How can I do this?

I have a Dell XPS 15 with the new generation i5 cpu and Windows 7
64 bit Home Premium.
A couple of days ago I downloaded Macrium Reflect.
Today I wanted to make a backup of C which went smoothly.
However, in C is the 19 gigabyte partition put there by Dell to make
it easy to restore the OS to it's original factory state.
So what do I do with this? How do I do a backup of one without the
other, if that's what I'm supposed to do? And if I need or want to restore
the factory original, how do I do that?
Thanks for any help.
Hugger

 

Hugger,

Is the Dell Recovery partition the "System, Active partition" in Disk Management?

 

C:\ is the system partition, the Dell image should be in other partition (D:\ for instance), or be itself a hidden partition (you can spot this by checking the disk management)... Usually your computer comes with a software that allows you to restore that original factory image, or in some computers that operation can be done by pressing F8 during the boot > repair computer > and then you should find something like "Dell system restore".

 

AlexC,

That's why I asked the question because the Dells I've seen with Win7 don't have the C: drive as the System Partition.

 

Yes, i didn't saw your reply because i was typing mine meanwhile.

I didn't knew that. So far i haven't saw a brand new Dell with Windows 7, but only some old ones with XP. Where i live HP, Acer and Toshiba are much more widespread.

 

In some Dell computers with Windows 7 Home Premium, the partition that contains the Windows installation also contains the boot information. This is the C: partition and the active one. There is another "restore" partition, normally hidden. This contains the image to restore the "factory" configuration, that is, the configuration that the computer had when it was bought.

In others, the boot information is in the restore partition. This partition is the active one, and can have the "C" letter assigned to it when viewed in some imaging or partition programs. The partition that contains the Windows installation has other letter assigned to it when viewed in these programs, but it is the "C" partition in Windows Explorer and Disk Manager.

 

Thanks for the help. I see where I went wrong, I think. When I opened M/R
all the boxes were checked so I just left them that way.
I don't remember what it's label said but it wasn't 'recovery'. I deleted the
first backup image hoping that I'd figure this out.
I took some more time to look around and what it does say is 102 MB OEM,
a 19.53 Recovery partition and C is the OS. So when I make an image to restore, I think I need to image both of them and decide which one to use when the time comes.
Again, thanks for the help.
Hugger

 

Hugger,

It is essential you determine (from Disk Management) if your Recovery partition is System, Active.

 

Brian, Yes, it is system, active.
Thanks.
Hugger

 

Hugger,

That is the Dell system I'm familiar with. Three partitions. The Recovery partition being System, Active means the Win7 booting files (bootmgr and the Boot folder) are in the Recovery partition and not in the Win7 C: drive. So if you experienced a HD failure and you restored your Win7 image (only) to a new HD and set it Active, it wouldn't boot into Win7.

I can understand why Dell did this. But if you are creating your own images you don't need to retain the Recovery partition. Do you really plan on returning your HD to the factory state?

I prefer to copy the booting files from the Recovery partition to the Win7 partition and set it Active. Then delete the Recovery partition as well as slide and resize the Win7 partition. Now you only have one partition to image and it is self contained with booting files.

The OEM diagnostic partition only needs to be backed up once. It doesn't change.

Edit... If you don't want to delete the Recovery partition and you experience a HD failure then you have to restore both partitions to a new HD.