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How do I enable Ctrl + F11 function through BIOS?

  • 20-11-2010 2:41pm
    #1
    Lostinspace
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 234 ✭✭


    Hi there,

    I'm trying to reformat a Dell laptop to factory settings as per these instructions on the Dell website. However, the Crtl + F11 function doesn't work.

    Does anyone know how I can enable this function in the BIOS setup? I had a look but it's not making much sense. It is a Dell Latitude D620 laptop.

    Thank you.


Comments

  • #2
    ressem
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,426 ✭✭✭ressem


    It's naught to do with the BIOS.

    The Ctrl+F11 depends on Dell having installed a system restore partition on the hard drive, and that this partition still being in place.
    Factory setup in this case is usually...
    (Dell Boot + utility partition) (Windows XP C: drive) (Dell Sys Restore partition)
    If XP is still running for you, then you can check these 3 partitions for this under...
    Control Panel\Administrative tools\Computer management\Storage\Disk management\

    The first is typically the active partition (check back here before changing it though)

    I've a D620 also but I didn't have the restore partition installed by Dell when bought. I received restore CDs instead.
    Do you see a blue bar on a black screen appearing on the top of the screen, between the BIOS messages and the XP startup screen?
    That's the point at which you hit Ctrl + F11, on machines with this setup.

    If not you'll need to use a Dell XP install CD.


  • #3
    Lostinspace
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 234 ✭✭Lostinspace


    Hi,

    Thanks for your help. I checked the Control Panel and there seemed to be only one partition (Basic). There didn't seem to be any restore partition. I also didn't see any blue bar between the BIOS messages and the XP startup screen.

    I guess I'll contact Dell on Monday for the Restore CDs. Do you know if Restore CDs are specific to a computer or would they be general to all Dell computers? I have a Dell PC as well. Could I use those restore CDs for the laptop? Probably not I'm thinking...

    Thanks


  • #4
    ressem
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,426 ✭✭✭ressem


    Possibly. Depending on how old the restore CDs for the Dell desktop are.

    The D620 has a SATA hard drive. Some older restore CDs won't support this. In this case you would have to use either a USB 3.5" floppy drive and hit "the F6 to install drivers" while installing XP;
    or use a program called nLite to create a modified XP install CD which incorporates the SATA drivers, burn the modified ISO image to a CDR and install from that.

    Nice way to spend a Saturday figuring it out for the first time.


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