How can I do factory reset on my Dell Vista laptop.

https://www.dell.com/support/kbdoc/en-au/000129133/restoring-microsoft-windows-vista-to-factory-configuration

If the manufacturer's recovery partition has been removed:

You can borrow and use a Microsoft Vista DVD (Retail or OEM System Builders License) , that contains the files for the various Vista Editions (Home Basic, Home Premium, Business and Ultimate) to be installed. The Product Key on your Computer / Laptop case determines which Edition is installed.

The COA sticker, which has the Product Key on it, is either on the underside of the Laptop or in the Battery Compartment.

With a Desktop it is either on the side, rear or top of the Computer Case.

Other Manufacturers' Recovery DVDs are not to be used for the above purpose.

And you need to know the "bit" version for Vista, as 32bit and 64bit Editions come on different DVDs.

To access Boot Menu:

https://neosmart.net/wiki/boot-usb-drive/

Here is how to do a clean install of Vista, using a Microsoft Vista DVD:

"How to Do a Clean Install and Setup with a Full Version of Vista"

http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/117366-clean-install-full-version-vista.html

And once the Operating System is installed, go to your Computer Manufacturer's website and obtain the latest Drivers for your particular Model Computer or Laptop.

How to activate Windows Vista

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/940315/how-to-activate-windows-vista

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If you have to use phone activation:

"How to Activate Vista Normally and by Phone Activation"

http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/84488-activate-vista-phone.html

Microsoft is the one who says yay or nay for Activation.

You have to go through them, but lately a lot of posters have been referred back to here by them when using phone activation.

If that happens use this method of contacting Microsoft:

Contact support        

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/contact-support

Hi bbrown1:

Do the instructions in the eHow article How to Reset an Inspiron 1525 to Factory Settings or the CHRON article How to Start Recovery on an Inspiron 1525 work? Both article describe how you can access the recovery options by re-booting your computer and repeatedly tapping the F8 key when the Dell logo appears (i.e., before Windows loads). I found these articles by doing a Google search for "inspiron 1525 reset to factory condition" so I'm not sure if those instructions apply to an Inspiron 1525 with a Vista SP2 OS.

If those instructions don't work, do you have a working DC/DVD optical drive and the Dell Operating System Reinstallation CD/DVD mentioned in Step 3 of the Dell support article How to Manually Reinstall Windows Vista?

Also, is this the same Vista computer you discussed in your recent 06-Jan-2022 thread Resolve Windows7 Update and Web Page Problems? I'm not sure how you did this since the free upgrade offer from Vista to Win 7 expired on 31-Jan-2010 and users now need to purchase a valid Win 7 product key to perform the upgrade. Regardless, if you you did manage to upgrade to Win 7 then just note that the upgrade might have removed the Dell software and recovery partition you require to perform a reset to factory condition. I didn't read through all the replies in your 06-Jan-2022 thread but if you now have a Win 7 OS (even if Windows Update can't patch Win 7 SP1 back to end of support on 14-Jan-2020 without installing KB4474419 to add SHA-2 code signing support first) and you don't have any personal data on this computer then the charity you're donating your Inspiron 1525 to might not require a reset to factory condition as long as your machine still boots up normally. I'm guessing they'll re-image your entire hard drive once it's donated and just don't want you to donate a computer that could still have confidential personal data (e.g., documents with bank account numbers, etc.) on it.

32-bit Vista Home Premium SP2 * Firefox ESR v52.9.0 * Malwarebytes Premium v3.5.1.2522-1.0.365
HP Pavilion dv6835ca, Intel Core2Duo T5550 @ 1.83 GHz, 3 GB RAM, 256 GB WD SATA HDD, NVIDIA GeForce 8400M GS