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Dell SupportAssist OS Recovery

User's Guide

Chapter 1: Introduction to SupportAssist OS Recovery

SupportAssist OS Recovery is factory-installed on supported Dell systems and does not require you to purchase any additional service plans. It provides a recovery environment that consists of tools to diagnose and troubleshoot issues that may occur before your computer boots to the operating system. When your computer is unable to boot to the operating system even after repeated attempts, it automatically starts SupportAssist OS Recovery. The recovery environment enables you to diagnose hardware issues, repair your computer, back up your files, or reset your computer to its factory state.

Topics:

  • Systems with SupportAssist OS Recovery
  • Key features

Systems with SupportAssist OS Recovery

SupportAssist OS Recovery is available only on certain Dell systems that run a Dell factory-installed Microsoft Windows 10 operating system. For the list of systems where SupportAssist OS Recovery is available, see the Dell SupportAssist OS Recovery Support Matrix on the SupportAssist for Home PCs manuals page.

[CAUTION]: Formatting the hard drive of your computer deletes the SupportAssist OS Recovery environment.

Key features

  • System Repair—Instantly rollback to a previous point in time on your computer to resolve boot issues or any other performance issues.
  • Scan Hardware—Run diagnostic tests on your computer to detect any hardware issues.
  • Startup Repair—Troubleshoot common issues that may occur before your computer boots to the operating system. This option enables you to avoid the need to reset your computer to its factory state.
  • Back Up Files—Save a copy of your personal files on your local hard drive or on an external storage device.
  • Reset—Download and install the factory operating system or upgrade to the latest operating system available.

Chapter 2: System Repair with SupportAssist OS Recovery

The System Repair feature in SupportAssist OS Recovery allows you to instantly rollback to a previous point in time on your computer to resolve boot issues or any other performance issues. The System Repair feature is automatically enabled on all the computers with at least 50 GB of free disk space and where SupportAssist OS Recovery is available. However, on computers with less than 50 GB of free disk space, you can manually enable the feature in the control panel settings of the operating system.

[NOTE]: The System Repair feature does not work if there is a hardware failure.

This feature helps you to instantly restore your computer to a previous point in time. Restoring your computer may help in resolving issues caused by virus or malware infections, registry corruption, system file corruption, issues with operating system patches, or drivers.

[CAUTION]: This feature does not completely protect the program files. The non-Dell applications that are installed on your computer may be removed when the computer is restored to a previous restore point.

Topics:

  • Manually enable System Repair
  • Run System Repair

Manually enable System Repair

On computers with less than 50 GB of free disk space, you can manually enable the System Repair feature in the operating system control panel settings.

Prerequisites

You must have at least 12 GB of free disk space on your computer.

Steps

  1. In the search box on the taskbar, type control panel, and then select Control Panel.
  2. Select System and Security.
  3. Double-click SupportAssist OS Recovery.
  4. Select the Settings tab.
  5. Enable System Repair, and select the amount of space you want to allocate for storing system repair snapshots. By default, 15 GB is selected.

Results

System Repair feature is enabled on your computer. As and when repair points are created, they are displayed in the Current Repair Points section of the Settings tab. The amount of space utilized out of the total allocated space is also displayed.

Run System Repair

System Repair feature resets the computer to a previous point in time when everything was running smoothly on your computer.

Prerequisites

System Repair feature must be enabled on your computer.

Steps

  1. In the search box on the taskbar, type control panel, and then select Control Panel.
  2. Select System and Security.
  3. Double-click SupportAssist OS Recovery.
  4. Select the Run Repair tab.
  5. Select I authorize Dell to temporarily suspend data encryption on my PC, such as BitLocker, to install updates and click RUN REPAIR.

Your computer restarts and you are redirected to SupportAssist OS Recovery environment. The Repair window is displayed.

  1. Select the repair point to which you want to revert, and then click START.

[NOTE]: You can identify the repair point by the date and time mentioned along with it. To view more details about a repair point, click the corresponding View details link.

Results

The system repair process is initiated, and the progress of repair is displayed.

  • If the computer is repaired successfully, the Everything's back to normal status is displayed. Click DONE.
  • If the system repair is unsuccessful, an error message is displayed. Click RESET OPTIONS to reset the operating system of your computer. See Reset your computer.

Chapter 3: Starting SupportAssist OS Recovery

You can start SupportAssist OS Recovery in the following ways:

Steps

  1. Automatic start of SupportAssist OS Recovery—When your computer is unable to boot to the operating system even after repeated attempts, SupportAssist OS Recovery starts automatically.
  2. Manual start of SupportAssist OS Recovery—You can manually start SupportAssist OS Recovery to reset your computer to factory state or to back up your files. See Manually start SupportAssist OS Recovery.
  3. BIOSConnect for SupportAssist OS Recovery—SupportAssist OS Recovery is installed on a special partition of the system hard drive. If this partition is absent, corrupt, or needs repair, BIOSConnect provides an alternative method for starting SupportAssist OS Recovery. See BIOSConnect.

[NOTE]: This feature is available only on certain Dell systems. For the list of systems where BIOSConnect feature is supported, see the Dell SupportAssist OS Recovery Support Matrix on the SupportAssist for Home PCs manuals page.

  1. Start SupportAssist OS Recovery using Windows Recovery—Windows Recovery is a redirection utility that helps in redirecting to the SupportAssist OS Recovery environment when your computer is unable to boot to the operating system even after repeated attempts. See Start SupportAssist OS Recovery using Windows Recovery.

Topics:

  • Manually start SupportAssist OS Recovery
  • Start SupportAssist OS Recovery using Windows Recovery

Manually start SupportAssist OS Recovery

About this task

You can manually start SupportAssist OS Recovery at any time to back up your files or to reset your computer to its factory state.

Steps

  1. Turn on or restart your computer.
  2. Press F12 to access the one time boot menu.

[NOTE]: If you wait too long and the operating system logo is displayed, wait until you see the Windows desktop, restart your computer, and try again.

The available boot options are displayed.

  1. Select SupportAssist OS Recovery, and then press Enter.

Results

The SupportAssist OS Recovery home page is displayed.

If the SupportAssist OS Recovery user interface is displayed for the first time, click APPROVE to accept the privacy policy. A walkthrough option is also displayed. Click START WALKTHROUGH to learn about various options available in the tool, or click SKIP to skip the walkthrough process.

Start SupportAssist OS Recovery using Windows Recovery

Windows Recovery is a redirection utility that helps in redirecting to the SupportAssist OS Recovery environment when your computer is unable to boot to the operating system even after repeated attempts. You can access the Windows Recovery Environment using the following methods:

  1. From the operating system: Start Menu > Settings > Update and Security > Recovery > Advanced Startup > Restart Now.
  2. From the Windows login screen: Hold the shift button, and click Restart.
  3. From the Windows Recovery page: Click Troubleshoot on the Choose an option page, and then click Factory Image Restore.

Chapter 4: Using SupportAssist OS Recovery

SupportAssist OS Recovery starts automatically when your computer fails to start the operating system even after repeated attempts. If necessary, you can manually start SupportAssist OS Recovery. For instructions to start SupportAssist OS Recovery manually, see Manually start SupportAssist OS Recovery.

Topics:

  • SupportAssist OS Recovery home page
  • SupportAssist OS Recovery user interface
  • Configure Internet settings
  • Scan the hardware
  • Startup repair
  • Back up files
  • Reset your computer
  • Restore data after resetting your computer to factory state

SupportAssist OS Recovery home page

The SupportAssist OS Recovery home page displays the following options:

  • SCAN HARDWARE—Run diagnostic tests to detect any hardware issues.
  • STARTUP REPAIR—Troubleshoot common issues without having to do a full system reset.
  • BACK UP FILES—Save a copy of your personal files on an external storage device.
  • RESET—Reset the operating system to the factory state or upgrade to the latest version of the operating system.

SupportAssist OS Recovery user interface

If the SupportAssist OS Recovery user interface is displayed for the first time, click APPROVE to accept the privacy policy. A walkthrough option is also displayed. Click START WALKTHROUGH to learn about various options available in the tool, or click SKIP to skip the walkthrough process.

The header of the SupportAssist OS Recovery page displays the following:

  • Battery status
  • Network icon and status
  • Language in which the user interface is displayed. SupportAssist OS Recovery user interface is available in 28 languages. To change the language, select from the list of languages.

[icon] through which you can access the following options:

  • About—Lists the model and Service Tag of your computer, warranty expiration date, and version of SupportAssist OS Recovery installed on your system
  • Help—Provides reference information about SupportAssist OS Recovery
  • Windows Recovery—Boots to the Windows Recovery environment
  • Shut down—Turns off your computer
  • Restart—Restarts your computer to boot to the operating system

[NOTE]: You may see an UPDATE NOW option on the header of the SupportAssist OS Recovery home page. This option is displayed when the version of SupportAssist OS Recovery that is installed on your computer is not the latest. To update to the latest version of SupportAssist OS Recovery, click UPDATE NOW.

Configure Internet settings

An active Internet connection is required for sending feedback to Dell and for resetting your computer using the Reset and update option. The NETWORK page displays a visual network map and indicates the connection state of your computer to the local network and the Internet. After you connect your computer to the Internet through SupportAssist OS Recovery interface, SupportAssist OS Recovery saves the network configuration settings for future connections.

Configure wireless network

Prerequisites

The wireless modem or router must be turned on and placed near the computer for easy detection.

Steps
  1. Click the network icon on the header of the SupportAssist OS Recovery home page, and then click CONNECT. The NETWORK page is displayed.
  2. Select Wireless.

[NOTE]: If your device is unable to detect a wireless network adapter, an error message is displayed. To resolve the issue, verify if the wireless network adapter is disabled in your computer settings.

A list of all the available wireless networks is displayed.

  1. Select the wireless network that you want to configure and connect.
    • If you select a secured network, enter the corresponding network security key, and then click CONNECT.
    • If you select a public Wi-Fi network, read the terms of service, and then click ACCEPT AND CONNECT.
    • If you want to connect to a hidden Wi-Fi network, select Add Wifi, enter the network SSID and security key, and then click CONNECT.

[NOTE]: If you want SupportAssist OS Recovery to connect automatically to the selected wireless network, select the Connect automatically check box.

The selected wireless network is configured in SupportAssist OS Recovery, and the Connected status is displayed.

  1. Click DONE.

Configure wired network

Prerequisites

The network cable must be connected to your computer.

Steps
  1. Click the network icon on the header of the SupportAssist OS Recovery home page, and then click CONNECT. The NETWORK page is displayed.
  2. Select Wired.

SupportAssist OS Recovery automatically displays the IP Address, Subnet Mask, Router, and DNS Server details of the wired network.

  1. If you want to manually configure your network, select Manual for DHCP option, enter the IP Address, Subnet Mask, Router, and DNS Server details, and then click APPLY.

The wired network is configured in SupportAssist OS Recovery, and the Connected status is displayed.

  1. Click DONE.

Configure proxy network

Prerequisites

The network cable must be connected to your computer if you want to connect to a wired proxy network.

The wireless modem or router must be turned on and placed near the computer for easy detection if you want to connect to a wireless proxy network.

Steps
  1. Click the network icon on the header of the SupportAssist OS Recovery home page, and then click CONNECT. The NETWORK page is displayed.
  2. Select Proxy.
  3. Enter details such as proxy server, port number, username, and password in the Proxy settings box, and then click CONNECT.

The proxy network is configured in SupportAssist OS Recovery, and the Connected status is displayed.

  1. Click DONE.

Scan the hardware

Prerequisites

Your computer must be connected to a power outlet.

About this task

The SCAN HARDWARE option on the SupportAssist OS Recovery home page enables you to run diagnostic tests to detect hardware issues. It scans the battery, cable, hard drive, keyboard, USB drives, fan, and memory to detect issues, if any.

Steps
  1. On the SupportAssist OS Recovery home page, click SCAN on the SCAN HARDWARE tile.
  2. Click START SCAN.

The hardware scan starts and the progress is displayed.

  • If no hardware issue is detected, the Everthing looks good status is displayed.
  • If a hardware issue is detected, a page with the details of the detected issue is displayed. Click the link on the page to access the Dell support website and follow the instructions to submit a trouble ticket. You can also scan the QR code to request support on your mobile device.
  1. Click DONE.

Startup repair

Prerequisites

Your computer must be connected to a power outlet.

About this task

The STARTUP REPAIR option on the SupportAssist OS Recovery home page enables you to diagnose and troubleshoot common issues that may occur before your computer boots to the operating system. It checks and fixes the partition table, boot files, and the health of the Windows operating system.

Steps
  1. On the SupportAssist OS Recovery home page, click REPAIR on the STARTUP SOFTWARE tile.

[NOTE]: If software encryption is enabled on your computer, you are prompted to unlock your computer before you start the repair process.

Perform the following steps to unlock your computer:

  1. Click NEXT on the page where instructions to unlock computer are displayed. The Microsoft account login page is displayed.
  2. Enter the Microsoft account login email or phone number, and then click Next.
  3. Enter the Microsoft account password, and then click Sign in.

Back up files

Prerequisites
  • Your computer must be connected to a power outlet.
  • You must have an external storage device such as an SD card, USB drive, or USB hard drive to back up your files.
About this task

You can back up your personal files before you reset the operating system of your computer. If your computer is unable to start the operating system, the SupportAssist OS Recovery environment starts automatically. If you want to manually start SupportAssist OS recovery, see Manually start SupportAssist OS Recovery.

Steps
  1. On the SupportAssist OS Recovery home page, click START BACKUP on the BACK UP FILES tile.

[NOTE]: If software encryption is enabled on your computer, you are prompted to unlock your computer before you start backing up the files on your computer.

Perform the following steps to unlock your computer:

  1. Click NEXT on the page where instructions to unlock computer are displayed. The Microsoft account login page is displayed.
  2. Enter the Microsoft account login email or phone number, and then click Next.
  3. Enter the Microsoft account password, and then click Sign in.
  4. Select the user phone number, enter the last four digits of the phone number, and then click Send code. A message with a verification code is sent to the phone number.
  5. Enter the verification code in the Code field, and then click Verify. BitLocker recovery keys that are associated with your account are displayed.
  6. Right-click and copy, or make a note of the recovery key applicable to your device, and click ENTER KEY.
  7. Right-click and paste, or enter the recovery key in the Enter BitLocker recovery key field, and then click UNLOCK. Your computer is unlocked.
  1. Click START BACKUP.

The files and folders on your computer are analyzed and the file count and the file size of the default Windows libraries are displayed.

[NOTE]: The file count and file size that are displayed may be greater than that of your user account. This is because the Windows libraries contain files of all the user accounts on your computer.

  1. Perform one of the following:
    • Select the folders that you want to back up, and then click NEXT.
    • To include or exclude specific files and folders for backup, click the Advanced Settings link. The Advanced Settings page is displayed.
      1. To include files or folders for the backup, select the check box beside those files or folders. To exclude files or folders for the backup, clear the check box beside those files or folders.
      2. Click NEXT.

Reset your computer

When the System Repair or the Startup Repair option in the SupportAssist OS Recovery environment is unable to repair your computer, you can reset the operating system of your computer. You can either reset the operating system to factory state or install the latest version of the operating system.

On the SupportAssist OS Recovery home page, click START RESET on the RESET tile. Depending upon the state of your computer, the following options may be available:

  • Reset to factory settings—Download and install the operating system and software to the state they were in when your computer was shipped from the Dell factory.
  • Reset and update—Download and install the most recent operating system on your computer along with the critical drivers and applications.

[CAUTION]: The reset process permanently deletes all data on the hard drive and uninstalls any programs or drivers that you installed on your computer. It is recommended that you back up the data before performing a system reset. Reset your computer using Dell SupportAssist OS Recovery only if you cannot resolve operating system issues using Windows System Restore.

[NOTE]: If your computer is irreparable or SupportAssist OS Recovery is unable to detect the factory installed operating system on your computer, only the Reset and update option is displayed.

[NOTE]: The feature to reset your computer using the Reset and update option is supported only on certain systems. For the list of systems where this feature is supported, see the Dell SupportAssist OS Recovery Support Matrix on the SupportAssist for Home PCs manuals page.

[NOTE]: Resetting your computer using the Reset to factory settings option may require you to enter product or license keys for software such as Microsoft Office 365 and other licensed software.

To reset your computer to factory state, see Reset your computer to factory state.

To reset your computer and update to the most recent version of operating system, see Resetting and updating your computer.

Reset your computer to factory state

Prerequisites

Your computer must be connected to a power outlet.

About this task

You can use the Reset to factory settings option to reset your operating system and default applications to the state they were in when your computer was shipped from the Dell factory.

Steps

  1. On the SupportAssist OS Recovery home page, click START RESET on the RESET tile. System reset options are displayed.
  2. Select Reset to factory settings, and then click NEXT.

The option to back up your files is displayed.

  • If you want to back up your files, select Yes, back up my files, click NEXT, and follow the instructions in Back up files section to back up the required files.
  • If you have already created a backup of your files or you do not want to back up your files, select No, do not back up my files and click NEXT.
  1. Read the warning message that is displayed, and click YES, CONTINUE.
  2. On the Confirm your reset page, perform the following steps:
    1. Optionally, from the Select reason list, select a reason for resetting your system.
    2. Select the I understand that the reset will delete all of my system data and personal files check box, and then click NEXT.

The factory reset process begins and may take several minutes to complete.

  1. After the process is complete, click RESTART to restart your computer.

Next steps

Reinstall all the applications (including third-party applications) that were not originally installed on your computer. You can restore your files after resetting your computer to factory state. See Restore data after resetting your computer to factory state.

Restore data after resetting your computer to factory state

Prerequisites

  • Your computer must be connected to a power outlet.
  • You must have the external storage device handy in which you backed up your data.
  • You must be able to log in to the operating system.

About this task

After you reset the operating system on your computer, perform the following steps to restore data:

[NOTE]: The following instructions are applicable if you want to restore data after resetting your computer to factory state. If you chose to reset your computer using the Reset and update option, you can restore the files by using the SupportAssist Recovery Assistant. See Restore data by using SupportAssist Recovery Assistant.

Steps

  1. Connect the external storage device on which you created a backup of your files.
  2. In the SupportAssist_Backups folder on the external storage device, double-click the File_Restore.exe file. The restore application is displayed.
  3. Click Browse beside Select archive.
  4. Go to the external storage device folder, and then select archive.zip file.

Chapter 5: Resetting and updating your computer

You can reset your computer and update the operating system of your computer to the latest available version using the Reset and update option. This updates the operating system to a version which is more current than the operating system installed at the Dell factory. It is recommended that you use this option only if your computer is irreparable or SupportAssist OS Recovery is unable to detect the factory image on your computer.

[NOTE]: The feature to reset your computer using the Reset and update option is supported only on certain systems. For the list of systems where this feature is supported, see the Dell SupportAssist OS Recovery Support Matrix on the SupportAssist for Home PCs manuals page.

Before resetting your computer using the Reset and update option, you must:

  1. Download and install the Dell OS Recovery Tool. See Download and install Dell OS Recovery Tool.
  2. Create a SupportAssist OS Recovery USB key. See Create SupportAssist OS Recovery USB key.

Topics:

  • Download and install Dell OS Recovery Tool
  • Create SupportAssist OS Recovery USB key
  • Reset your computer and update the operating system
  • SupportAssist Recovery Assistant

Download and install Dell OS Recovery Tool

Prerequisites

Your computer must have an active Internet connection.

About this task

You can download and install the Dell OS Recovery Tool from the Dell support site.

[NOTE]: Downloading and installing the Dell OS Recovery Tool is necessary for resetting your computer using the Reset and update option. It is recommended that you reset your computer using the Reset and update option only if your computer is irreparable and the SupportAssist OS Recovery tool is unable to detect the factory installed operating system on your computer.

Steps

  1. Go to https://www.dell.com/support/osrecovery.
  2. Click Download OS Recovery Tool.

The Dell OS Recovery Tool installation package is downloaded.

  1. Double-click the Dell OS Recovery Tool installation package and follow the instructions to install the tool.

Next steps

After the installation is complete, create the SupportAssist OS Recovery USB key. See Create SupportAssist OS Recovery USB key.

Create SupportAssist OS Recovery USB key

Prerequisites

  • Dell OS Recovery Tool must be installed on your computer. See Download and install Dell OS Recovery Tool.
  • Your computer must have an active Internet connection.
  • You must have a USB storage device with a minimum of 16 GB free space.

[CAUTION]: Data on the USB storage device is formatted and erased when the SupportAssist OS Recovery key is created.

Steps

  1. Connect the USB storage device to the computer where Dell OS Recovery Tool is installed.
  2. Launch the Dell OS Recovery Tool, and then click Get Started.
  3. Click Next. The Start Recovery page is displayed.
  4. Depending on the computer for which you want to reset and update the operating system, select one of the following options:
    • This Computer—Select this option if you want to reset and update the operating system of the computer on which you have installed the Dell OS Recovery Tool.
    • Other Computer—Select this option if you want to reset and update the operating system of a different computer.
  5. If you selected Other Computer, enter the Service Tag of the other computer.
  6. Click Next.

The Operating System page is displayed with options to download:

  • One or more than one Windows operating system images that are available for the computer whose Service Tag is entered
  • SupportAssist OS Recovery tool

[NOTE]: If SupportAssist OS Recovery is not available for your Service Tag, only the links to download the Windows operating system image are displayed.

  1. Click Download to download the SupportAssist OS Recovery tool. The SupportAssist OS Recovery tool is downloaded.
  2. Click Download for the version of Windows operating system image that you want to download. The Windows operating system image is downloaded.
  3. Click Next.
  4. In the USB Drive list, select the appropriate USB drive, and then click Burn OS.

The SupportAssist OS Recovery USB key is created.

Next steps

After you create a SupportAssist OS Recovery USB key, you can reset and update the operating system of your computer. See Reset your computer and update the operating system.

Reset your computer and update the operating system

Prerequisites

  • Your computer must be connected to a power outlet.
  • Your computer must have an active Internet connection.
  • You must have created a SupportAssist OS Recovery USB key. See Create SupportAssist OS Recovery USB key.

[NOTE]: The feature to reset your computer using the Reset and update option is supported only on certain systems. For the list of systems where this feature is supported, see the Dell SupportAssist OS Recovery Support Matrix on the SupportAssist for Home PCs manuals page.

Steps

  1. Connect the SupportAssist OS Recovery USB key to the computer where you want to reset and update the operating system.
  2. Turn on or restart your computer.
  3. Press F12 to access the one time boot menu.

[NOTE]: If you wait too long and the operating system logo is displayed, wait until you see the Windows desktop, restart your computer, and try again.

The available boot options are displayed.

  1. Use the arrow keys to go to the Boot menu.
  2. Select the USB drive on which you created the SupportAssist OS Recovery USB key.

The computer boots to the USB drive, and the SupportAssist OS Recovery home page is displayed.

  1. On the SupportAssist OS Recovery home page, click START RESET on the RESET tile. System reset options are displayed.

[NOTE]:

  • If SupportAssist OS Recovery detects the factory installed operating system, both the Reset to factory state and the Reset and update options are enabled.
  • If SupportAssist OS Recovery is unable to detect the factory installed operating system, only the Reset and update option is enabled.

  1. Select Reset and update, and then click NEXT.

The option to transfer the settings and data is displayed.

  • If you want to transfer your settings and data to the new operating system of your computer, select Yes, give access and transfer my settings and data, select I accept Microsoft Software License Terms and Dell's End User License Agreement, and then click NEXT.
  • If you do not want to transfer the settings and data, select No, do not transfer my data and click NEXT. If you select this option, skip step 8.
  1. If you select the option to transfer settings and data, an option to select the user account(s) is displayed:
    1. From the list of user accounts, select the accounts from which you want the settings and data to be transferred.
    2. To set the same password for all the accounts, select the Set single passwords for all accounts option and enter a password.
    3. If you want to set different passwords for all the accounts, clear the Set single passwords for all accounts option and enter passwords for each account.

[NOTE]: For Microsoft user accounts, no password is needed. After the reset process, you can log in with your Microsoft account password. Password setting option is available only for the local user accounts. If the password setting step is skipped, you will have the option to create a new password after the completion of reset process.

  1. By default, all the settings and data for the selected accounts which is present in the primary drive of the computer is transferred. If you want to skip any files or settings that you do not want to transfer, click the Advanced Transfer Options link to customize.

[NOTE]: The data outside of the primary drive of the computer can not be transferred during this process. If you have multiple drives in your computer and want to take a backup of the data present on those drives, you must do that separately using an external storage device. Follow the instructions in the Back up files section to back up the required data.

  1. In the Transfer Options section, expand the primary drive name and review the list of files and settings that are selected for transfer. By default everything in the primary drive is selected. Clear the check box for the files or settings that you do not want to backup, and then click SAVE.
  2. Click NEXT.

The backup process for settings and data starts and may take several minutes to complete depending on the size of data. In some cases, when the hard drive space is very low, insert an external drive when prompted to complete the backup process. After the backup process is complete, a message is displayed. Click the View Backup Files List link to review the list of files that were backed up during this process.

  1. Click CONTINUE and skip step 9.
  1. If you selected the option to not transfer the data and settings, read the warning message that is displayed, and click YES, CONTINUE.
  2. On the Confirm your reset page, perform the following steps:
    1. Optionally, from the Select reason list, select a reason for resetting your system.
    2. Select I understand that the reset will delete all of my system data and personal files or I understand that the reset will delete all unselected account(s) system data and personal files from my hard drive, and then click NEXT.

The reset and update process begins and may take several minutes to complete. After the process is complete, the Recovery process guide is displayed and you are prompted to unplug the USB drive and restart your computer.

  1. Remove the USB drive from computer, and then click RESTART. Your computer restarts.

Next steps

When you restart the computer after resetting and updating, the computer reboots to complete your software installation. SupportAssist OS Recovery installs necessary applications and drivers. It also installs the SupportAssist Recovery Assistant to help you restore data after the operating system reset.

After SupportAssist OS Recovery installs the necessary applications, the computer reboots, and the Cortana screen is displayed. You can then finish the normal setup procedure.

After you finish the system setup, the SupportAssist Recovery Assistant is launched which helps you install all the required system updates and restore your data from the external drives. For more information, see SupportAssist Recovery Assistant.

The SupportAssist Recovery Assistant can also help you set up some additional Windows settings such as Microsoft cloud storage solution, instant access with fingerprint, facial recognition, or a secure PIN, and so on.

SupportAssist Recovery Assistant

[NOTE]: SupportAssist Recovery Assistant is available only on certain systems. For the list of systems where SupportAssist Recovery Assistant is available, see the Dell SupportAssist OS Recovery Support Matrix on the SupportAssist for Home PCs manuals page.

SupportAssist Recovery Assistant is automatically launched when you restart your computer after you reset your computer using the Reset and update option. The SupportAssist Recovery Assistant helps you to:

  • Download and install Windows operating system updates available for your computer.
  • Install the updates available for the software included with the computer.
  • View the applications and features available on your computer.
  • Restore system files and settings from a backup.

When SupportAssist Recovery Assistant starts, click Launch and follow the instructions to start Windows update and Dell update. If some firmware or BIOS updates need the computer to restart, the Reboot Now option is displayed.

[NOTE]: SupportAssist Recovery Assistant installs only the essential drivers for your computer to function efficiently. If you want to install any additional drivers, for example, an advanced graphics card driver, you must install them separately.

[NOTE]: SupportAssist Recovery supports simultaneous download of multiple files but does not display information about the progress of the download.

To restore data using the SupportAssist Recovery Assistant, see Restore data by using SupportAssist Recovery Assistant.

Restore data by using SupportAssist Recovery Assistant

Prerequisites

  • Your computer must be connected to a power outlet.
  • You should have a backup of your data in an external storage device if your files were not backed up on the local hard disk of your computer.
  • You must have restarted your computer after resetting your computer using the Reset and update option and the SupportAssist Recovery Assistant must have finished updating Dell drivers and other software updates.

[NOTE]: Restoring data by using SupportAssist Recovery Assistant is supported only on certain Dell systems. For the list of systems where this feature is available, see the Dell SupportAssist OS Recovery Support Matrix on the SupportAssist for Home PCs manuals page.

About this task

After you reset your computer using the Reset and update option, you can restore your data from the external storage device by using the SupportAssist Recovery Assistant.

Chapter 6: Configuring SupportAssist OS Recovery

SupportAssist OS Recovery starts automatically when your computer fails to boot to the operating system even after repeated attempts. Depending on your preference, you can configure the following for SupportAssist OS Recovery:

  • Enable or disable the automatic start of SupportAssist OS Recovery.
  • Set the failure threshold for the automatic start of SupportAssist OS Recovery.

Topics:

  • Enable or disable the automatic start of SupportAssist OS Recovery
  • Set failure threshold for automatic start of SupportAssist OS Recovery
  • Send feedback to Dell

Enable or disable the automatic start of SupportAssist OS Recovery

About this task

By default, the automatic start of SupportAssist OS Recovery is enabled. If necessary, you can disable the automatic start of SupportAssist OS Recovery.

[NOTE]: It is recommended that you do not disable the automatic start of SupportAssist OS Recovery so that you receive assistance during operating system failure.

Steps

  1. Turn on or restart your computer.
  2. Press F2 to enter System Setup.

[NOTE]: If you wait too long and the operating system logo is displayed, wait until you see the Windows desktop, restart your computer, and try again.

  1. In the left pane, expand SupportAssist System Resolution, and then select SupportAssist OS Recovery.
  2. In the right pane, select or clear the SupportAssist OS Recovery check box to enable or disable the automatic start of SupportAssist OS Recovery.
  3. Press F10 to save the changes and exit.

[NOTE]: BIOS options may vary slightly depending on your system model.

You can also start SupportAssist OS Recovery manually. See Manually start SupportAssist OS Recovery.

Set failure threshold for automatic start of SupportAssist OS Recovery

About this task

By default, your computer starts SupportAssist OS Recovery automatically if it fails to boot to the operating system on two consecutive attempts. If necessary, you can configure the failure threshold for the automatic start of SupportAssist OS Recovery.

Steps

  1. Turn on or restart your computer.
  2. Press F2 to enter System Setup.

[NOTE]: If you wait too long and the operating system logo is displayed, wait until you see the Windows desktop, restart your computer, and try again.

  1. In the left pane, expand SupportAssist System Resolution, and then select Auto OS Recovery Threshold.
  2. In the right pane, select one of the following:
    • OFF—Disables the automatic start of SupportAssist System Resolution and SupportAssist OS Recovery
    • 1—Automatically starts SupportAssist OS Recovery after a single failure
    • 2—Automatically starts SupportAssist OS Recovery after two failures
    • 3—Automatically starts SupportAssist OS Recovery after three or more failures
  3. Press F10 to save the changes and exit.

Results

The failure threshold for automatic start of SupportAssist OS Recovery is set. Based on the option you selected, SupportAssist OS Recovery starts automatically if your computer fails to boot to the operating system. If you selected OFF, SupportAssist OS Recovery does not start automatically. In such cases, you can start it manually, see Manually start SupportAssist OS Recovery.

Send feedback to Dell

The GIVE FEEDBACK option enables you to provide feedback to Dell about the SupportAssist OS Recovery environment. Your feedback remains confidential and helps Dell to make product improvements. You can provide your feedback to Dell after you perform an activity in the SupportAssist OS Recovery environment.

Prerequisites

You must have configured the Internet settings in the SupportAssist OS Recovery environment. For instructions to configure Internet settings, see Configure Internet settings.

[NOTE]: The GIVE FEEDBACK option does not send your feedback to a Dell Technical Support agent. For issues that require immediate hardware and software assistance, contact Dell Technical Support.

Steps

  1. Click GIVE FEEDBACK option that is displayed in the SupportAssist OS Recovery tool after you finish performing an activity. A feedback page with three questions is displayed.
  2. For question 1, from the Suggestions list, select the category of additional feedback that you want to provide and enter your feedback in the appropriate field.
  3. For questions 2 and 3, select the most appropriate option.
  4. Click SEND.

Chapter 7: BIOSConnect overview

[NOTE]: This feature is available only on certain Dell systems. For the list of systems where BIOSConnect feature is supported, see the Dell SupportAssist OS Recovery Support Matrix on the SupportAssist for Home PCs manuals page.

BIOSConnect provides an alternative method for starting SupportAssist OS Recovery when the service partition of the hard drive where SupportAssist OS Recovery resides, is absent, corrupt, or needs repair. BIOSConnect connects to Dell over the Internet, downloads the SupportAssist OS Recovery image, and initiates SupportAssist OS Recovery from the system memory (RAM). When your computer is unable to boot to the operating system even after repeated attempts, the pre-boot system performance check is initiated. If no hardware issue is detected and your computer is unable to start SupportAssist OS Recovery from the hard drive, you are prompted to restart your computer and download the SupportAssist OS Recovery image from Dell.com. On confirmation, your computer restarts and displays the BIOSConnect screen.

For instructions on using the Dell BIOSConnect feature to start SupportAssist OS Recovery, see the Using Dell BIOSConnect to start SupportAssist OS Recovery video.

Depending on the type of Internet connection that is available, one of the following actions may occur:

  • Wired Internet connection—Download of the SupportAssist OS Recovery image is automatically initiated.
  • Wireless Internet connection—BIOSConnect scans for wireless networks and displays the list of available wireless networks. You can also connect to hidden wireless networks. After the connection is established, download of the SupportAssist OS Recovery image is automatically initiated.

After the download of the SupportAssist OS Recovery image is complete, your computer starts SupportAssist OS Recovery.

Topics:

  • Start SupportAssist OS Recovery using BIOSConnect
  • Connect to wireless networks
  • Enable or disable BIOSConnect

Start SupportAssist OS Recovery using BIOSConnect

Prerequisites

Your computer must have access to the Internet.

About this task

BIOSConnect provides an alternative method for starting SupportAssist OS Recovery when the service partition of the hard drive where SupportAssist OS Recovery was installed, is absent, corrupt, or needs repair.

Steps

  1. Turn on or restart your computer.
  2. Press F12 to access the one time boot menu.

[NOTE]: If you wait too long and the operating system logo is displayed, wait until you see the Windows desktop, restart your computer, and try again.

The available boot options are displayed.

  1. Select the SupportAssist OS Recovery option from the boot menu, and then press Enter.

The SupportAssist OS Recovery Image Download page is displayed.

  1. Connect to any available wired or wireless network. For instructions to connect to wireless networks, see Connect to wireless networks.
  2. Click Start Recovery.

The download begins and may take several minutes to complete.

Results

When the download is complete, the SupportAssist OS Recovery home page is displayed. If the SupportAssist OS Recovery user interface is displayed for the first time, click APPROVE to accept the privacy policy. A walkthrough option is also displayed. Click START WALKTHROUGH to learn about various options available in the tool, or click SKIP to skip the walkthrough process.

Connect to wireless networks

Prerequisites

The wireless modem or router must be turned on and placed near the computer for easy detection.

Steps

  1. From the list of available wireless networks, select a wireless network. If you want to connect to a hidden wireless network that is not listed, click Add Wi-Fi.
  2. Depending on the type of wireless network, perform one of the following steps:
    • For a secured wireless network, enter the password and click Connect.
    • For an unsecured wireless network, click Connect.
    • For a hidden wireless network, enter the network name or SSID, select an authentication method, enter the password, and then click Connect.

Enable or disable BIOSConnect

About this task

By default, BIOSConnect is enabled on your computer. If necessary, you can disable BIOSConnect based on your preference.

Steps

  1. Turn on or restart your computer.
  2. Press F2 to enter System Setup.

[NOTE]: If you wait too long and the operating system logo is displayed, wait until you see the Windows desktop, restart your computer, and try again.

  1. In the left pane, click SupportAssist.
  2. In the right pane, click BIOSConnect.
  3. Select or clear the Enable BIOSConnect check box to enable or disable BIOSConnect.
  4. Press F10 to save the changes and exit.

Chapter 8: Troubleshooting SupportAssist OS Recovery

Topics:

  • Troubleshoot OS Recovery boot failure
  • Troubleshoot file backup errors
  • Troubleshoot Wi-Fi connection
  • Run diagnostics test for hardware issues

Troubleshoot OS Recovery boot failure

You cannot access SupportAssist OS Recovery when the SupportAssist System Resolution option is disabled in the system BIOS.

Steps

  1. Restart your computer.
  2. Press the F2 key until the Preparing to enter setup message is displayed.

[NOTE]: If you wait too long and the operating system logo is displayed, wait until you see the Windows desktop, restart your computer, and try again.

The available boot options are displayed.

  1. In the BIOS section, expand SupportAssist System Resolution.
  2. Ensure that:
    • The Auto OS Recovery Threshold is not set to OFF and has a value of 1, 2, or 3 selected.
    • The SupportAssist OS Recovery option is selected.

Troubleshoot file backup errors

After the backup is complete, the file errors are listed. When files of size greater than 4 GB are backed up, files are sent to a drive formatted in the FAT32 file system. Before you back up the files of size greater than 4 GB, format your backup drive using another computer to use exFAT or NTFS format. You can also use another drive that is formatted in either exFAT or NTFS format. Backup errors may also occur when sectors of the hard drive that is used for backup are corrupted.

Steps

  1. Go to the SupportAssist OS Recovery home page, and then click START BACKUP on the BACK UP FILES tile.
  2. Click START BACKUP.
  3. Click the Advanced settings link, and then select the files that previously had errors.
  4. Select the destination storage device to back up the selected files, and then click NEXT to begin the backup process.
  5. If the error occurs again, run the diagnostics test.

Troubleshoot Wi-Fi connection

When you select Connect automatically check box while configuring a WiFi network, SupportAssist OS Recovery saves the network configuration settings for future connections. Sometimes, when you later clear the Connect automatically check box, SupportAssist OS Recovery still connects to the saved WiFi network. To troubleshoot such errors, you can reset the BIOS settings to default.

Steps

  1. Go to the SupportAssist OS Recovery home page.
  2. Click [icon] on the header of the SupportAssist OS Recovery home page, and then click Restart.
  3. Press the F12 key until the one time boot menu is displayed.

[NOTE]: If you wait too long and the operating system logo is displayed, wait until you see the Windows desktop, restart your computer, and try again.

  1. From the one time boot menu, select BIOS Setup, and then press Enter.
  2. Select Wireless, and then click Restore Settings. The Restore Settings window is displayed.
  3. Select BIOS Defaults, and then click OK.
  4. Click Exit.

Run diagnostics test for hardware issues

The SCAN HARDWARE option in SupportAssist OS Recovery helps you to diagnose hardware issues that are related to battery, cable, hard drive, keyboard, USB drives, fan, and memory of your computer. However, SupportAssist OS Recovery may not be able to detect hardware issues in certain scenarios. It is recommended that you use Dell Enhanced Pre-Boot System Assessment (ePSA) diagnostics to detect such hardware issues.

Steps

  1. Go to the SupportAssist OS Recovery home page. See Manually start SupportAssist OS Recovery.
  2. Click [icon] on the header of the SupportAssist OS Recovery home page, and then click Restart.
  3. Press the F12 key until the one time boot menu is displayed.

[NOTE]: If you wait too long and the operating system logo is displayed, wait until you see the Windows desktop, restart your computer, and try again.

  1. From the one time boot menu, select Diagnostics, and then press Enter.

The diagnostics test starts.

Chapter 9: Frequently asked questions

  1. If I format the hard drive of my computer, does it affect the SupportAssist OS Recovery partition? SupportAssist OS Recovery partition is deleted when you format the hard drive of your computer by using a standard operating system media or a USB drive. After the partition is deleted, you can reset the operating system along with SupportAssist OS Recovery tool by using the Reset and update option. For more information, see Resetting and updating your computer. If your computer supports the BIOSConnect feature, you can reinstall the operating system along with SupportAssist OS Recovery tool by using BIOSConnect. For more information, see BIOSConnect overview.
  2. How much space does the SupportAssist OS Recovery occupy on my hard drive? SupportAssist OS Recovery occupies approximately 900 MB of your hard drive space.
  3. Is SupportAssist OS Recovery available only for a specific service plan? No, SupportAssist OS Recovery is available for all service plans.
  4. My computer is in an out-of-warranty state. Can I still use SupportAssist OS Recovery? If your computer is in an out-of-warranty state, you can still use SupportAssist OS Recovery. However, if you face any issues, you must purchase a per-incident support agreement to receive technical support from Dell.
  5. What operating systems does SupportAssist OS Recovery support? SupportAssist OS Recovery supports Microsoft Windows 10 operating system only.
  6. What storage formats are supported for backing up files using SupportAssist OS Recovery? SupportAssist OS Recovery supports USB drives, USB hard drives, and SD cards.
  7. What do I do when SupportAssist OS Recovery does not start automatically? SupportAssist OS Recovery may not start automatically because of the following reasons:
    • The option to automatically start SupportAssist OS Recovery may be disabled in the BIOS—to enable automatic start of SupportAssist OS Recovery in the BIOS, see Configuring SupportAssist OS Recovery.
    • Boot files maybe missing on the boot partition—you can reset the operating system along with SupportAssist OS Recovery tool by using the Reset and update option. For more information, see Resetting and updating your computer. If your computer supports the BIOSConnect feature, you can reinstall the operating system along with SupportAssist OS Recovery tool by using BIOSConnect. For more information, see BIOSConnect overview.
    • The service operating system might be missing from the local drive because you may have formatted the system drive—you can reset the operating system along with SupportAssist OS Recovery tool by using the Reset and update option. For more information, see Resetting and updating your computer. If your computer supports the BIOSConnect feature, you can reinstall the operating system along with SupportAssist OS Recovery tool by using BIOSConnect. For more information, see BIOSConnect overview.

Appendix A: Related Dell products

The following table explains the difference between SupportAssist OS Recovery and other related Dell products:

Dell SupportAssist OS RecoveryDell SupportAssist for Home PCs/Dell SupportAssist for Business PCs
Dell SupportAssist OS Recovery provides a recovery environment that consists of tools to diagnose and troubleshoot issues that may occur before your computer boots to the operating system. When your computer is unable to boot to the operating system even after repeated attempts, your computer automatically starts SupportAssist OS Recovery. The recovery environment enables you to diagnose hardware issues, repair your computer, back up your files, or reset your computer to its factory state.Dell SupportAssist for PCs automates support from Dell by proactively and predictively identifying hardware and software issues on your computer. SupportAssist addresses system performance and stabilization issues, prevents security threats, monitors and detects hardware failures, and automates the engagement process with Dell Technical support.

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