Recovery Disk

[society]

It’s been two weeks since I bought a new computer, and I’m afraid to use it. Yes, terrified I might break it!

The computer did not come with a recovery disk and I’m afraid if I mess it up I will not be able to get it back in working condition. (I love to tinker with computers and unknowingly break them). The computer came pre-loaded with XP Pro. My question is how do I make a recovery disk? I have looked through several old post on here, and online instructing how to go about making one but the instructions are still not clear to me, I don’t understand how to do what has been told. I need instructions with simple words please. Please help me.

[ChuckFickens]

a new computer came with XP pro????

Anyhow, if it's brand new then there should either be a utility on the hard drive to enable you to create a set of recovery disks, or the drive will have a recovery partition that you can access by pressing a certain key at startup and you can then restore the computer back to factory state.

To give any more details the make and model of the computer is needed and different manufacturers do it different ways.

[pauln90]

It might help if you told us what you have bought Laptop or desktop Make ?

Some PC's / laptops have a partition already set up to recover in case of a crash.

Did you get instructions with it , have you read them.

Switch it on and see what happens. The first time I used the PC I bought last year it went through the procedure to create a backup disc.

[society]

Yes, it's new, but, an old new from IBM, got it fairly cheap. :-)

Some instructions came with it yes, but just a page with a few lines, not a booklet or manual. I don't understand it very much.

I'm hoping to load W7 on it; but, just in case this don't work I'll have this disk which I'm hoping to make to fall back on. I'm hoping to be well backed up. :-)

By the way, I'm still waiting for W7 Ultimate, it should arrive in the mail on the 24th.

These are the specs. -

Operating system: Microsoft Windows XP Professional
Display: 15-inch 1024x768 LCD
Processor: Intel dual core T2400 1.83GHz processor
Memory: 1GB RAM
Hard drive: 80 GB 5400rpm
Optical drive: CDRW/DVD
Networking: 802.11abg wireless, Bluetooth, fingerprint reader
Battery: 6-cell Lithium-Ion
Model: IBM20075CUR/S
Dimensions: 10 inches wide x 12.2 inches long x 1.2 inches high

[ChuckFickens]

looks like they list wndows 7 drivers for that (do check the exact model number though)

http://www-307.ibm.co...e.wss/migr-62928.html

So you should be OK with windows7, go for the 32bit version for compatibility though.

and to recover it back to XP
http://www-307.ibm.co...o?lndocid=MIGR-4UFUYK

Make sure you don't delete the smallish recovery partition when you install windows 7 though.

[society]

Endless thanks Chuck for your help. I will be speaking to you... :-)

[society]

Paul, thanks for your input also.

[galeck1947]

Before you clean install Windows 7 I would increase your RAM to at least 4 GB which will give a better use of the operating system . I would use the 32 bit version as 64 bit would struggle on this older computer. After you load Windows 7 you will be able to create a rescue disk from within the program as it has this ability to do so also I would create a password recovery disc as well which is also within the OS. I would just load your new disk in and let it do its stuff which includes formatting the drive to allow the new install.

[society]

Galeck, thank you for assisting.

Increasing the Ram sounds good. How do I go about choosing Ram and is there such a thing as - the Ram has to be compatible with any other parts of the computer? What should I buy? Think I’ll give IBM a call and see if they’ll do it for me, because I surely haven’t a clue of what to do.

[society]

Will this 4 GB Ram come in two sticks i.e. two 2 GB each pieces or one 4 GB piece?

[trish432]

To choose your ram, scan your computer with crucial, you don`t have to buy from them, just copy the details.

http://www.crucial.com/uk/?source=UK_Webgains

[MarkRae]

> Will this 4 GB Ram come in two sticks i.e. two 2 GB each pieces or one 4 GB piece?

Given the age of this machine, I'd be very surprised if the BIOS supported 4GB RAM sticks...

[AlBags]

I'd put money on it (MOBO won't support them)

Goodness sake ... All this backing up, etc, etc is ok for docs, pics, etc ..

But for OS ... There is nothing quite like Ghosting A Drive.
It can be back up running in a few minutes, exactly as it was.

[MarkRae]

> But for OS ... There is nothing quite like Ghosting A Drive.
> It can be back up running in a few minutes, exactly as it was.

Ah yes, 20/20 hindsight... ;-)

[AlBags]

TBH .. What exactly would require you to need 4GB RAM?
Bit OTT unless you are doing loads of graphics or video editing.

[AlBags]

Yes .. I keep my Ghost ready in the drawer.

[society]

You guys, tell me what to do! What's best? The computer looks nice and new, it even smell new. It might be old but I hope to get some good mileage from it :-). So, I don't mind enhancing it in whichever ways necessary. Well that is, if you think it’s needed. Otherwise I’ll just use it as it is. Also, I wanted to add more hard drive, this I know how to do.

[MarkRae]

> Also, I wanted to add more hard drive, this I know how to do.

Specifically...?

[society]

Increase from 80 GB to 160 GB.

[MarkRae]

>>> also, I wanted to add more hard drive, this I know how to do.

>> Specifically...?

> Increase from 80 GB to 160 GB.

:-) By magic...?

[society]

Yes, I'm a Genie lol (pun intended)

Obviously remove the 80 GB and replace it with 160 GB,

Or perhaps I misunderstood you?