Rescue Disk for New Win7 Computer

[ZeeOSix]

As some of you know, I recently bought a new desktop system and decided to go with Windows 7 (love it) instead of Win8.1. It's a Dell system, so of course there is no kind of rescue or recovery disk included now with their systems.

I have snooped around a little bit in Win7 and it looks like you can make a rescue/recovery disk. What does that do exactly? I mean if for some reason the HD crashed and I had to install a new HD could I re-create what was on the original HD from that rescue/recovery disk? I do have a DVD burner on this system (pretty standard these days).

Guess I don't know how to approach this because I haven't had a new computer for many years. Any advice on this would be appreciated.

 

[wkcars]

make your own http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9bOdG9d626c

or get a set free from dell https://www.dell.com/support/diagnostics...&redirect=1

 

[emg]

When I bought my Toshiba laptop, the 'rescue disk' creator burned four CDs that contained Windows 7 and all the other software that came with the laptop. When I replaced the hard drive, I just put the CDs in the DVD drive and it reinstalled from there. Took about three hours and fifty-seven reboots, and an hour hunting around on the Internet to figure out why it didn't work--turns out some Intel driver Toshiba installed would barf if installed on a larger drive than the laptop came with, and had to be uninstalled--but it eventually returned the machine to the factory state.

I presume Dell do something similar.

Edit: they may have been DVDs rather than CDs, but the point remains the same

.

 

[ZeeOSix]

Originally Posted By: wkcars
make your own http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9bOdG9d626c

or get a set free from dell https://www.dell.com/support/diagnostics...&redirect=1


Thanks for links. I had no idea Dell would provide back-up/recovery media if you just asked for it. This machine is still pretty new, so I should be able to get the disks from Dell.

I'll check out the YouTube video too ... might actually be easier to do with a blank DVD or two.

 

[Rick in PA]

Rescue disks are one of the first things i make. That and a folder with all the information particular to the computer. It (and anything else related to the computer) all goes in a box for later, in case of emergency.

 

[eljefino]

If it's only Win7 and not the dell stuff you want you can get a digital download of the MS version from "Digital River". Your license sticker is the key.

 

[Smcatub]

Generally those utilities make backups of your OS but not any data. The newer ones also have utilities you can use to recover in some cases, instead of having to re-install your OS.

If you want to keep your data safe win7 has a pretty good backup utility - you'd just need an external hard drive to use it.

Of course, keeping that external on your desk, your data and backup would be in the same place. So in the even of something like a fire or flood you could be screwed. If you're really concerned you can get two externals and leave one off-site somewhere, and swap them back and forth to keep your off-site relatively up-to-date.

 

[BearZDefect]

Originally Posted By: ZeeOSix
... I had no idea Dell would provide back-up/recovery media if you just asked for it. This machine is still pretty new, so I should be able to get the disks from Dell.

...

I didn't know that either. Nice!

I would get recovery disks from Dell. Those OEM disks are better quality than anything I have burned at home. My home-made recovery disks (using the OEM utility) seem to have a 50-50 chance of going bad by the time I need them in 2-4 years.

 

[demarpaint]

Originally Posted By: BearZDefect
Originally Posted By: ZeeOSix
... I had no idea Dell would provide back-up/recovery media if you just asked for it. This machine is still pretty new, so I should be able to get the disks from Dell.

...

I didn't know that either. Nice!

I would get recovery disks from Dell. Those OEM disks are better quality than anything I have burned at home. My home-made recovery disks (using the OEM utility) seem to have a 50-50 chance of going bad by the time I need them in 2-4 years.


For free?

 

[SHOZ]

These programs you can download and put on a CD are the best I've found and have gotten me out of complete hard drive failure.

http://www.hiren.info/pages/bootcd

 

[dishdude]

I've always received a free set from Dell and store them away for future use. If I ever sell the computer or need to restore the system, I have it! Any Dell branded disc will work in any Dell machine as long as it is the correct OS, but you still need to go to the Dell site for certain drivers like Quickset.

My favorite thing about Dell is the support - I can download drivers, service manuals and get parts for them very easily, no matter how old the machine is.