found to be correct and the exact same size as well as the supporting files from another source. The files are located in the "tools" folder of a Dell machine with Vista installed in the Recovery partition. Also, the winreconfig.xml found in the "sources/recovery/tools" folder was exactly the same. Thanks redjoy for all your help!

jaclaz jaclaz, this is excellent news. Thanks for the info I'm sure it will come handy to many people. I know I will definitely need it! Great catch!

It's in BIOS, nothing much you can do about it, unless you want to start fiddling with BIOS, NOT, and I mean NOT recommended, you could end up with an unbootable system and need even a replacement BIOS ! jaclaz No this information is stored in the Master Boot Record, not the BIOS. I am in process of duplicating this issue as well, but I can't really tell you much about it because of IP reasons. However volume imaging solutions (such as Ghost and Acronis) save the MBR in the image, but Imagex being file based does not. Anyways, this is also part of the reason why the OPK documentation (as well as WAIK) say that "recovery" aka EFI partitions must be the first partition on the drive. Dell, however, doesn't use WinRE for it's recovery partition, which is why it isn't Part 1 on the drive... Dell doesn't use winRE?! what is it then? winPE? Dell uses another company's product to create their recovery partition. This company creates custom recovery options to make it look natural to the OEM that sells/distributes the computer. Because my company and the recovery provider are clients, I cannot divulge additional information, sorry. A WIM installation, at its simplest, is a partition you can boot to that may have a simple interface, that basically applies the WIM to your C drive. Which is basically what the Dell Recovery partition does but it asks you stuff to make sure you want to do it, etc. cool. thanks for the info!

thanks robo101. I think this is of great help. How did you go about creating a winRE partition. I've followd the instruction here and here and I can't figure out why it doesn't seem to work. At the ms site they talk about building up a whole system which not what I want to do. At the msdn blog they talk about the option to install the winre to a any partition (for testing) but since I don't want to have my recovery partition hidden. I want it as my D: drive I'm sticking with having winre.wim and boot.sdi at D: root and running the "SetAutoFailover.cmd /target D: /wim /nohide" script. (only my drive is not the first one, it's the third one and it's e:. So I changed D: wiht E: in the script). What happens then is that I do have the option to run the "repair your computer" form the F8 menu. WinRE seems to boot but then that's it. It takes me to the normal windows login screen. Any ideas? Thanks. BTW. do you know what the difference is between an extended winRE installation vs a wim installation?

It's in BIOS, nothing much you can do about it, unless you want to start fiddling with BIOS, NOT, and I mean NOT recommended, you could end up with an unbootable system and need even a replacement BIOS ! jaclaz No this information is stored in the Master Boot Record, not the BIOS. I am in process of duplicating this issue as well, but I can't really tell you much about it because of IP reasons. However volume imaging solutions (such as Ghost and Acronis) save the MBR in the image, but Imagex being file based does not. Anyways, this is also part of the reason why the OPK documentation (as well as WAIK) say that "recovery" aka EFI partitions must be the first partition on the drive. Dell, however, doesn't use WinRE for it's recovery partition, which is why it isn't Part 1 on the drive... Dell doesn't use winRE?! what is it then? winPE? It must be winRE as when the recovery option from F8 is called in the winRE environment boots and you have the option to restore the factory image. Also all the files installed in the REcovery partition (d:\) has pretty much the same files, as far as I've seen as the winRE base wim image. Take a look at this site (though you probably already did). I think Dell set up winRE according to what this guy is saying. (testing mode). I have to say that I am however struggling trying to install it in my D:\ drive. I know you're working on it and I'm looking forward to your findings! One thing though. on my Dell dimension 9200c pc I've changed the OEM hard drive and the F12 options are still there. Unless that option is build when the windows installation is done, these options must be in a special dell bios code. Note that there's a difference between the F12 menu and the F8 menu. What you think?

RE is disabled in the WAIK. True, I had to register in order to be able to download the OPK.

Oh man! This helps a lot! Thanks mate! I thought of using "imagex /apply x:\[path]\image.wim 1 c:" in order to apply that recovery option... this sure helps robbo. I'll try this. Thanks again!

I guess so jaclaz. Thanks for the links. There's one in particular that seems very interesting. I've gone back and forth on the goodells.net side but unfortunately it's not for the recovery partition on dell systems that have OEM Vista OS. I was able to recreate the DE partition looking at that information though ... I can't still boot it from the F12 menu or as an active partition for that matter. If you come across anything regarding the "Recovery" dell partition throw it my way. I would really appreciate that. I am also looking after all for the actual files in that partition (except the Dell folder) for a Dell Dimension 9200c w/Vista Ultimate though it should be the same for any Dell PC w/Vista in it. Thanks again!

It's in BIOS, nothing much you can do about it, unless you want to start fiddling with BIOS, NOT, and I mean NOT recommended, you could end up with an unbootable system and need even a replacement BIOS ! jaclaz got it! I wouldn't want to risk that. How about figuring out where the F12 menu options point to and thus arrange it accordingly in the drive?

jaclaz, excellent info. Thanks. I think PARTNEW might just be the help I need to recreate the DE partition and be able to boot from it. I'll look into it. Does anyone know how the f12 key on a dell pc w/vista works. It doesn't seem to be dependant on MBR or for that matter anything on the drive. I changed the OEM drive and I still can bring that function up. It doesn' work thought, but the menu is there. I wonder how to modify it.

Thanks for your reply. You are right. It is easier to use acronis for OS imaging. I have used this in the past and I quite like it. However, I don't want to depend on disks. I much rather have the ability to run diagnostic utilties and other options under winRE aside from redeploying an image running from HDD. I also don't want to take the easy way. I want to be able to recreate the dell set up on a new hard drive. The space it takes makes little difference. I was also running Norton Ghost 14 but again, I would like to have a utility partion and a recovery partion booting from hard drive. I think it's pretty cool and easier than having to run cd/dvd's. This is why most vendors are selling their pcs/laptops with hard drive recovery partitions. I'm also looking into vistaPE and bartPE. For now I just want to recreate the dell factory set up on a new hard drive. Thanks for any further suggestions!

hey guys, No one followed up on this project? I too need/want to create a recovery partition b/c the one that came with my dell got corrupted. Also, I am using a different hard drive and want to recreate the structure I had with the original dell drive. Goal: 1st partition - dell diagnostics tools (55Mb) - 0DE 2nd partition - OS (Vista) - 07h 3rd partition - Data storage. - 07h 4th partition - RECOVERY (winRE + wim image and custom recovery options) 07h Problems: - cannot figure out how to get to invoke/boot the diagnostics partition (I don't want to use the cd) - cannot figure out how to add my own option to the recovery menu... (although I'll look into the OPK as I have been using the AIK with no luck). - thanks for that info robbo101. - since I lost the original dell recovery partition I wonder if any one has this partition intact in order to share the info in it. In particular the "Tools" Folder. It has some dell programs that I would like to be able to run when recovering. So far: - when pressing F12 I get two menus: 1. boot options: HDD, CD/DVD Drive, USB, etc 2. Options: Set up (BIOS) Diagnostic Utility Partition <- not working... error: no boot disk. (partition was also lost in the OEM) Hard Drive diagnostics <- don't know what it does or how but it keeps on saying that my HD failed. But it is working fine. - When pressing F8 the "Repair your computer" options is no longer there. although I have been able to restore the option by following the WAIK WinRE guide, it doesn't boot - I have lost the Recovery partition from the oem dell installation. I don't have the factory image or any other dell utilities installed in it. (not sure if I terribly need it but I sure would like to have it back. Dell won't help me.) Achievements: - been able to create a winPE bootable CD. But I want a bootable Partition running winRE - was able to recreate the dell diagnostic partition but it won't boot (when partition active, or via the F12 menu) - was able to install winRE using mixed guides (winRE and winPE) but it won't boot. ( I may be able to fix this today thanks to robbo101 by following only the OPK guide. I'll post back) - was able to install winPE bootable partition, but this is different than winRE. I rather have a winRE boot - was able to boot winPE using easyBCD/VistaProBCD and setting it as a second boot. I rather have the option via the recovery menu (F12) "Recover your computer". Notes: - While goodells.net site is of great interest and assistance. It doesn't apply to this case as it he doesn't deal with dell machines with vista installed. (I was able to recreate the dell diag partition though, thanks Del!) Things like Ctrl+F11, DSRfix do not apply here. - I have the Vista DVD install and the Dell diagnostics CD and a bootable winPE CD. However I want to have these options via the hard drive so that I can store the discs. I also would like to customize it! - Sorry for the long post. You guys are my last resort. Suggestions, ideas, guides, links. Anything people! Anything would help. Thanks so much in advanced. tGQ Dell Dimension 9200c Vista Ultimate 750GB-HDD Original HDD was 149GB: 1st Partition: 55M (hidden, type: 0DE "dellUtilities") 2nd Partition: 138GB (Drive c: Type 07h "OS" - Vista) 3rd Partition: 10GB (Drive d: Type 07h "Recovery") **** how can I get a hold of the windows OPK since I am not a registered organization. I'm just.. me. (personal use)?... I'm registered now!