[landryhr]

Hi, I have a dell inspiron 530 with a recovery D: drive (factory installed) and I recently had to reformat my computer and I must have reformatted to the wrong drive because my drives have switched, my D recovery is now my recovery c with too many files on it and my c os drive is now my d os drive, I have no system restore points because I reformatted, please help!!

[aka Brett]

Did you use a windows dvd to do this.
Did you delete C..and then reformat the empty space?...rather than just reformatting C without deleting it first

[landryhr]

I'm not sure, it was a little while ago and I can't remember exactly what I did. I do know that I used the o.s. disk that came with my computer.

[aka Brett]

ok
just to make sure what we have..go to computer and tell me how many gigs in size the recovery partition is.

Also at this time turn off system restore to both drives to prevent further writing to the recovery partition

[landryhr]

recovery partition has 10gb and is now C:, OS drive has 222gb and is now D:

[aka Brett]

ok
what you done is delete c...d then became c...you the put windows on the free space and it is now d...your mbr is also damaged and you now have the generic vista mbr

This can be a pain to fix sometimes it takes the first time others times you will need to do a start up repair after complete with the vista dvd...usually if the start up repair only last a few seconds or a minute it fails..if it takes the long course and takes 20 to 40 minutes to complete then all is good it can take a few tries..but first we have to enter a command while booted up to the vista dvd
Boot the vista dvd and select
repair computer
navigate to command prompt
once there type in the following exactly as shown
path d:\windows;d:\windows\system32 press the enter key and then type
d: press the enter key and type
CD Tools press the enter key and type
PCRestore be sure all spaces are correct

All you data will be lost and your pc will be returned to factory condition ...so be sure to back up anything you want first

if you end up in a boot loop to just where the bios is loading over and over without going to windows

boot the media direct cd
type cd/md2 press the enter key and then type in
repair

If you still have problems we will download gparted and do some minor adjustments.

[landryhr]

I'm not sure how to do this.

[landryhr]

Ok when I do this I get to CD Tools, when I type this I get "The system cannot find the path specified. When I go ahead and type the next line anyway I get "PCRestore' is not recognized as an internal or external command, operable program or batch file."

[aka Brett]

lets make sure you still have tool folder in your recovery partition
go look in your recovery partition and in root the tools folder should be there...now double click it and make sure that PCRestore is there.

if so then try this new command as I will be replacing d with c...as the windows disk may or may bot be reading your entire hard drive before attempting the command


Boot the vista dvd and select
repair computer
navigate to command prompt
once there type in the following exactly as shown
path d:\windows;d:\windows\system32 press the enter key and then type
c: press the enter key and type {this was d in prior post and is the only thing differant}
CD Tools press the enter key and type
PCRestore be sure all spaces are correct

[landryhr]

I do not stiil have a tools folder in my recovery, what I do have are alot of files that should have in OS drive. I tried to do what you suggested anyway and it didn't work I got the same comments.

[aka Brett]

lets take a look at what you do have left in the recovery partition...
hit start
computer
then double click on the recovery partition
then hit print screen..{top row of keys ...3rd from the far right}
now open paint and paste
save the pic as jpg
and post it back here.....if you arent missing to much I will see if I can figure out a way to get you the files

[landryhr]

I can't it won't let me. folders are; dell,intel,program files,users, and windows. There is 9.99 gb on drive and only 4.03 mb remaining.

[aka Brett]

Sorry I took so long you do have some damage there
Take the dell folder and keep double clicking and see if you reach a file called factory.wim

[landryhr]

No worries I needed to go to bed anyway.No the dell folder just has drivers.

[aka Brett]

if you actual image is gone then the partition cant be saved
within the dell folder is there a folder named image? and then a file inside that folder?