2 questions about windows xp home restore cds.

[Guest]

I recently bought a new computer that came with a windows xp home restore cd.
I've read that getting an installation disk is better. What exactly is the
difference bettween the two? what will an installation disk allow you to do
that a restore disk won't?

Also I'd like to make a copy of my restore cd incase it was ever dammaged or
lost. But when I put my burnt copies in the cd rom drive and restart the
computer, the computer doesn' t boot from the disk like it does from the
original. How do I make a copy of the restore cd that can function as a boot
disk incase I had a windows meltdown and my orignal disk was lost or
dammaged??

thanks for any suggestions.
Graham~~

 

[Rock]

I recently bought a new computer that came with a windows xp home restore cd.
I've read that getting an installation disk is better. What exactly is the
difference bettween the two? what will an installation disk allow you to do
that a restore disk won't?

Also I'd like to make a copy of my restore cd incase it was ever dammaged or
lost. But when I put my burnt copies in the cd rom drive and restart the
computer, the computer doesn' t boot from the disk like it does from the
original. How do I make a copy of the restore cd that can function as a boot
disk incase I had a windows meltdown and my orignal disk was lost or
dammaged??

thanks for any suggestions.
Graham~~

A restore CD returns the harddrive to the state it was in when you
bought it. Some systems have a non destructive restore where your data
is kept intact, but most just wipe out the hard drive and restore an
image of the drive as it was from the factory - you loose all installed
data and programs. You need to check the documentation to see exactly
what the restore process is for your system.

A Windows installation CD will generally allow a non destructive repair
of the system, keeping data and installed programs intact. Many will
also provide access to the recovery console, another way to do some
repairs to the system. It is best to have an installation CD rather
than a recovery CD.

Note though that you should always have a full and complete backup of
the system. Reparing and/or restoring isn't much help when the problem
that caused the need for such resulted in loosing all your precious data
and programs in the first place.

 

[Don MI]

I recently bought a new computer that came with a windows xp home restore
cd.
I've read that getting an installation disk is better. What exactly is
the
difference bettween the two? what will an installation disk allow you to
do
that a restore disk won't?

Also I'd like to make a copy of my restore cd incase it was ever dammaged
or
lost. But when I put my burnt copies in the cd rom drive and restart the
computer, the computer doesn' t boot from the disk like it does from the
original. How do I make a copy of the restore cd that can function as a
boot
disk incase I had a windows meltdown and my orignal disk was lost or
dammaged??

thanks for any suggestions.
Graham~~

The System Restore CD that came with your computer restores the entire
computer to the as built configuration. A Windows OEM CD just does Windows.
IMO, you should not worry about the difference nor should you continue to
copy the System Restore CDs that came with your computer.

As you use your computer installing applications, Windows update, driver
updates etc, your computer configuration will quickly depart from the OEM
as-built configuration.

What you should do is get a image application such as Symantec Ghost 9 or
other. A number {including free ones} are recommended in various post to
this newsgroup. Then you should maintain a current system image to CD, DVD
or external drive so that you can restore the system the way you use it. I
prefer an external USB 2 or Firewire drive because it is faster than using
CDs or DVDs. However, you may want to consider an occasional image to DVDs
that you can store away from your computer.

Don

 

[Alias]

[...]

- you loose all installed

data and programs.

[...]

when the problem

that caused the need for such resulted in loosing all your precious data
and programs in the first place.

"loose"? "loosing"? Is something not tight? Did the data have too much wine?

Alias

 

[T. Waters]

I recently bought a new computer that came with a windows xp home
restore cd. I've read that getting an installation disk is better.
What exactly is the difference bettween the two? what will an
installation disk allow you to do that a restore disk won't?

Also I'd like to make a copy of my restore cd incase it was ever
dammaged or lost. But when I put my burnt copies in the cd rom drive
and restart the computer, the computer doesn' t boot from the disk
like it does from the original. How do I make a copy of the restore
cd that can function as a boot disk incase I had a windows meltdown
and my orignal disk was lost or dammaged??

thanks for any suggestions.
Graham~~

1. An installation disk can be used to repair individual files that might
become damaged. You can use the installation disk, for example, to do a
Repair Install of an unbootable XP, which should leave your data and
settings intact. With "restore" CD's it is all-or-nothing: if XP stops
working right, you have to go back to Square One, often with no chance to
back up. This is a raw deal, as I am sure you can tell.

2. Not sure why your disk copy did not work. Since you will really hate to
use this disk in the event of problems, keep it in a special place for
emergencies if you opt not to get an installation disk. Buy a jewel case for
it if necessary. You likely will not damage this disk from overuse!