Size of System Recovery Disks

Dumb_Question · May 11, 2012

How big is (a) system recovery disk(s) for 64-bit Windows 7 Home Premium likely to be ?

I've recently inherited a HP Pavilion dm4 1050ea and I want to ensure that I have a set of recovery disks before I corrupt (hopefully not) the system over time...

I don't know if this has already been done but I am guessing not.

I want to know to be prepared : I have only 760Mbyte CS ROMs at present, but I know that DVDs have significantly higher capacity and the laptop has a DVD drive (HP spec : SuperMulti DVD±R/RW with Double Layer Support).

Dumb_Question
11.May.2012

plodr · May 11, 2012

When you go through the program listing for creating the eRecovery disks, it will tell you how many DVDs you need. I don't think Windows 7 will create disks on CDs. My little netbook took three DVDs for restore/recovery and one DVD for the programs and apps. (Win 7 64 bit Home Premium)

Here's HP's "creating recovery disks page
http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/document?docname=c01867124&lc=en&cc=us&dlc=en#N102

Note you can't use CDs, rewriteables or double-layer.

Recovery Disc Creation software creates a set of system recovery discs using blank, writable DVDs (DVD-R or DVD+R). HP recommends using blank DVD+R discs.
Click to expand...

Dumb_Question · May 11, 2012

Thanks for your reply, plodr.

As my recovery CDs for XP were 5 in number, I had hoped that I might only need 1 DVD. I will create recovery disks from DVD+-R when I get some. Thanks for references to HP site, I can rarely find the info I need there. Your quote from HP is especially useful.

Dumb_Question
11.May.2012
HP Pavilion dm4 1050ea - 64-bit Windows 7 Home Premium

Dumb_Question · Aug 1, 2012

Thanks again, plodr, for link to to the HP page on this topic.
I have looked through the HP Support Assistant on this subject and am now confused, nowhere does it refer 'system recovery discs'. The closest I can get is 'system image backup' which seems to be a Windows 7 program, not an HP one, and in fact does not seem to be the same thing at all; it is part of windows 7 (backup) and lets you create as many identical copies of your hard disk as you like ??? :confused

Why use HP's 'destructive' (because it destroys something behind it so that you can use it only once) process when windows offers you one that you may use time and time again ?

Dumb_Question
1.August.2012
HP Pavilion dm4 1050ea - Win 7

plodr · Aug 1, 2012

Sorry, I don't own an HP with Windows 7 and my Acer works differently.

I do not use Windows 7 backup. After I create the restore and driver and program DVDs, I then install and remove programs I want. Then I use Acronis True Image to make images of my computer every few eeeks.

Dumb_Question · Aug 2, 2012

Hoow do you create your " the restore and driver and program DVDs", plodr ? by using the built in Acer software for that purpose ?

Has anyone experience of system recovery disks with HP with Win 7 ?

Dumb_Question
2,August.2012

HP Pavilion dm4 1050ea - Windows 7

plodr · Aug 2, 2012

Hoow do you create your " the restore and driver and program DVDs", plodr ? by using the built in Acer software for that purpose ?
Click to expand...

Yes. There is a wizard to follow.
I also own an eMachine running XP and I did the same for that. Acer, eMachine and Gateway are owned by the same company so the process was almost the same except for the name of the program "Acer or eMachine" Recovery Management listed under Acer or eMachine in the All Programs list.

Log in or Sign up

Size of System Recovery Disks

Dumb_Question Sergeant Major

plodr MajorGeek Super Extraordinaire Moderator Staff Member

Dumb_Question Sergeant Major

Dumb_Question Sergeant Major

plodr MajorGeek Super Extraordinaire Moderator Staff Member

Dumb_Question Sergeant Major

plodr MajorGeek Super Extraordinaire Moderator Staff Member