Laptop Help

This may have been posted before but I can't find it. I have a laptop in very good condition that was stuck in windows. It's a Dell Inspirion (5010, I think) with Windows 7.1 on it. Last night I tried to restore it to factory settings but I chose the option of backing up what was there. I went through the whole process and it is telling me Windows can't restore with back up. I have no problem with wiping it and going back to factory setting without the old data, but now when I hit F8 while it's starting up it won't go to the restore option, it keeps bringing up the last page that says it can't restore Windows with back up.

Should I just keep trying the F8 method? Have I completely screwed it up? Any input/help is greatly appreciated. I am a novice when it comes to fixing computers and google is no help. Thanks in advance.

To be honest I rarely if ever use the restore partition as it is USUALLY corrupted.......Best to get you an ISO on a Flash Drive so u can load computers for testing

Do you have a reinstallation disc, or does that machine have a DVD drive, and do you have access to another computer. You can reinstall from the disc if you have one, and if you don't, you can download one from Microsoft's website.

Also, you have Windows 8.1. There wasn't a 7.1- they went from Vista, to 7, to 8, to 8.1, and then to 10.

Originally Posted by mikeinreco

To be honest I rarely if ever use the restore partition as it is USUALLY corrupted.......Best to get you an ISO on a Flash Drive so u can load computers for testing

As long as you're keeping the computer that's fine, but you legally cannot resell a machine that has had the operating system loaded from anything other than the factory supplied media (Either recovery partition or DVD). I don't think that will matter with the OP here, but still....

Originally Posted by matador

As long as you're keeping the computer that's fine, but you legally cannot resell a machine that has had the operating system loaded from anything other than the factory supplied media (Either recovery partition or DVD). I don't think that will matter with the OP here, but still....

I hear ya but Microsoft has blurred the line by just giving away it's OS

Thanks for the replies. It must be just Windows 7 then, because it's not 8. It's the main reason I want to restore this one, the other laptop I have is 8 and I don't like it at all. I think 8 was designed for touchscreens and mine isn't.

I will give it another go this weekend. I don't have a disc. The thing doesn't even have a battery. I had an old Dell A\C adapter and have been using that to power it. It is just for personal use so I would be happy with a factory reset.

If you have a Windows 8 machine, download Classic Shell (It's free) and it will make your machine look and act just like a Windows 7 machine. I have it on my work computer, and it's great! You can also use it on Windows 10 to bring back a more "traditional" start menu. Windows 8 was a disaster, so Microsoft would rather we forgot about it.

Even though 10 is a free upgrade, this is the text from the official licensing guide that Microsoft released:

When is a new Windows operating system license required and when is one not required?
A new Windows license is not required for a refurbished PC that has:

1. The original Certificate of Authenticity (COA) for a Windows operating system affixed to the PC, and
2. The original recovery media or hard-disk based recovery image associated with the PC.
The operating system identified on the original COA indicates the edition of Windows that was originally licensed for that PC and the
refurbisher can use either:
1. The original recovery media or
2. The original hard-disk based recovery image to reinstall the operating system software specified on the COA.
The original recovery option (described above) used to reinstall the software on a refurbished PC must accompany any distribution of the
refurbished PC. Prior to relinquishing a PC for refurbishment, the end user can contact the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) of the
PC to obtain the appropriate recovery media for a fee—subject to availability. Second-hand recovery media is sometimes offered for sale by
individuals in various forums and markets. Purchasing media from unknown sources is not recommended as it introduces the risks of copyright
infringement, improper licensing and infected/corrupted or incomplete software.

A new Windows license is required for a refurbished PC if:

1. The refurbisher did not obtain the original recovery media along with the system to be refurbished or
2. The PC does not have a hard-disk based recovery image.
The refurbisher must purchase a new Windows license in order to provide the purchaser of the refurbished PC with a genuine, licensed version
of Windows on the PC.

Why should I care whether the refurbished PCs I sell have the appropriate Windows licensing?

Selling a PC with an unlicensed copy of Windows can subject the refurbisher and retailer to liability for copyright infringement. If you sell a
refurbished PC with Windows installed, it is the responsibility of the refurbisher to ensure that the PC is properly licensed. It is the responsibility
of the retailer to ensure that it does not sell refurbished PCs that may infringe on Microsoft copyrights. Copyright infringement is taken
seriously by the software industry and law enforcement. Piracy reports are investigated and, in the appropriate cases, legal action may be
taken. For more information on infringement risks and “how to tell” whether software is genuine, please visit: Microsoft
piracy.

Isn't red tape fun? For your own personal use, Microsoft will allow you to download a copy of the operating system from their site with your product key. There is a large difference between what you can do with your own personal computers and the requirements of those that resell machines.

More red tape....

I'd love it if Microsoft would embrace a Linux-like distribution model, but they wouldn't make much money on that....