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| Thread ID: 105379 | 2009-11-30 00:44:00 | Back up Operating System | Shellz (15470) | Press F1 |
| Post ID | Timestamp | Content | User | ||
| 834896 | 2009-11-30 00:44:00 | Hiya, Newbie to techno stuff - just bought my first laptop (a Dell) with Windows 7. Everybody's telling me I need to back up the OS and that I'll need about 3-4 discs to do it. How do I do this? I tried but it only told me to insert one disc. It also appears I have the OS on a disc already included when I bought the laptop. Tried googling the topic and it's all too techspeak for me. | Shellz (15470) | ||
| 834897 | 2009-11-30 00:51:00 | funny old thing about backing up a computer operating system, is that you need a working system in order to restore it.....so the issue is, do you have the installation discs to re-install should the drive fail, and what will you do to safe guard your data once you have used the laptop for any given length on time. Nowadays, the install disc are usually iso files already in a folder on the hard drive. You usually need to purchase some blank disc and use the bespoke software on the laptop to burn these iso file into a number of dvd discs before they are needed. There are plenty of free backup programs on the internet you can download and use to schedule the backing up of you pictures docs, music etc to USB drives or dvd's... |
SolMiester (139) | ||
| 834898 | 2009-11-30 00:54:00 | These discs you have been told to make are "recovery" discs. These can return you PC to factory settings if something goes wrong. The same as a recovery partition. So as long as you have your OS disc and your Windows key (if you dont have this use this (www.magicaljellybean.com) to find the key. But if you do want to make one, follow this (www.howtogeek.com) and make a system image and a recovery disc. |
xyz823 (13649) | ||
| 834899 | 2009-11-30 01:03:00 | Thank you!! | Shellz (15470) | ||
| 834900 | 2009-11-30 02:51:00 | As you have already found, Dell do still provide a recovery disk where many of the other manufacturers do not. | AvonBill (11358) | ||
| 834901 | 2009-11-30 07:25:00 | Its a good idea to make an image of your HD using something like Drive Image XML (free) or similar software. Save it to CDs or a portable drive and then if you end up in the custard you can backtrack to your backup image. You will need to compile something like Bart PE with the XML software on a cd to act as a live cd OS to access and reinstall your backup. Plus no reactivating, and if it is a recent backup not too many updates. Here is a guide if you want more details. www.techsupportalert.com | PPp (9511) | ||
| 834902 | 2009-11-30 09:03:00 | Its a good idea to make an image of your HD using something like Drive Image XML (free) or similar software. Save it to CDs or a portable drive and then if you end up in the custard you can backtrack to your backup image. You will need to compile something like Bart PE with the XML software on a cd to act as a live cd OS to access and reinstall your backup. Plus no reactivating, and if it is a recent backup not too many updates. Here is a guide if you want more details. www.techsupportalert.com this is all great advice, except Windows 7 has image based backup built in to it click Start type backup [enter] click Create a System Image that will let you save an image onto a hard drive, write to DVDs or a network location if you need to restore you can boot off your Windows 7 DVD and do a restore of the same image right from there |
nmercer (3899) | ||
| 834903 | 2009-11-30 09:14:00 | Sounds a little like WHS when doing a system Image - which BTW works fantastic. Out of interest Nathan, does it do a complete Image of the drive, eg programs data or just the Actual OS. Must admit I have never tried it - theres something to try on a rainy day :) Edited: Ok answered my own question - does the lot -- I have two HDD's, dual boot with W7 / Vista 82GB Backup (www.imagef1.net.nz) is about the total combined of both drives. |
wainuitech (129) | ||
| 834904 | 2009-11-30 09:20:00 | Looks like it'll put whatever on another partition / it cant be on the same hdd as the OS. Then you can create a restore cd from it. According to this (www.windows7update.com) | Speedy Gonzales (78) | ||
| 834905 | 2009-11-30 09:29:00 | Interesting - doesn't give me the option to select what to back up as per that link ?????? looks like its every thing or nothing. ( Windows 7) | wainuitech (129) | ||
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