How to Clean & Restore a Dell Computer

Learn to restore Dell computer to factory settings

It is frustrating when your Dell computer starts to give you error messages due to corrupted files or folders on your hard drive. One of the best ways to repair a Dell computer infected with a virus is to restore it back to its factory settings. Fortunately, this can be done easily with Dell's system restore utility pre-installed on your Dell computer. Also, since the Dell system restore utility is a Dell system utility and not a Windows application, this system restoration process works for most any Dell computer running Windows XP, Vista or Windows 7.

Things You'll Need

• Digital storage device (CD-R, DVD-R, external hard drive, or USB flash drive)

Instructions

Backup Your Computer Files

1. Connect an external storage device such as a external hard drive, or USB flash drive. Or, turn on your Dell computer and insert a CD-R or DVD-R into your CD/DVD drive.

2. Click on the "Start" menu icon located in the bottom left-hand corner of the screen. Click on "Control Panel," and then select "System and Maintenance." Click on the "Backup and Restore Center" icon.

3. Click on the "Backup Files" button, and then enter the administrative login information and click "OK" to continue.

4. Select the destination storage device you want to store your backup files. Windows gives you the option to store your backup files to a hard drive, network or CD/DVD. Click the "Next" button to continue.

5. Check the boxes next to the type of files you want to save. Click on the "Next" button to continue.

6. Click on the "Save Settings and Start Backup" button.

Restore Dell Computer to Factory Settings

1. Restart you computer, and then press F8 while the computer is booting up to enter the Advanced Boot Options menu.

2. Press the down-arrow until you reach the "Repair Your Computer" option. Press the Enter to key to continue.

3. Select your desired language, and then click on the "Next" button to continue. Enter your administrative login information, and then click on "OK" to continue.

4. Click on the "Dell Factory Image Restore" button, and then click on the "Next" button to continue. Check the box next to "Yes, reformat hard drive and restore system software to factory condition." Click on the "Next" button to continue.

5. Click on the "Finish" button. Your Dell computer will automatically restart.

Restoring Backup Files

1. Turn on your Dell computer, and then click on the "Start" menu and click on "Control Panel."

2. Single-click on the "System and Maintenance" icon, and then click on "Backup and Restore Center."

3. Click on "Advanced Restore" under the message reading " Restore files or your entire computer." Then select "Files from a backup made on a different computer" when the Backup and Restore Center asks what you'd like to restore. Click on the "Next" button to continue.

4. Insert the CD or DVD you used to backup your files into your computer's CD/DVD-ROM drive. Or, if you used a USB storage device, connect it to your computer. Navigate the screen to find your backup storage device, select the device, and then click on the "Next" button to continue.

5. Select the "Restore everything in this backup" option, and then click on the "Next" button to proceed with the restoration process.

Tips & Warnings

• Any files you do not backup will not be restored.

References

• Dell: System Restore
• Dell: Support Page