Windows XP: How to make restore discs?
How to make restore discs?
by sehana - 6/16/09 3:49 PMI have an XP OEM PC and was wondering how to make restore discs (not restore points).
So I don't have to install security updates for XP all over again and my security program is up to date.
Right now all my drivers and updates are current. So I would just like to make restore discs for future use, because I had to format my hard drive 2 times already... why? I would rather not get into it.
So how do I do that?
it's an XP OEM so it doesn't have the option to make restore discs?
What's the best program to use?
You're probably looking at disk imaging
by Steven Haninger - 6/16/09 5:20 PM In reply to: How to make restore discs? by sehanaYou said it's an OEM machine so I presume it was custom built by smaller...perhaps local...computer shop. If done properly, you should at least have a legal OEM copy of XP and driver disks for all of your hardware. If you had any other software installed, your builder should have provided you with copies of that as well. If not, go back and get them. Such a machine will not generally have a recovery partition and built-in disaster recovery software as you've already mentioned. What you might want to consider is a disk imaging program. There are several out there. I currently use Acronis True Image. Symantec "ghost" is another popular program. These will allow you to make full backup images of entire hard drives that are copied to other media. This media can include other hard drives or CD/DVD burners. These programs will make a bootable disk that can access the image file to restore it fully in a matter of a few minutes. They may also make "incremental" backups which are supplements to full backup. To use these effectively, you need to schedule or run them manually on a regular basis. How often is up to you.
Yep, you need a Disk Image solution
by Awfers - 6/16/09 11:01 PM In reply to: How to make restore discs? by sehanaLiek Steven said, sounds like you're looking to create a Disk Image.
The easiest solution I can think of is to take a external USB hard disk (make sure it's a decent on) and use a program like StorageCraft ShadowProtect (www.storagecraft.co.uk) to make a complete backup to a disk image.
I like and use ShadowProtect because it takes an image of the whole HD, OS and data files (plus you can schedule it to make a backup every day/hour/15 mins). If ever you have a problem, you can simply boot from the CD and restore the image back onto your computer and start it again as if nothing happened (I've had to do this three times so far on my Vaio, once because of a hard disk crash). It's pretty dead simple to do really.
Hope that helps!
Awfers
What storage capacity the external USB Hard Disk must be?
by epastrana - 6/20/09 12:39 AM In reply to: Yep, you need a Disk Image solution by AwfersAwfers, a quick question:
what storage capacity the external USB Hard Disk must be?
Thanks!
Re: HD size
by Awfers - 6/22/09 11:05 AM In reply to: What storage capacity the external USB Hard Disk must be? by epastranaDIsk size:
Well, that really depends on the size of your HDs..
I would say at least double the HD size.
Cheers,
Awfers
cool
by sehana - 6/18/09 1:35 PM In reply to: How to make restore discs? by sehanaCool Thanks for all that info!!
Just what I needed to know!
free
by sehana - 6/18/09 1:41 PM In reply to: How to make restore discs? by sehanaare there any good free ones? :P It is my birthday today!! Ha Ha
Free good ones
by Steven Haninger - 6/18/09 2:45 PM In reply to: free by sehanaWell, there reportedly are but tend to come with command line interfaces. "g4u" linked HERE is often mentioned. Those aren't for the faint of heart or the lazy. I'm the latter of those two and went with Acronis. You can try it free for 15 days by logging onto their web site. It's a fully working and not a limited program. It will retail in the 40 dollar category but is sometimes found in the 30 dollar range. I don't think that's bad for what it can do. If you want to hang on and wait for Windows 7, you might get free disk imaging with it. I'm running a release candidate for W7 now and the utility is built in.
not bad
by sehana - 6/23/09 8:06 AM In reply to: Free good ones by Steven Haningerha ha yea it isn't a bad price.
Macrium Reflect
by bsvols - 6/20/09 10:37 AM In reply to: Free Imaging Software by SilvertopYEP! Macriuum Reflect is free, reliable, and easy, even for non-techies.
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