[worthing.jason]

These directions will walk you through getting a copy of the dell image for your system, making a bootable flash drive, moving the image to a bootable flash drive, and making it where it will reimage your computer automatically, in similar manner to how the Dell Ubuntu image on the Dell FTP site...

Click here to read the entire tutorial

[GAJ]

FYI, I just tried to obtain the SRCD, P/N 59221 via the chat method and the call method. Neither one worked. According to the guy I spoke with, they no longer show anything available under that P/N--it is in the system but deactivated or something like that. The chat person also had stated no SRCD's are available for the Mini9/XP. I'm not sure what's going on, whether it is no longer available or whether I am just unlucky and got two agents who both couldn't help me. If the latter case, can someone provide any additional information to help me cut through the B/S or maybe an agent name/extension who was able to find and ship the SRCD?

[zrtom]

Well, I (may) have two sets on the way, one for my Mini 9, one for my Mini 10. It's always a crap shoot with these things but once they arrive, I'll report back with the details.
The set for the Mini 9 took over two hours on chat. The set for the Mini 10 took about 5 minutes (started on chat and a supervisor had to call me back). I won't know whether the right disks come until they arrive, but both dispatches included 59221 and each one verified that I already had the XP and drivers installation disks. I'm a little apprehensive about the Mini 10 because, as they said, it is so new the SRCD process isn't set up yet...upon hard drive failure, they send a new imaged hard drive instead of a blank hard drive and the SRCD set. Maybe their system is indeed evolving.

It would be a pity if they really did stop shipping those disks. I feel they'll always keep making them, its just a question of whether they'll ship them to customers, I guess.

I have them for all the Dells I've purchased in the last couple years. The nice thing about the Field Restoration disks is that, while yes they include the OS and software just as it came from Dell, they often omit some of the bloatware that came originally. Google Desktop is one that comes to mind. Another is Intel viiv (something that never got off the ground anyway). I remember having a long talk with a supervisor a couple years ago and I think I've zeroed-in on why they are so resistant to ship them upon first request. Dell partners with certain third parties and includes their software on the new computers. For years it was Yahoo, then Google, more recently my Ubuntu Mini was bloated with Yahoo and now they are shipping a lot of the Microsoft Live "crap" preinstalled . I say "crap" in quotes because I use Live Mail and like it; but I'd prefer to make the choice mine, not preselected and preinstalled. Anyway, the discussion led me to believe that the "partners" were leaning on Dell, looking over the fine print in their partnership contracts. And he gave me an example. When my M1330 was shipped, they were partnered with Company G(oogle) for their desktop software. Six months later they are partnered with company Y(ahoo). Company Y has a (legitimate) problem with Dell shipping system restore CDs having company G software on them, when Company G is no longer the partner, Company Y is. So if they shipped it EXACTLY like it was with respect to partner bloatware, someone would be pissed, probably some contract would be breached, not pretty. It may sound petty but these partnerships are big business with such large computer manufacturers and large software companies.
Anyway, somehow Dell has gotten around the issue of sending the SRCDs (intended for "emergency" or "warranty" repairs by Dell technicians) to customers (not warranty technicians) by peeling off the bloatware. So the current partner is happier but guess what? The original partner is now saying "hey, our agreement was to sell our software on that particular computer, why did you remove it??" On and on and its a wonder we're able to get any SRCDs.

But once you have them, there are some utilities you can get at that make it possible to reimage and restore ANY setup, particularly the regular Dells with the factory image file on the D:\RECOVERY partition, but on any computer if you know how.
Again, I'll report back next week.....

Edit: Reporting back. Got the SRCD's for the Mini 9 overnighted. The ones for the Mini 10 are still in production. So there ARE still shipping them.

[frankguru]

Chatted with Dell Support about getting the SRCDs. First, I was told that it is not available. Then, he admitted that there is such CD set, but he can not send it to me. The new excuse I got is that my Mini is from Home Segment, not from business segment. Not sure about that.

Tom, could you please verify if yours is from business segment.

[zrtom]

Originally Posted by frankguru

Tom, could you please verify if yours is from business segment.

My Minis were purchased through the Home segment, not business. Keep trying. Just keep calling back until you get somewhere with someone willing to listen. They are SO obtuse about things, especially SRCDs. Seems like the best way is if you get someone being obstinate, just end the conversation and start right over.

[frankguru]

Tom, Thanks for the reply. I argued with them about why it matters being from Home Segment or Business Segment. They insists that the support model is different. Furthermore, discussions at Dell support forum state otherwise - Dell may have issues to send SRCDs to a business, but for a consumer user.
At the end, the agent and his supervisor even tried pull this trick on me: Mini has neither CD drive nor floppy, why do u want to have the SRCDs.
BTW, both agents are from india.

[worthing.jason]

I checked the other day, and nothing has changed in the policy in the last year on SRCDs. If they claim it is not available for Consumers, they are wrong. I have had 3 consumer systems, and all 3 had the CDs, including my Mini, which is a consumer system. also, they are still available, I have sent out 2-3 in the last week alone. If they claim otherwise, tell them to go reread their policy articles.

Worthing.jason

[frankguru]

Yes, Dell has the SRCD for Mini 9 and still sent them out. I got mine via online chat with tech support this afternoon ( 2pm EDT). This was my 3rd try. The other 2 failed try were in evening and morning.

The agent I chatted with is Narender. My chat session ID is 26799852.

Some pointers may be useful in requesting a copy SRCD:
1. I went directly to request for a copy of System Restoration CD, and I asked Narender to take a look at Dell support article #128289, which describes how to use SRCD.
2. I had to repeat several times about my request of SRCD, not the system reinstallation CDs.
3. I confirmed that the part number for CD is 59221 before I ended my chat with Narender.

The SRCD has already been shipped via FedEx next day.

[anguish]

Couple of quick questions:

- There any charge for this?
- This apply to refurbs? (I am assuming yes here.)

I am going to go for this tomorrow, hopefully I will get a rep as good as I got today.

Thanks!

[frankguru]

Originally Posted by anguish

Couple of quick questions:

- There any charge for this?
- This apply to refurbs? (I am assuming yes here.)

I am going to go for this tomorrow, hopefully I will get a rep as good as I got today.

Thanks!

1. No, there is no charge at all.
2. Yes, I assume as my mini was from Dell outlet.

[anguish]

Originally Posted by frankguru

Yes, Dell has the SRCD for Mini 9 and still sent them out. I got mine via online chat with tech support this afternoon ( 2pm EDT). This was my 3rd try. The other 2 failed try were in evening and morning.

The agent I chatted with is Narender. My chat session ID is 26799852.

Some pointers may be useful in requesting a copy SRCD:
1. I went directly to request for a copy of System Restoration CD, and I asked Narender to take a look at Dell support article #128289, which describes how to use SRCD.
2. I had to repeat several times about my request of SRCD, not the system reinstallation CDs.
3. I confirmed that the part number for CD is 59221 before I ended my chat with Narender.

The SRCD has already been shipped via FedEx next day.

I did part of number 1 (didn't ask to look at the article referenced). Definitely did two. Definitely did three. Was actually rather painless. I was ready to do some battle, but the rep I chatted with was excellent. I didn't get a website though where I can check the dispatch. I'll double check in this thread, but if someone can PM me or post it in this thread, I would appreciate it.

These pointers definitely helped though!