Dell PC Restore by Symantec - Does it format?

Question

I need to know if the Dell PC Restore by Symantec utility formats the hard drive before restoring the factory image. If it does format the drive, is there any way to prevent the format portion and just restore Windows?

In case you are wondering why, I would like to overwrite my existing windows installation with the factory one. A lot of the programs and data that I have do not require registry entries and therefore do not require a setup or installation program and therefore can be retained so long as the Dell PC Restore utility does not format the drive or can be prevented from formatting the drive.

Answer 1

The software can't do what you want. It will wipe out all content of your disk. The net result is as though you have first received the PC

To do what you want, you have to have a MS Windows CD

Answer 2

Most restore CDs will format your drive. When you boot up with the CD, it will take you to a ghost utility where it first formats your entire hard drive. Then it installs everything into your computer as if you JUST bought your computer for the first time.

You will probably lose all your data so you might want to create a backup CD just in case.

Answer 3

I don't know if this will help now, but perhaps it will in the future. Make a copy of your 'registry' file immediately after installing Windows. Then when you notice something has gone wrong with Windows you can simple reinstall the 'registry' file to fix the problem. This has worked for me on many an occasion.

Answer 4

you in straight forward words use device fix even as your computing gadget is in a really serious state jointly with viruses and also you extra usually than not use the very very last fix aspect that became made this is the great one contained in the record....you'll make your computing gadget worse by vacationing some time previous in time on the fix factors so dont do it