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Creating a system restore disc...

S

Slow Eddie

Junior Member
Can anyone recommend any software that allows you to create a bootable system restore cd/dvd similar to what you would get when you purchase something like an HP system?

Also, are DVD's bootable? My OS and all of my programs take up about 10 gigs once everything is installed the way I like it.

My relatives also screw up their computers regularly with spyware and such, and I'm constantly reformatting their system and reinstalling all of their programs. It would be nice to have a restore disc I could give to them and tell them just to pop it in and click restore whenever they screw something up.

I am aware of the Windows System Restore but I just feel like thats just putting off the inevitable. I feel like Windows just corrupts itself over time and when the system finally just fails, whats the sense to restoring the system back to how it was a week ago? Its just going to crash again a week later. Its definitely useful for rolling back the OS just enough to back up some of your files, but after a serious system crash a complete reformat is always the best idea (IMO).

Anyway, I'm rambling.

Thanks,

Eddie
 
Make an image of the OS drive when everything is installed. If you need to go back to the image, you just restore it. If there are any documents you should back them up before restoring the image or they'll be overwritten.
 
As far as software goes, Acronis TrueImage, Image for DOS/Windows, and Norton Ghost can all do what Calvin described.

I'm a big fan of Acronis (longtime Norton Ghost user prior), but Image for Windows/DOS is a straight-forward and really good program. You can get both Image for Windows and Image for DOS for $27, and that's an excellent deal, IMHO.
 
I downloaded the Acronis True Image demo, but I can't seem to figure out what I need it to do. I guess I just need to keep playing with it.

What Calvin suggested is a good idea, but what if I can't even boot up the computer? What if the hard drive dies completely?

Are dvds bootable?
 
Originally posted by: Slow Eddie
I downloaded the Acronis True Image demo, but I can't seem to figure out what I need it to do. I guess I just need to keep playing with it.

What Calvin suggested is a good idea, but what if I can't even boot up the computer? What if the hard drive dies completely?

Are dvds bootable?
Click to expand...

Depends if you make them bootable.

The easiest way is to read the Acronis manual and look for the Rescue Media Builder option. Use this to make a bootable CD/DVD that will boot into Acronis in DOS, which will then allow to you restore/create images to/from the hard disk.
 
Thank you Phil... thats what I'm up to at this point. Obviously now I know it can be done. I just wish there was an option that only required one dvd for simply restoring the operating system and drivers etc.

Eddie
 
Crap. It seems like 2 discs is my only option. There must be something! What do the smaller system resellers use to make their restore discs?

Eddie
 
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