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Restoring Your Operating System
Operating System Reinstallation
Before you Begin
If you are considering reinstalling the Windows
operating system to correct a problem with
a newly installed driver, first try using Windows
Device Driver Rollback. If Device Driver
Rollback does not resolve the problem, then
use System Restore to return your operating
system to the operating state it was in before
you installed the new device driver. See “Using
Microsoft Windows System Restore” on page 42.
NOTICE: Before performing the installation,
back up all data files on your primary
hard drive. For conventional hard drive
configurations, the primary hard drive is the
first drive detected by the computer.
To reinstall Windows, you need the following
items:

Dell Operating System

• media

Dell Drivers and Utilities

• media
NOTE: The

Dell Drivers and Utilities

media
contains drivers that were installed during
the assembly of the computer. Use the
Dell Drivers and Utilities media to load any
required drivers. Depending on the region
from which you ordered your computer, or
whether you requested the media, the

Dell

Drivers and Utilities
media and

Operating

System

media may not ship with your
computer.
Reinstalling Windows Vista
The reinstallation process can take 1 to 2 hours
to complete. After you reinstall the operating
system, you must also reinstall the device
drivers, virus protection program, and other
software.
Save and close any open files and exit any 1.
open programs.
Insert the 2.

Operating System

disc.
Click 3. Exit if the Install Windows message
appears.