New Dell has no recovery CD for XP home

Hi Everybody!
I'm working on a new computer that arrived with no cd's. Somewhere either in this forum or at one of the help data bases, maybe for Microsoft, I read that there is a way to make a one-time only back-up CD for the operating system. Does this ring any bells with anyone? I've found various entries in Help for recovery disks, the recovery console, and others, but I haven't found the specific set of instructions I ran across about a week ago about how to make this boot-up CD for the computer. I appreciate any feedback about this.
Thanks!
Abri

 

Where I work they got an HP computer...also no CDs. The option to burn your own recovery disks that you found on your computer is what we used at work to make our recovery CDs. You can also make as many copies as you want, since they are OEM and will only work on the computer they are for, as far as I know.
NOTE: The CDs require around 10 or more blank CDs, so we used DVDs-2.
The recovery Cds (DVDs) made from your computer will have all the PC Manufacturer drivers, etc.
Hope that helps.

 

I contacted Dell and they sent one to me with no problem.

 

Problem with my HP pc is that they only allowed me to make one set but im sue theres a program on yor pc that can make you a set.

wouldnt it be much simpler if HP pcs came with XP CDs instead of their crappy recovery cds, which install crap I dont want and have to uninstall everytime I reformat.

 

Thanks Halo,
I went to the link and discovered that this computer doesn't have that entry, so I am trying to find out how to do it from Dell.
Abri

 

You can make a set every time you do a destructive restore. ed

 

My new Dell also came with no cd's. In talking to them, they tell you that you don't really need them. However, I later talked to a spvr. and he immediately sent me a full set including os, drivers, etc.

 

Is a destructive restore what it sounds like? <we don't do destructive restores> lol
abri

 

I think the answer, provided you have a working operating system and other file that you want to preserve against disaaster, is to purchase a backup utility such as R-Drive Image (it may be featured here on MGs, for all I know!)

R-Drive Image isn't free. It costs $44.95, and you can read more about it and decide whether it meets your needs by going to http://www.freedownloadscenter.com/Utilities/Backup_and_Copy_Utilities/R_Drive_Image.html.

What it can do is backup the entire contents of your hard drive, as they are now, this minute, including the system tracks and operating system. It takes a snapshot of your hard drive, byte by byte, and preserves it. You can write the result to another partition on your hard drive (a different logical disk, for example) or to CD-R or DVD. Then if your system totally crashes, you don't have to beg Dell, or HP, or whomever, for a "recovery" disk. Further, you don't have to uninstall all the crap on that recovery disk that you don't want and reinstall all the software you garnered over weeks or months.

The best answer is always to somehow back up everything you did after you bought your computer. The only way to do that reliably is to purchase a third-party program whose entire purpose is to create an image of your hard drive as you want it to be preserved.

Hope this helps.

 

Thanks netweasel,
I'm not sure why the computer manufacturers have quit supplying recovery disks, but I sense something unfriendly behind the move. Your solution sounds like an easy one.
Abri

 

It may be that the scheduled January release of Vista has Dell, HP, and the rest being held hostage by M$?

 

Windows XP OS was designed with both a back up program and a System Restore program so you dont need the disks and your computer is shipped with your software already installed. I however opted to purchase windows xp professional and load it myself.

The back up program allows you to back up some or all of your windows programs and files the instructions are found by clicking on start, help support, then type: back up in the search you can choose to back up on the hard drive or on removable media device

System Restore allows you to set restore dates and is used for example after you load or upgrade your computer drivers, etc and your computer starts acting out of whack you can restore your previous configurations the instructions are found by clicking on start, help support, then type: system restore
NOTE:
These programs although provided do not run automatically and will need to be prompted and set up by the user to function as designed.

I dont believe you have only one shot for burning a back up

 

dell system restore is a little diffrent....start compter...then Ctrl-F11 or F10 and it boots from a MBR to "like new-Factory Fresh" (whatever lol) but you lose all you saved info unless you have an external HD. I guess it saves them a few bucks????