Making an XP reinstallation disc

It used to be that manufacturers supplied a copy of Windows that you
could use to reinstall the OS in case it got messed up. That seems to
have gone out of style.

My IBM ThinkCentre desktop has a hidden hard-drive partition with the
files needed to reinstall XP. But what if the hard-drive goes bad after
the warranty is expired? It looks like I lose the XP license. It seems
unreasonable.

So I want to make a CD or DVD that would reinstall XP---not backup all
my documents---I would make a separate backup of my own data. I just
want to be able to restore the OS to a clean state starting from an
optical disc just as people used to do with the OEM reinstall disc.

How can somebody do that?

Malke
Sun Jun 01 05:35:12 PDT 2008

Matt wrote:

> It used to be that manufacturers supplied a copy of Windows that you
> could use to reinstall the OS in case it got messed up. That seems to
> have gone out of style.
>
> My IBM ThinkCentre desktop has a hidden hard-drive partition with the
> files needed to reinstall XP. But what if the hard-drive goes bad after
> the warranty is expired? It looks like I lose the XP license. It seems
> unreasonable.
>
> So I want to make a CD or DVD that would reinstall XP---not backup all
> my documents---I would make a separate backup of my own data. I just
> want to be able to restore the OS to a clean state starting from an
> optical disc just as people used to do with the OEM reinstall disc.
>
> How can somebody do that?

Contact IBM/Lenovo for how to do that. IBM/Lenovo machines have a very
proprietary way of using restore disks. When I called for service on my
(under warranty) Thinkpad, tech support sent me restore disks at no charge.
I don't know whether they will do this in your case, of course.

Malke
--
MS-MVP
Elephant Boy Computers
www.elephantboycomputers.com
Don't Panic!

Daave
Sun Jun 01 05:48:00 PDT 2008

"Matt" <matt@themattfella.xxxyyz.com> wrote in message
news:XTv0k.4670$s66.3088@fe091.usenetserver.com...
> It used to be that manufacturers supplied a copy of Windows that you
> could use to reinstall the OS in case it got messed up. That seems to
> have gone out of style.
>
> My IBM ThinkCentre desktop has a hidden hard-drive partition with the
> files needed to reinstall XP. But what if the hard-drive goes bad
> after the warranty is expired? It looks like I lose the XP license.
> It seems unreasonable.
>
> So I want to make a CD or DVD that would reinstall XP---not backup all
> my documents---I would make a separate backup of my own data. I just
> want to be able to restore the OS to a clean state starting from an
> optical disc just as people used to do with the OEM reinstall disc.
>
> How can somebody do that?

Just follow the directions on this page:

http://www.howtohaven.com/system/createwindowssetupdisk.shtml

David
Sun Jun 01 06:19:23 PDT 2008

On Jun 1, 7:39 am, Matt <m...@themattfella.xxxyyz.com> wrote:
> It used to be that manufacturers supplied a copy of Windows that you
> could use to reinstall the OS in case it got messed up. That seems to
> have gone out of style.
>
> My IBM ThinkCentre desktop has a hidden hard-drive partition with the
> files needed to reinstall XP. But what if the hard-drive goes bad after
> the warranty is expired? It looks like I lose the XP license. It seems
> unreasonable.
>
> So I want to make a CD or DVD that would reinstall XP---not backup all
> my documents---I would make a separate backup of my own data. I just
> want to be able to restore the OS to a clean state starting from an
> optical disc just as people used to do with the OEM reinstall disc.
>
> How can somebody do that?

I contacted Dell (I own one) and , stating my case, tehy sent me a
reinstall disc

then talked me through the format / install and installing a new set
of drivers..

I thnk they also currently Sell XP machines

Alias
Sun Jun 01 08:07:56 PDT 2008

David wrote:
> On Jun 1, 7:39 am, Matt <m...@themattfella.xxxyyz.com> wrote:
>> It used to be that manufacturers supplied a copy of Windows that you
>> could use to reinstall the OS in case it got messed up. That seems to
>> have gone out of style.
>>
>> My IBM ThinkCentre desktop has a hidden hard-drive partition with the
>> files needed to reinstall XP. But what if the hard-drive goes bad after
>> the warranty is expired? It looks like I lose the XP license. It seems
>> unreasonable.
>>
>> So I want to make a CD or DVD that would reinstall XP---not backup all
>> my documents---I would make a separate backup of my own data. I just
>> want to be able to restore the OS to a clean state starting from an
>> optical disc just as people used to do with the OEM reinstall disc.
>>
>> How can somebody do that?
>
> I contacted Dell (I own one) and , stating my case, tehy sent me a
> reinstall disc
>
> then talked me through the format / install and installing a new set
> of drivers..
>
> I thnk they also currently Sell XP machines
>

The sure do. They also sell machines loaded with Ubuntu.

Alias

Eduardo
Sun Jun 01 08:36:14 PDT 2008

Matt wrote:
> It used to be that manufacturers supplied a copy of Windows that you
> could use to reinstall the OS in case it got messed up. That seems to
> have gone out of style.
>
> My IBM ThinkCentre desktop has a hidden hard-drive partition with the
> files needed to reinstall XP. But what if the hard-drive goes bad after
> the warranty is expired? It looks like I lose the XP license. It seems
> unreasonable.
>
> So I want to make a CD or DVD that would reinstall XP---not backup all
> my documents---I would make a separate backup of my own data. I just
> want to be able to restore the OS to a clean state starting from an
> optical disc just as people used to do with the OEM reinstall disc.
>
> How can somebody do that?

If you really look in start > programs you should have a program that
will do just that. Most brands do not send you a backup cd because they
use that hidden hard drive and they will install a backup program just
so users will be able to create their own.

--
"It's OK to hate your job"
www.alljobssuck.com

Twayne
Sun Jun 01 09:06:15 PDT 2008

> It used to be that manufacturers supplied a copy of Windows that you
> could use to reinstall the OS in case it got messed up. That seems to
> have gone out of style.
>
> My IBM ThinkCentre desktop has a hidden hard-drive partition with the
> files needed to reinstall XP. But what if the hard-drive goes bad
> after the warranty is expired? It looks like I lose the XP license.
> It seems unreasonable.
>
> So I want to make a CD or DVD that would reinstall XP---not backup all
> my documents---I would make a separate backup of my own data. I just
> want to be able to restore the OS to a clean state starting from an
> optical disc just as people used to do with the OEM reinstall disc.
>
> How can somebody do that?

Looks like you have some good advice already so I won't just repeat that
stuff.
But for the future if you invest in a disk imaging software.
Symantec's Norton Ghost and Acronis True Image are the two leading
applications and both work very well. Not free but not very expensive
either, relatively speaking. Then you could make backups whenever you
wanted to and restore the machine to any date since you started making
the backups, even if the hard disk is trashed and has to be replaced
with a new one. Read the manual/s carefully so you know how to do that
since it's something you won't do very often.

HTH

Matt
Sun Jun 01 10:28:14 PDT 2008

Eduardo Cerejo wrote:
> Matt wrote:
>> It used to be that manufacturers supplied a copy of Windows that you
>> could use to reinstall the OS in case it got messed up. That seems to
>> have gone out of style.
>>
>> My IBM ThinkCentre desktop has a hidden hard-drive partition with the
>> files needed to reinstall XP. But what if the hard-drive goes bad
>> after the warranty is expired? It looks like I lose the XP license.
>> It seems unreasonable.
>>
>> So I want to make a CD or DVD that would reinstall XP---not backup all
>> my documents---I would make a separate backup of my own data. I just
>> want to be able to restore the OS to a clean state starting from an
>> optical disc just as people used to do with the OEM reinstall disc.
>>
>> How can somebody do that?
>
> If you really look in start > programs you should have a program that
> will do just that. Most brands do not send you a backup cd because they
> use that hidden hard drive and they will install a backup program just
> so users will be able to create their own.


Well, that would be perfect. But exactly what program would it be?

Big
Sun Jun 01 11:35:59 PDT 2008

Matt wrote:
> Eduardo Cerejo wrote:
>> Matt wrote:
>>> It used to be that manufacturers supplied a copy of Windows that you
>>> could use to reinstall the OS in case it got messed up. That seems
>>> to have gone out of style.
>>>
>>> My IBM ThinkCentre desktop has a hidden hard-drive partition with the
>>> files needed to reinstall XP. But what if the hard-drive goes bad
>>> after the warranty is expired? It looks like I lose the XP license.
>>> It seems unreasonable.
>>>
>>> So I want to make a CD or DVD that would reinstall XP---not backup
>>> all my documents---I would make a separate backup of my own data. I
>>> just want to be able to restore the OS to a clean state starting from
>>> an optical disc just as people used to do with the OEM reinstall disc.
>>>
>>> How can somebody do that?
>>
>> If you really look in start > programs you should have a program that
>> will do just that. Most brands do not send you a backup cd because
>> they use that hidden hard drive and they will install a backup program
>> just so users will be able to create their own.
>
>
> Well, that would be perfect. But exactly what program would it be?

HP puts in on the start menu just like other programs. Not sure about
IBM but Eduardo thinks its there. Read between the lines, something
that has something to do with making a system restore cd's.

Anthony
Sun Jun 01 15:53:15 PDT 2008


"Twayne" <nobody@devnull.spamcop.net> wrote in message
news:eDcamFAxIHA.1772@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...
>> It used to be that manufacturers supplied a copy of Windows that you
>> could use to reinstall the OS in case it got messed up. That seems to
>> have gone out of style.
>>
>> ...
> Looks like you have some good advice already so I won't just repeat that
> stuff.
> But for the future if you invest in a disk imaging software.
> Symantec's Norton Ghost and Acronis True Image are the two leading
> applications and both work very well. Not free but not very expensive
> either, relatively speaking. Then you could make backups whenever you
> wanted to and restore the machine to any date since you started making the
> backups, even if the hard disk is trashed and has to be replaced with a
> new one. Read the manual/s carefully so you know how to do that since
> it's something you won't do very often.


And if you go this route you won't likely lose nearly as much.
If you back up reasonably frequently (I use True Image, and a
complete C: backup to either a removable drive or to the TI
protected Secure Zone on my main drive takes less than half
an hour) you need lose no more than your most recent data
and software updates. Assuming, that is, that your OS mess-up
becomes obvious fairly soon after it happens.

Even total destruction of my machine could be recovered from
with my TI CD-ROM and my removable drive, once I could obtain
a sufficiently duplicate machine.

FrankV
Sun Jun 01 16:46:47 PDT 2008

Norton Ghost does not work on Dell computers. System Works refuses to
install Ghost.

Frank

"Twayne" <nobody@devnull.spamcop.net> wrote in message
news:eDcamFAxIHA.1772@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...
>> It used to be that manufacturers supplied a copy of Windows that you
>> could use to reinstall the OS in case it got messed up. That seems to
>> have gone out of style.
>>
>> My IBM ThinkCentre desktop has a hidden hard-drive partition with the
>> files needed to reinstall XP. But what if the hard-drive goes bad
>> after the warranty is expired? It looks like I lose the XP license. It
>> seems unreasonable.
>>
>> So I want to make a CD or DVD that would reinstall XP---not backup all
>> my documents---I would make a separate backup of my own data. I just
>> want to be able to restore the OS to a clean state starting from an
>> optical disc just as people used to do with the OEM reinstall disc.
>>
>> How can somebody do that?
>
> Looks like you have some good advice already so I won't just repeat that
> stuff.
> But for the future if you invest in a disk imaging software.
> Symantec's Norton Ghost and Acronis True Image are the two leading
> applications and both work very well. Not free but not very expensive
> either, relatively speaking. Then you could make backups whenever you
> wanted to and restore the machine to any date since you started making the
> backups, even if the hard disk is trashed and has to be replaced with a
> new one. Read the manual/s carefully so you know how to do that since
> it's something you won't do very often.
>
> HTH
>
>
>

Shenan
Sun Jun 01 17:18:37 PDT 2008

FrankV wrote:
> Norton Ghost does not work on Dell computers. System Works refuses
> to install Ghost.

'Ghost' works fine on Dell computers.

--
Shenan Stanley
MS-MVP
--
How To Ask Questions The Smart Way
http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html

Matt
Sun Jun 01 17:43:55 PDT 2008

Big Al wrote:
> Matt wrote:
>> Eduardo Cerejo wrote:
>>> Matt wrote:
>>>> It used to be that manufacturers supplied a copy of Windows that you
>>>> could use to reinstall the OS in case it got messed up. That seems
>>>> to have gone out of style.
>>>>
>>>> My IBM ThinkCentre desktop has a hidden hard-drive partition with
>>>> the files needed to reinstall XP. But what if the hard-drive goes
>>>> bad after the warranty is expired? It looks like I lose the XP
>>>> license. It seems unreasonable.
>>>>
>>>> So I want to make a CD or DVD that would reinstall XP---not backup
>>>> all my documents---I would make a separate backup of my own data. I
>>>> just want to be able to restore the OS to a clean state starting
>>>> from an optical disc just as people used to do with the OEM
>>>> reinstall disc.
>>>>
>>>> How can somebody do that?
>>>
>>> If you really look in start > programs you should have a program that
>>> will do just that. Most brands do not send you a backup cd because
>>> they use that hidden hard drive and they will install a backup
>>> program just so users will be able to create their own.
>>
>>
>> Well, that would be perfect. But exactly what program would it be?
>
> HP puts in on the start menu just like other programs.


What does HP call it then?


> Not sure about
> IBM but Eduardo thinks its there. Read between the lines, something
> that has something to do with making a system restore cd's.


Maybe he's thinking of System Restore, which is for making a check
point. As I understand it, you have no control over where it is stored.
It writes to the hard drive, not to a CD or DVD.

Daave
Sun Jun 01 17:58:18 PDT 2008

"Matt" <matt@themattfella.xxxyyz.com> wrote in message
news:TXA0k.444$%06.4@fe95...
> Eduardo Cerejo wrote:
>> Matt wrote:
>>> It used to be that manufacturers supplied a copy of Windows that you
>>> could use to reinstall the OS in case it got messed up. That seems
>>> to have gone out of style.
>>>
>>> My IBM ThinkCentre desktop has a hidden hard-drive partition with
>>> the files needed to reinstall XP. But what if the hard-drive goes
>>> bad after the warranty is expired? It looks like I lose the XP
>>> license. It seems unreasonable.
>>>
>>> So I want to make a CD or DVD that would reinstall XP---not backup
>>> all my documents---I would make a separate backup of my own data. I
>>> just want to be able to restore the OS to a clean state starting
>>> from an optical disc just as people used to do with the OEM
>>> reinstall disc.
>>>
>>> How can somebody do that?
>>
>> If you really look in start > programs you should have a program that
>> will do just that. Most brands do not send you a backup cd because
>> they use that hidden hard drive and they will install a backup
>> program just so users will be able to create their own.
>
>
> Well, that would be perfect. But exactly what program would it be?

Just look in your documentation. Or look at this Web page:

http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site.wss/product.do?doctypeind=8&template=%2Fproductselection%2Flandingpages%2FonlinePublicationsLandingPage.vm&sitestyle=lenovo

If above link doesn't work, try:

http://tinyurl.com/2d3whp

Matt
Sun Jun 01 22:13:04 PDT 2008

Daave wrote:
> "Matt" <matt@themattfella.xxxyyz.com> wrote in message
> news:TXA0k.444$%06.4@fe95...
>> Eduardo Cerejo wrote:
>>> Matt wrote:
>>>> It used to be that manufacturers supplied a copy of Windows that you
>>>> could use to reinstall the OS in case it got messed up. That seems
>>>> to have gone out of style.
>>>>
>>>> My IBM ThinkCentre desktop has a hidden hard-drive partition with
>>>> the files needed to reinstall XP. But what if the hard-drive goes
>>>> bad after the warranty is expired? It looks like I lose the XP
>>>> license. It seems unreasonable.
>>>>
>>>> So I want to make a CD or DVD that would reinstall XP---not backup
>>>> all my documents---I would make a separate backup of my own data. I
>>>> just want to be able to restore the OS to a clean state starting
>>>> from an optical disc just as people used to do with the OEM
>>>> reinstall disc.
>>>>
>>>> How can somebody do that?
>>> If you really look in start > programs you should have a program that
>>> will do just that. Most brands do not send you a backup cd because
>>> they use that hidden hard drive and they will install a backup
>>> program just so users will be able to create their own.
>>
>> Well, that would be perfect. But exactly what program would it be?
>
> Just look in your documentation. Or look at this Web page:
>
> http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site.wss/product.do?doctypeind=8&template=%2Fproductselection%2Flandingpages%2FonlinePublicationsLandingPage.vm&sitestyle=lenovo
>
> If above link doesn't work, try:
>
> http://tinyurl.com/2d3whp


http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site.wss/document.do?sitestyle=lenovo&lndocid=MIGR-4M7HWZ

> How can I get a Product Recovery CD or DVD?
> Applicable countries and regions
> Recover your system with the hard drive service partition
> Create your own recovery media with Rescue and Recovery
> Purchase a recovery CD or DVD
>
> Note: Recovering your system will overwrite all data on your system with the factory pre-load as it was shipped with your system.
> Recover your system with the hard drive service partition
> A service partition has been included with newer systems. You can access your service partition during the startup process.
>
> How to use the pre-boot service partition to recover your system
>
> Create your own recovery media with Rescue and Recovery
> If you have a CDRW or CDRW/DVDRW drive, Rescue and Recovery may be used to create a personalized backup on CDs or DVDs, that includes all of your added software, setting changes, and data files.
>
> Learn more about Rescue and Recovery
>
> Purchase a recovery CD or DVD
> If you cannot use the service partition or have had hard drive failure, you will need to obtain a recovery CD or DVD by contacting the Support Center. Please be aware that the Product Recovery CD or DVD may only be available if your machine is still in warranty. A fee may be involved.
>
> Recovery DVDs are only available for Microsoft Windows Vista.
>

FrankV
Mon Jun 02 06:17:41 PDT 2008

Sorry. It was my mistake. The problem is not Ghost but roll back in System
Works.

Frank

"Shenan Stanley" <newshelper@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:ueKb1YExIHA.5520@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl...
> FrankV wrote:
>> Norton Ghost does not work on Dell computers. System Works refuses
>> to install Ghost.
>
> 'Ghost' works fine on Dell computers.
>
> --
> Shenan Stanley
> MS-MVP
> --
> How To Ask Questions The Smart Way
> http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html
>

Twayne
Mon Jun 02 07:01:44 PDT 2008

> "Twayne" <nobody@devnull.spamcop.net> wrote in message
> news:eDcamFAxIHA.1772@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...
>>> It used to be that manufacturers supplied a copy of Windows that you
>>> could use to reinstall the OS in case it got messed up. That seems
>>> to have gone out of style.
>>>
>>> ...
>> Looks like you have some good advice already so I won't just repeat
>> that stuff.
>> But for the future if you invest in a disk imaging software.
>> Symantec's Norton Ghost and Acronis True Image are the two leading
>> applications and both work very well. Not free but not very
>> expensive either, relatively speaking. Then you could make backups
>> whenever you wanted to and restore the machine to any date since you
>> started making the backups, even if the hard disk is trashed and has
>> to be replaced with a new one. Read the manual/s carefully so you
>> know how to do that since it's something you won't do very often.
>
>
> And if you go this route you won't likely lose nearly as much.
> If you back up reasonably frequently (I use True Image, and a
> complete C: backup to either a removable drive or to the TI
> protected Secure Zone on my main drive takes less than half
> an hour) you need lose no more than your most recent data
> and software updates. Assuming, that is, that your OS mess-up
> becomes obvious fairly soon after it happens.
>
> Even total destruction of my machine could be recovered from
> with my TI CD-ROM and my removable drive, once I could obtain
> a sufficiently duplicate machine.

?? You mean after you replace the borked drive, right? Toss in the CD
and let it go to work? I didn't understand the ref to a duplicate
machine; shouldn't be necessary?

I no longer use TI but with Ghost you just boot from the ISO-made CD,
tell it where the backups are, and lean back and let it work; you end up
with the exact boot drive you had when the last backup/incremental was
made or you can choose a different set of images from a different date.

?I've been telling people TI did approximately the same thing? Am I
wrong? The hype pages aren't real clear on that part.

Twayne

Twayne
Mon Jun 02 07:08:23 PDT 2008

> Norton Ghost does not work on Dell computers. System Works refuses to
> install Ghost.

OK, I'll assume, since you didn't mention it, that you have XP without
any SPs then, running at 350 MHz and a 10 Gig drive, OK? Sheesh!

Anyway: Wrong. It works find on the old Dell right behind me here and
also on my sister's new machine. If what you said were true, it would
be very well known. You must have something corrupted/borked or the
machine just doesn't have the resources needed to be able to tack
anything more onto it. IF so, that's exactly where a lot of the "slow"
complaints about Norton's comes from.
BTW, "System Works" does not "install" Ghost; you use the Ghost
installer and IT incorporates Ghost in TO the control panel. What you
see at startup is just a control panel - most of those features can also
be run as standalones without the control panel. I do it that way since
it makes for faster startups; no sense in loading stuff twice.

Twayne

>
> Frank
>
> "Twayne" <nobody@devnull.spamcop.net> wrote in message
> news:eDcamFAxIHA.1772@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...
>>> It used to be that manufacturers supplied a copy of Windows that you
>>> could use to reinstall the OS in case it got messed up. That seems
>>> to have gone out of style.
>>>
>>> My IBM ThinkCentre desktop has a hidden hard-drive partition with
>>> the files needed to reinstall XP. But what if the hard-drive goes
>>> bad after the warranty is expired? It looks like I lose the XP
>>> license. It seems unreasonable.
>>>
>>> So I want to make a CD or DVD that would reinstall XP---not backup
>>> all my documents---I would make a separate backup of my own data. I
>>> just want to be able to restore the OS to a clean state starting
>>> from an optical disc just as people used to do with the OEM
>>> reinstall disc. How can somebody do that?
>>
>> Looks like you have some good advice already so I won't just repeat
>> that stuff.
>> But for the future if you invest in a disk imaging software.
>> Symantec's Norton Ghost and Acronis True Image are the two leading
>> applications and both work very well. Not free but not very
>> expensive either, relatively speaking. Then you could make backups
>> whenever you wanted to and restore the machine to any date since you
>> started making the backups, even if the hard disk is trashed and has
>> to be replaced with a new one. Read the manual/s carefully so you
>> know how to do that since it's something you won't do very often.
>>
>> HTH

Twayne
Mon Jun 02 07:16:45 PDT 2008

> Sorry. It was my mistake. The problem is not Ghost but roll back in
> System Works.
>
> Frank
>
> "Shenan Stanley" <newshelper@gmail.com> wrote in message
> news:ueKb1YExIHA.5520@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl...
>> FrankV wrote:
>>> Norton Ghost does not work on Dell computers. System Works refuses
>>> to install Ghost.
>>
>> 'Ghost' works fine on Dell computers.
>>
>> --
>> Shenan Stanley
>> MS-MVP
>> --
>> How To Ask Questions The Smart Way
>> http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html

If you mean "GoBack", that also will install just fine; there is no
"rollback". It was used on this old Dell behind me before I switched to
imaging software. Now, GoBack, because of the several Gigs of data
manipulation it has to do just to start up and has to do constantly
during runtime, IS one of the things that will slow down an already slow
machine. It's a rather small price to pay for what you get out of it,
and can really save your bacon, but it does need a lot of cpu cycles to
do what it was designed to do. This BTW is something NONE of the
competition's programs does, so of course they never exhibit the
problem.
SystemWorks is an elegant program with a LOT of power for the user
and a great addition to any system with the speed and power to use it,
same as with any other application with "system requirements", which
people seldom bother to check anymore.
But adding Ghost to that has nothing to do with anything. It's just
a program and, installed into any system that is clean and meets t he
system requirements, will install quite well.
There has to be something about/in your Dell that causes the install
problems, or you are too impatient at some critical point.

Twayne

Doum
Tue Jun 03 10:37:44 PDT 2008

Matt <matt@themattfella.xxxyyz.com> écrivait news:TmH0k.5723$s66.5694
@fe091.usenetserver.com:

> Big Al wrote:
>> Matt wrote:
>>> Eduardo Cerejo wrote:
>>>> Matt wrote:
>>>>> It used to be that manufacturers supplied a copy of Windows that
you
>>>>> could use to reinstall the OS in case it got messed up. That seems
>>>>> to have gone out of style.
>>>>>
>>>>> My IBM ThinkCentre desktop has a hidden hard-drive partition with
>>>>> the files needed to reinstall XP. But what if the hard-drive goes
>>>>> bad after the warranty is expired? It looks like I lose the XP
>>>>> license. It seems unreasonable.
>>>>>
>>>>> So I want to make a CD or DVD that would reinstall XP---not backup
>>>>> all my documents---I would make a separate backup of my own data.
I
>>>>> just want to be able to restore the OS to a clean state starting
>>>>> from an optical disc just as people used to do with the OEM
>>>>> reinstall disc.
>>>>>
>>>>> How can somebody do that?
>>>>
>>>> If you really look in start > programs you should have a program
that
>>>> will do just that. Most brands do not send you a backup cd because
>>>> they use that hidden hard drive and they will install a backup
>>>> program just so users will be able to create their own.
>>>
>>>
>>> Well, that would be perfect. But exactly what program would it be?
>>
>> HP puts in on the start menu just like other programs.
>
>
> What does HP call it then?
>
>
>> Not sure about
>> IBM but Eduardo thinks its there. Read between the lines, something
>> that has something to do with making a system restore cd's.
>
>
> Maybe he's thinking of System Restore, which is for making a check
> point. As I understand it, you have no control over where it is
stored.
> It writes to the hard drive, not to a CD or DVD.
>

Hi, on my Acer laptop there is a suite of utilities called Acer
Empowering Technology which includes Power Management ,Data security
management, settings management,etc.

There is a utility in that suite that's called "Acer eRecovery
Management". This utility allows me to create "Factory like restore CDs
or DVDs" to put the PC back like it was brand new (it works, I tested
it), it also allows me to make "Current state CDs or DVDs", restore discs
with all my own programs installed and activated (also tested and
working).

I'm sure you don't have Acer utilities on your IBM but my point was to
confirm that such programs exists (and work well).

Unfortunatly, I don't know how it's called for IBM, but it would be
unbelievable a company like IBM does not include something similar with
their machines.

Do you have a user manual with your machine? It must be mentioned in
there.

Doum

Doum
Tue Jun 03 10:45:49 PDT 2008

"Anthony Buckland" <anthonybucklandnospam@telus.net> écrivait
news:OYYfRpDxIHA.4772@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl:

>
> "Twayne" <nobody@devnull.spamcop.net> wrote in message
> news:eDcamFAxIHA.1772@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...
>>> It used to be that manufacturers supplied a copy of Windows that you
>>> could use to reinstall the OS in case it got messed up. That seems
>>> to have gone out of style.
>>>
>>> ...
>> Looks like you have some good advice already so I won't just repeat
>> that stuff.
>> But for the future if you invest in a disk imaging software.
>> Symantec's Norton Ghost and Acronis True Image are the two leading
>> applications and both work very well. Not free but not very
>> expensive either, relatively speaking. Then you could make backups
>> whenever you wanted to and restore the machine to any date since you
>> started making the backups, even if the hard disk is trashed and has
>> to be replaced with a new one. Read the manual/s carefully so you
>> know how to do that since it's something you won't do very often.
>
>
> And if you go this route you won't likely lose nearly as much.
> If you back up reasonably frequently (I use True Image, and a
> complete C: backup to either a removable drive or to the TI
> protected Secure Zone on my main drive takes less than half
> an hour) you need lose no more than your most recent data
> and software updates. Assuming, that is, that your OS mess-up
> becomes obvious fairly soon after it happens.
>
> Even total destruction of my machine could be recovered from
> with my TI CD-ROM and my removable drive, once I could obtain
> a sufficiently duplicate machine.
>
>

If I was the OP, I would still try to find out how to create the DVDs to
restore the machine like it was brand new in case he sells it or give it
away so he doesn't give its own programs, and gives a "clean" machine.

Doum