The reset button for a Dell laptop depends on the operating system. For Dell computers with Windows XP, it is the combination of Ctrl + F11. For Vista and Windows 7, it is F8.
For Dell computers with Windows XP, pressing Ctrl + F11 at the Dell logo upon startup leads to the Dell PC Restore utility. For Windows Vista and Windows 7 PCs, pressing F8 at the Dell logo takes the user to advanced boot options, including the Repair Your Computer option. This has a series of suboptions that a user can choose from, such as System Restore, Command Prompt or Dell PC Restore. There is also a Dell Factory Image Restore option in the advanced boot options to reformat the hard drive and restore the system back to its factory state.
