creating a restore disk

[Roy Smith]

I'm not quite sure why you'd want them in the first place, since using
them will likely restore the laptop to the state it was in when you
first got it. Wouldn't it be much better to make your own backups that
reflect the way you use the laptop?

It's really intended for those individual who aren't as knowledgeable
about computers as we are. It's purpose is to give them some means of
restoring the OS to their PC in case of hard drive failure, or just to
be able to reclaim the space that the hidden partition takes up on the
hard drive by giving the option to delete it once the disc's have been
created. But you and I know that the better option is to use backup
software and back up on a regular basis.


--

Roy Smith
Windows 7 Home Premium 64-Bit
Thunderbird 6.0.2
Saturday, September 24, 2011 11:14:12 AM

 

[Char Jackson]

It's really intended for those individual who aren't as knowledgeable
about computers as we are. It's purpose is to give them some means of
restoring the OS to their PC in case of hard drive failure, or just to
be able to reclaim the space that the hidden partition takes up on the
hard drive by giving the option to delete it once the disc's have been
created. But you and I know that the better option is to use backup
software and back up on a regular basis.

I suppose, thanks.

 

[Jeff]

Good idea! Can't be too careful

I see on that link that it says "Your Microsoft(R) Windows(R) license
permits you to create only one data medium . . . " It's kind of vague,
though. Does that mean that once you create one medium, the laptop will
no longer allow you to create any more (as your sales guy said), or does
it mean you are on your honor not to create more because of the MS
licensing agreement? (More of a rhetorical question for curiousity's
sake than one that needs an answer.) The sales person seems to imply
that if you blow it, or the DVD doesn't work, too bad, that's your only
shot at it.

I just did it. Created 2 DVD restore DVDs. The second was is a backup of
the first. Worked fine.
Jeff

 

[Jeff]

I'm not quite sure why you'd want them in the first place, since using
them will likely restore the laptop to the state it was in when you
first got it. Wouldn't it be much better to make your own backups that
reflect the way you use the laptop?

I agree. They are in case you want to sell the laptop. I've owned many
PCs and never had to use the factory restore disk.

 

[Gene E. Bloch]

I'm not quite sure why you'd want them in the first place, since using
them will likely restore the laptop to the state it was in when you
first got it. Wouldn't it be much better to make your own backups that
reflect the way you use the laptop?

I have used the recovery disks with a new computer so that I could fool
around safely with some initial experiments that I wanted to try. When
things got screwed up or I'd had enough fun, I restored it to the
factory state.

Once that was over with & I had done some updates and installatons, I
used Macrium and a cloner to make more useful backups.

I agree that once you've done a bit of work on the computer, a current
backup makes way more sense than the initial disks.

Except when I was going to give a computer away. Then I wiped the C:
partition, restored it to the factory state, updated Windows, and added
a few free apps such as Open Office.

 

[pjp]

I suppose, thanks.

Well I'm certainly knowledgeable enough and for my own pc's I constantly
maintain backups of data I don't want lost and as well periodic images of
the hard disk.

This was my daughters laptop (we bought for her for University) and my
concern was simply being able to restore it to factory conditions once she's
had her way with it for a few years. Note - "daddy" seldom is "allowed" to
actually touch it when she's home, have learned not to bother asking to take
a look ... LOL

 

[SC Tom]

I use Paragon Backup & Recovery to get an archive of the whole HD every month or so onto an external HD. That includes
all partitions, with the restore one.

That way you don't need to keep an original image; just a couple of latest archives.

You're absolutely right. I don't know what I was thinking, other than NOT thinking. I don't have my first image; I
usually keep the latest plus two previous, just in case I deleted a file or folder I suddenly decide I needed. Then I
can go back and just extract it instead of having to do a complete restore.

 

[SC Tom]

I just did it. Created 2 DVD restore DVDs. The second was is a backup of the first. Worked fine.
Jeff

Well, then, answered that question. Thanks!

 

[Char Jackson]

I have used the recovery disks with a new computer so that I could fool
around safely with some initial experiments that I wanted to try. When
things got screwed up or I'd had enough fun, I restored it to the
factory state.

Once that was over with & I had done some updates and installatons, I
used Macrium and a cloner to make more useful backups.

I agree that once you've done a bit of work on the computer, a current
backup makes way more sense than the initial disks.

Except when I was going to give a computer away. Then I wiped the C:
partition, restored it to the factory state, updated Windows, and added
a few free apps such as Open Office.

I've always felt that it would be somewhat cruel to restore a laptop
to its factory condition before giving it away. After all, you do all
that work to clean up the bloatware and trialware and other junk, and
then you wipe it out and put all of that back.

(I understand the part about removing personal info, of course.)

 

[Gene E. Bloch]

I've always felt that it would be somewhat cruel to restore a laptop
to its factory condition before giving it away. After all, you do all
that work to clean up the bloatware and trialware and other junk, and
then you wipe it out and put all of that back.

(I understand the part about removing personal info, of course.)

No one ever said I was nice guy

I thought throwing in Open Office and a few other useful apps was a nice
gesture, though.

Not everyone agrees with us about bloatware, however...

 

[Ken Blake]

No one ever said I was nice guy

I thought throwing in Open Office and a few other useful apps was a nice
gesture, though.

Not everyone agrees with us about bloatware, however...

My view is that, whether it's a laptop or a desktop, if I acquired a
used computer, no matter who previously owned it, the first thing I
would do with it would be to reinstall the operating system cleanly.
You have no idea how the computer has been maintained, what has been
installed incorrectly, what is missing, what viruses and spyware there
may be, etc. I wouldn't want to live with somebody else's mistakes and
problems, possibility of kiddy p0rn, etc., and I wouldn't recommend
that anyone else do so either.

Your choice of course, but in my view, you're playing with fire if you
don't reinstall Windows cleanly.

 

[Gene E. Bloch]

My view is that, whether it's a laptop or a desktop, if I acquired a
used computer, no matter who previously owned it, the first thing I
would do with it would be to reinstall the operating system cleanly.
You have no idea how the computer has been maintained, what has been
installed incorrectly, what is missing, what viruses and spyware there
may be, etc. I wouldn't want to live with somebody else's mistakes and
problems, possibility of kiddy p0rn, etc., and I wouldn't recommend
that anyone else do so either.

Your choice of course, but in my view, you're playing with fire if you
don't reinstall Windows cleanly.

Note that I said I reinstall Windows cleanly...

But there's never been any kiddy porn or whatever on any of my
computers, unless put there by malware and kept well hidden from me.

 

[Ken Blake]

Note that I said I reinstall Windows cleanly...

Yes, but if it understand you correctly, you mean the person who is
getting rid of a computer. I mean the one receiving it.

But there's never been any kiddy porn or whatever on any of my
computers, unless put there by malware and kept well hidden from me.

I don't mean you. I mean that anyone who gets a used computer, whether
as a gift or as a purchase, never really knows what may be on it. Even
if comes from a close relative who is completely trusted, there could
be malware there that wasn't known about.

 

[Char Jackson]

No one ever said I was nice guy

No one? You come across pretty well here, so I'll be the first. How's
that?

I thought throwing in Open Office and a few other useful apps was a nice
gesture, though.

There you go, sure signs of being a nice guy.

 

[huu]

CONTROL PANEL (view by category )> SYSTEM and SECURITY > Backup Your
Computer >Create System Image > One or more DVD

hope that'll help
-huu

 

[XS11E]

It's really intended for those individual who aren't as
knowledgeable about computers as we are.

I've always considered the restore disks as a means of wiping a system
prior to selling it. It's for this reason I always recommend making
the restore disks and storing them carefully, it might be a couple of
years or more before one decides to replace one's PC with a newer model
and having the restore disks is essential. Consider my current PC,
it's running Windows 7 Ultimate 64 but to return it to stock I'd need
Windows 7 Home Premium and I have that ONLY on the system restore disks
(along with the 8,452,971 bits of HP Crapware!)

 

[Gene E. Bloch]

Yes, but if it understand you correctly, you mean the person who is
getting rid of a computer. I mean the one receiving it.



I don't mean you. I mean that anyone who gets a used computer, whether
as a gift or as a purchase, never really knows what may be on it. Even
if comes from a close relative who is completely trusted, there could
be malware there that wasn't known about.

OK, *now* I get your point. You make it hard to disagree

 

[Gene E. Bloch]

Yes, but if it understand you correctly, you mean the person who is
getting rid of a computer. I mean the one receiving it.



I don't mean you. I mean that anyone who gets a used computer, whether
as a gift or as a purchase, never really knows what may be on it. Even
if comes from a close relative who is completely trusted, there could
be malware there that wasn't known about.

OK, *now* I get your point. You make it hard to disagree

 

[Gene E. Bloch]

No one? You come across pretty well here, so I'll be the first. How's
that?


There you go, sure signs of being a nice guy.

Thanks, you made my day

 

[Gene E. Bloch]

OK, *now* I get your point. You make it hard to disagree

I don't *think* I pressed Send twice