How do u reset a dell dimension 4800 computer back to factory setting?

Steve Allison

• 5569 Answers
• Posted on Dec 25, 2008

SOURCE: how to reboot dell dimension 3000 desktop

If you have disks supplied with the system, they normally offer more than one type of reinstallation; destructive and non-destructive.  In most cases, neither of these will absolutely remove all traces of former files. If that is what you wish, you can reformat the hard drive and remove the existing directory and make old files unaccessible except to experts wanting to 'get the goods' on someone.
There is also the chance to backdate the system to an earlier time in case something has bollixed enough files to make it unstable. That procedure is called 'restoration' which replaces the system files as they were at an earlier time so corrupt files are replaced with fresh copies from a separate partition on the drive. This method leaves your personally created files intact if that is desired.
These various possiblities depend somewhat on the version of Windows you are using and information in the Windows Help section can give you guidance if you want it.
If you have sensitive information that you do not want anyone to ever access, there are numerous freeware programs that will overwrite existing files so completely that even experts cannot recover them. They use various methods of trashing files but most offer the chance to set how many times you want them overwritten and by which method, among these is using all zeros or random numbers.       Finally, the last option is to replace the hard drive with a new one, physically disassemble and destroy the disks mechanically although disposal would still be sensitive since there are methods of reading file segments on even catastrophically damaged disks.

SOURCE: Restore factory settings.

Here is the Dell tech support article for PC Restore to re-image the system to the factory settings.

http://support.dell.com/support/topics/global.aspx/support/dsn/en/document?journalid=5A9D1CCAB17AB24BE040AE0AB5E12BFE&docid=325300

SOURCE: how do u reset a dell computer back to factory setting?

if your computer shows a blue bar at the top of the screen and says www.dell.com you can try ctrl+f11 which will start the system restore sequence......hopefully you have one of the dells which containt this feature

SOURCE: Factory Reset

1 Turn on the computer.
2 When the Dell splash screen appears during the computer startup process, press and hold <Ctrl> and then press <F11>. Then, release both keys at the same time.
3 In the Dell PC Restore by Symantec window, click Restore. Alternatively, press <Tab> to highlight Restore, and then press <Enter>.
4 When a warning message appears stating that all data will be lost, click Confirm, or press <Tab> to highlight Confirm and then press <Enter>.

The Progress window will appear. Once the restore process starts, Dell PC Restore by Symantec usually takes about 8 to 10 minutes to finish.

When the restore process is complete, the following message will appear:
The system recovery process was successful.
5 Click Finish or press <Tab> to highlight Finish and then press <Enter> to restart the computer.
The software is now installed as it was when the computer was first received

SOURCE: reset dell e521 back to factory setting

Well you really need to use your system restore disk. NOTE::::>>>> All of your user files and personal info Will be deleted, including bookmarks, and any programs that did not originally come with the computer. Your computer will be as if it was just taken out the box.