Dell XPS 15 L502X - factory restore without recovery partition

[edenbensal]

Hello,
I have Dell XPS 15 L502X (service tag: GMBKSQ1, Express service code 36178219369) which came with Windows 7 originally. I've replaced the hdd because he was damaged. in the new hdd there isn't recovery partition that let me restore the laptop to factory settings.
Also I didn't get the windows 7 on disc.

I've called to Dell support and they said that there is no option to buy a disk of windows 7 and the only option is to buy a new HDD from them.

I really want bring back this recovery partition and not just to do fresh install of windows 7.

maybe someone can help me? what is my options?

 

[Valantar]

Is the original hdd entirely dead? Because otherwise, there's no way to get a hold of a recovery partition. However, if you get a hold of an installation disk for Windows in the correct version and language, you can simply install from that and activate it with the key that came with the PC. The same might also work with a Windows 10 USB installer, which you can create from Microsoft's official Media Creation Tool. Note the stress on might. Also, of course, your PC has to be compatible with W10 for that to work.

 

[AMDisTheBEST]

I did a clean reinstall today and wasn't able to activate my original key, which was an oem windows 8 pro that i subsequently upgraded to windows 10 back when the upgrade was free. After contacting support and giving them a picture of the invoice with the key i purchase from G2A (I am surprised they didn't mind that i brought from unauthorized seller), they gave me a brand new retail version of the windows 10 pro. hahahaha. Be sure to have a copy of your license key to avoid the trouble i went through when clean installing.

 

[edenbensal]

The original hdd is ok. I've copy the recovery partition to the current hdd with Acronis disk director 12 but someone in the web told me that copying only the recovery partition is useless because it has one more partition of the os itself.


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[Valantar]

The original hdd is ok. I've copy the recovery partition to the current hdd with Acronis disk director 12 but someone in the web told me that copying only the recovery partition is useless because it has one more partition of the os itself.


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For that to work I'd assume you would have to clone the entire drive or at least the boot sector to be sure the recovery partition is bootable. If it is bootable, of course. I've seen recovery partitions that still require a system restore disk or similar.

 

[edenbensal]

yeah exactly he have been told me to clone the entire drive.
for now I've installed win 10 and keep a side the recovery partition.

thanks!