Dell Dim 9200 with Vista- what exactly is drive D? and other Restoration functions

[Joe]

I've already posted the following message in a Dell newsgroup, but perhaps
some Vista wizards here might be able to help enlighten me on these
subjects. If there is a better MS newsgroup for this post on Recovery and
Restore functions please let me know- I looked but the best I could come up
with was this Vista security group.
************************************

I've now had my Dim 9200 for several months and I've been meaning to find
out just exactly what is the extra drive partition that came with the
computer: drive D identified as Recovery. I understand that Windows has
Recovery functions but how do you make use of the stuff on the Recovery
drive?

The manual that came with my Dim 9200 is was written before Vista- or is
that irrelevant? My other 2 older Dells which came with Vista didn't come
with a Recovery partion.

The manual discusses the Recovery functions. On pg. 72 it discusses
"Restoring your operation system". It mentions:

* use of system Restore
* Dell PC Restore by Symantec- which I don't have, but I do have a
"Reinstallation DVD"- at the top, the disc just says "operating system-
already installed on your computer"
* "if you received an Operating System CD ..... you can use it to restore
your operating system. However, using the OS CD deletes all data..... Use
the CD only if System Restore did not resolve your OS problem.

I'm presuming that the OS DVD I have is not a full MS Vista OS disk? It's
just for restoring this particular Dell? That's fine by me- but I always
like to know the facts.

Now, in the tome: "Special Edition- Using MS Windows Vista", I get a bit
confused with the Restore functions.

On pg 966 it says, "If you cannot start your system from the hard disk,
insert your Windows Vista installation media and use it as a boot device.
.......... On the following screen select Repair Your computer. The system
searches for recovery options. Click Repair and Restart. In some cases, this
is all you need to do to fix a problem with your system."

QUESTION: Does my "Reinstallation DVD" have this Repair Your Computer
function on it? Common sense says it should but the manual said use of the
OS CD will delete all data. I recall in the early days of Windows, using the
floppies- and finding a "fix system" routine.

Next, the Special Edition tome says that if the above mentioned Repair Your
Computer didn't fix the problem, reboot again and this time from the DVD and
choose "Repair Your Computer" again and this time a menu will come up. The
options include Startup Repair, System Restore, Complete PC Restore, Windows
Memory Diagnostic Took, and Command Prompt. The book offers good
explanations of these functions so I won't ask about them at this time.

I just noticed a "NOTE" in the Windows tome that says, "If you are using a
preinstalled edition of Windows Vista, ask your hardware vendor how to
access the Repair Your Computer feature. A vendor might include a special
boot disc with a system or provide you with instructions on how to make a
boot disc that contains the files necessary to repair your installation."

So, in conclusion- what is on that Recovery Drive D- the full OS and all the
Restore and Recovery functions? How to get to them?

And, does the, "Reinstallation DVD" also contain a full OS and those
functions- despite the warning in the Dell manual that use of this will
delete all files?

I'd rather get a sense of this now, rather than when my system goes south.

Joe

 

[Mick Murphy]

System Restore is different to System Recovery.

With System Restore, you simply put it back to an earlier date, retaining
your settings and Data. You lose any programs installed after that earlier
date.

With System Recovery, you put the computer back to factory standards; in
other words, the way it came out of the box.

Years ago, we all used to get a CD with the OS on it to reinstall; now it is
a DVD(if we are very lucky!)

That extra partition contains all the files for the factory reinstall. Your
Data and installed programs is NOT there.
Always make Backups.

You ca install Recovery partition by hitting an F key right at startup. You
will see the Key number to hit at the bottom of the screen

In your user Manual, there should be a way for YOU to make a bootable copy
of that partition, and put in on DVD(s), just in case your Hard Drive
completely crashes!

If you can't find instructions in Vista's Menu at the Start ORB, or in
Dell's Manual' ring Dell for instructions on how to do it.