Recovery CD

[Alan T]

How to make a disaster recovery CD?

 

[Paul Randall]

How to make a disaster recovery CD?

I'm assuming that you mean something like Hewlet Packard's recovery disc
that can restore the hard drive to near 'out of the box' condition. Note
that each time you change your password, you should also create a password
recovery disc or thumb drive.

Here is what works on my Compaq with Vista Basic preloaded. From the start
menu, choose help and support. Search for create recovery disc. One of the
items near the top of the list should lead you to a link that actually
starts the creation process.

On my system, it chooses the internal CD/DVD writer, and doesn't allow me to
choose a USB external DVD writer. It gives me the choice of what kind of
media might be used and how many might be needed. Like 7 CDs or 2 DVD-Rs.
But I wanted to see how many DVD-DLs, which my USB DVD writer could do. So
I went to device manager and disabled the internal CD/DVD writer, and with
the USB DVD writer plugged in and powered up, I rebooted. Now the create
recovery disc process saw the USB DVD writer and told me that only 1 DVD-DL
would be required.

-Paul Randall

 

[Hank Arnold (MVP)]

How to make a disaster recovery CD?

If the OEM doesn't provide a method, get a copy of Ghost or Acronis and
create your own backup...

--

Regards,
Hank Arnold
Microsoft MVP
Windows Server - Directory Services

 

[Guest]

I'm having problems making the Recovery DVD Creator - it all seems to work ok
until the end when a message appears telling me the disc wasn't created
properly - so start again! I have done this 5X now - driving me MAD!!

Help - anyone!

Marrianne

 

[Malke]

I'm having problems making the Recovery DVD Creator - it all seems to work ok
until the end when a message appears telling me the disc wasn't created
properly - so start again! I have done this 5X now - driving me MAD!!

Help - anyone!

And the computer mftr.'s tech support people say...?



Malke

 

[Guest]

I had same problem and no help from HP. In the end, I decided that it was a
problem of DVD-R vs DVD+R disks. I guess DVD-R disks were originally crated
for master recording. When I substitued DVD+R, the second disk was created
correctly. Unfortunately, the program says to be sure to use the same type
of disk for the recovery set.

I now don't know if I have a functioning recovery set or not. Ssince the
first disk had been created (on DVD-R), the recover program would not allow
me to recreate the second disk (on DVD+R). I guess I will learn if I have a
functioning set at the worst time; when I need to do a recovery!

 

[Paul Randall]

Many, but not all, dvd recorders in modern laptops record properly to DVD+Rs
and DVD-Rs; sometimes the brand of media makes a difference. In any case,
you now have a questionable recovery disk. I'd recommend going online to
HP.com and ordering the recovery disk for your laptop. It is not free.

I've made more than one recovery disc set for my Compaq, but i planned
ahead. I imaged the hard drive before the first time I booted the computer.
Each time I put that image back on the hard drive I can make another
recovery disc set. It truely returns the computer to its 'out of the box'
condition.

-Paul Randall

 

[Guest]

I agree, drives and machines have their own quirks re: DVD writing. I have a
desktop with a restore image on a partition of the primary drive so if I am
lucky I can use that instead of the DVDs.