BleepingComputer.com: system restore

Just a question..First,.I am currently running vista on my pc and am looking to upgrade to windows 7, My current pc was set up at the factory with a recovery partition, and Vista also gave me that one time option to burn recovery disks, which i did. My question is ,does windows 7 give me that same option to burn recovery disk for my pc ? Especially since I will more than likely download windows 7 rather than go to the store and purchase it...hence I will have no original disk to work with Second...should i go ahead and delete my recovery partition when i do the fresh install, or would it be better to keep it for now...just in case I have trouble with windows7 ? Third...I have read a lot of material regarding setting up my own recovery partition to restore from rather than a CD. Does anybody have any advice on the best way to set up my own recovery partition...is it best to do it after a fresh install ? Or is it really pointless to do so with the recovery disk ? I only ask because I have found it much more convenient to restore from the hard drive rather than a CD...I also cannot loose it that way either.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_Recovery_Environment

Google "Windows Recovery Environment" and you may find some more pointed howto info. I am just researching this "feature" my self.

I have a lenovo that was factory downgraded to xp from win 7 and I am going to clone the drive and see which OS restores from the recovery partition...
I have an OEM dvd to install win7 but I want to see how it is set up first and maybe get a drive sled so I can swap disks to see both OS and multi boot each with a different linux distro.

No, a clean install of Windows 7 will not give you the option of making recovery disks. When you bought your PC, the manufacturer pre-installed software on it that allowed you to make the recovery disks for Vista. With a clean install, you will not have this option. Yes, you will be downloading Windows 7 from Microsoft, but you will have to burn the ISO file to a blank DVD of your own. This will effectively give you your own "RTM/OEM" Windows 7 installation disk, as if it was shipped from Microsoft or came with a new PC. If needed, you can boot off it, repair things, restore from backups, or reinstall Windows. It works just like the disks that come with new PC's. It's not just a one-time "run and done" thing.

I would say leave the recovery partition there for now. It doesn't hurt anything being there, and you might need it in the future.

The best option for backing up that I would recommend is this: buy the largest capacity external hard drive you can afford, set up the "Backup and Restore" feature that is built-in to Windows 7 (works awesome), and backup often. Weekly should be often enough.

I have 250GB external HDD, and I'm about to fill it up with backups and other things. Buy the largest you can afford. You will find more uses for it than just backing up.

Any more questions?

<<Especially since I will more than likely download windows 7 rather than go to the store and purchase it...>>

Glad you mentioned that, I wasn't aware that MS has now provided for downloading of Win 7, thanks.

But...I would guess that users either have to or are able to burn any download to bootable CD...just as one can with any O/S or program. Doing that will facilitate any future use.

Louis

Thanks for all your answers...I believe you have answered all my questions....I was unaware that the option to burn a restore CD was from the manufacturer , I thought this was built in to Vista...so that was good to learn. Again..thanks..

You're welcome, electriclott.

Yes, it was third-party software that allowed you to do this. A clean install of Vista would not give you that option (and neither would W-7, as I mentioned).

hamluis, on Feb 11 2010, 01:14 PM, said:

Yes, you can download the ISO file straight from Microsoft now (after emptying your bank account, of course ), install Active ISO Burner, burn the file to a DVD (CD's will not work), and boot like it was a real RTM disk.

Works great!

Thanks .

I bought a family pack, upgrade version, a few months ago (I have two systems) and just probably overlooked the download option, since I was in no hurry.

Louis

You're welcome, Louis.

keyboardNinja, on Feb 12 2010, 08:12 AM, said:

I am new to WINDOWS7. If you use the backup and restore feature does it?
backup EVERYTHING. files,programmes,pictures , photographs etc.
In a week time you backup again does it copy everything again or just the files etc that have been used.
Can you delete older backups or do you just keeping filling up the external hard drive till no more room, reformat and carry on using.
Thanks in anticipation.

To the above poster and all who read this: when you read somebody's topic and you have a question, please start your own topic. I know it seems like the current topic would be a good place to ask this question (as it is relevant), but it makes it confusing, not only for the people helping the original poster, but also the people reading the topic.

If you want to know more about Windows 7 Backup and Restore, read this FAQ.

If you have any more questions please start a new topic of your own. Private messages are okay if you have a question directed at a specific individual, but you lose the communal benefit of the questions and answers. So please just start a new topic.

Thanks and Welcome to Bleeping Computer!!!