Recovery discs for windows xp

[Denis Glover]

I am about to take delivery of a new pc.The pc will be running windows xp
home and some pre loaded software The company I am buying it from wanted to
charge me £69 for a set of recovery discs. as Microsoft do not supply discs
with new pcs.

As I thought this excessive I declined their offer .

I would like to make a set of recovery discs myself. What would this entail
and can someone point me in the right direction as to software I would need
.. I would be able to make the didcs on either cd or dvd.

Any software would have to be available in the uk.

Thanks.

 

[Richard Urban [MVP]]

You should have gotten the recovery disks as Windows XP Home has no way to
create them.

You would have to get a 3rd party application, such as Norton Ghost 9.0 to
create an image of your computer to multiple CD's. Then you would be
covered. This costs as much, or more, than the recovery CD's do.

--
Regards,

Richard Urban
Microsoft MVP Windows Shell/User

Quote from: George Ankner
"If you knew as much as you thought you know,
You would realize that you don't know what you thought you knew!"

 

[R. C. White]

Hi, Denis.

Your vendor is not being open and aboveboard with you!

It is not Microsoft who should supply the full WinXP CD-ROMs. The OEM
(Original Equipment Manufacturer) buys a special version of Windows from MS.
Then the OEM customizes THAT copy of WinXP to fit the OEM's specific
hardware. Part of the deal between MS and the OEM is that the OEM assumes
the obligation to support that copy of WinXP, since MS can't know or control
what modifications the OEM might make to it after it leaves Microsoft.
Therefore, the OEM - and not Microsoft - should deliver with the installed
WinXP whatever it takes to reinstall WinXP if necessary. But we hear that
many OEMs deliver only a "recovery disk", rather than the full WinXP CD-ROM.
This is true of some major OEMs, as will as some local computer assemblers.

The problem with the typical recovery disk is that it restores the PC to the
condition as it left the store. That means that all the applications and
data you've added since buying the computer are lost. (Your family photos,
financial data, purchased games and other software - everything!)

Be sure you have a clear understanding of what the OEM is selling you - and
how you will receive support - before you hand over your money. And be sure
you get it in writing!

RC

 

[Ken Blake]

I am about to take delivery of a new pc.The pc will be running
windows xp home and some pre loaded software The company I am
buying it from wanted to charge me £69 for a set of recovery
discs. as Microsoft do not supply discs with new pcs.

No, it has nothing to do with Microsoft. It's the company you
bought it from that doesn't supply them.

OEM vendors are required by their agreement with Microsoft to
give you a means of reinstalling, should it be necessary. They
can do this in one of three ways:

1. An OEM copy of Windows

2. A restore CD

3. A hidden partition on your drive, with restore information.

If you don't have 1 or 2, you should have 3, but you should
contact your vendor to find out.

Personally, I find both 2 and 3 unacceptable, and would never
choose to buy a computer that came with an operating system
unless I got a complete generic installation CD for that
operating system.

As I thought this excessive I declined their offer .

I would like to make a set of recovery discs myself. What would
this entail and can someone point me in the right direction as
to software I would need. I would be able to make the didcs on
either cd or dvd.

Sorry, you can't do this.

 

[Harry Ohrn]

This 7Mb .iso will give you a bootable Recovery Console rather than using
the 6 floppy set http://home.comcast.net/~access_denied/DTU/RC.iso
You need to burn it to CD using software that will correctly open and burn
an ISO image file. Nero can do this as well as numerous other programs
including this freeware app http://www.cdburnerxp.se/

If you prefer the 6 floppy version you can download the corresponding
version from here
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/release.asp?releaseid=33290 Home
Edition
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/release.asp?releaseid=33291 Pro
Edition

But that is only part of what you need. You also want to create a Recovery
CD or DVD set that contains your current system setup. BootIt NG contains an
option called Image which will do the trick. Or you can use the Image for
Windows stand alone app. Both are found here
http://www.terabyteunlimited.com/