Re: Is PC Restore a destructive process (apps, data)?

On May 19, 11:35 pm, i <n...@xxxxxxx> wrote:
pau...@xxxxxxx wrote:
On May 19, 8:33 pm, i <n...@xxxxxxx> wrote:
Due to an ongoing problem with video, it's recommended that I go
through the PC Restore process to return to Dell's original
settings.

Will that lose all the app installations and data files?

TIA

YES.

You can do a "repair install" with the Dell CD, though.

However... before we go in to that, what is your problem, precicely?
And what steps have you already taken to troubleshoot the problem?

Also what model Dell is it, and what model Video card?

Thanks.

Inspiron 640M with the A10 bios, Vista. Intel GMA950 video, and
Everest says there's 224MB of RAM allocated to it.

Once or twice an hour the screen will blink. Everything else
seems ok. I don't know much about troubleshooting this sort of
thing, and my old utilities aren't Vista compatible.

Dell suggested reflashing the bios, which didn't help. The next
suggestion was PC Restore.

A single flicker off and on once an hour isn't so bad.... when
everything else works fine as is. It seems harsh treatment to do a
complete restore over that issue.

My reasoning is that a restore seems unlikely to cure this issue, as
it sounds hardware or drivers related. If hardware: you're totally
stuck (short of returning it under warranty, which may be the best
option). If it's drivers, there's FAR less destructive means of
troubleshooting those.

Dell's driver: Try this first.

http://support.dell.com/support/downloads/download.aspx?c=us&l=en&s=gen&releaseid=R140540&SystemID=INS_PNT_E1405&servicetag=&os=WLH&osl=en&deviceid=8980&devlib=0&typecnt=0&vercnt=1&catid=-1&impid=-1&formatcnt=1&libid=6&fileid=187557

Notes form Intel:

http://www.intel.com/products/chipsets/gma950/index.htm

Including this unsettling blurb:

"Ready for Microsoft Windows* Vista*
Updated Intel® Graphics WDDM drivers supporting the Intel® 945G
Express Chipset are included in the Windows Vista* February CTP build
(build 5308). These drivers are only compatible with this build and
should not be used with other versions of Windows Vista."

Translation: Intel's drivers are currently for the BETA of Vista, not
the release version! In a few months, you might want to check back
and see if there's an updated version, that might actually fix the
problem. Worse, the February they mentioned was Feb 22, 2006!

(ctp=Community Technology Preview [public beta])

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Community_Technology_Preview#Beta




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