Reformat w/o OS disc

[undergrd]

Hi undergrd,

The recovery partition on your hard drive is a protected and hidden partition. Either of the 2 options, recover boot partition and recover entire drive, will NOT affect this partition. The recover boot partition option is for when your system is unable to start normally, so this is usually the first option to try. This method will preserve your user data. If you are successful with this method, then I suggest that you backup all of your user data to an external drive. If this method fails, you will have to use the second option, recover entire drive. However, this option will cause your system to be restored to its original condition. All of your user data, as well as any updates from Microsoft, will be lost. Note that for both methods, I recommend that you disconnect from the Internet for the whole procedure and only reconnect once your system has been restored.
Dwarf

Thanks for the info... Im so relief to hear that in any of the options,I wont delete the recovery files.

 

[pweegar]

thanks ppl...

so that means no one has any idea how to save this recovery into disc ?

Hello all, new member here, but long time IT guy at a large company.

Under start->programs there will probably be a program that will allow you to build the recovery cd/dvd. Usually it's a one time deal. I've had so-so luck using these programs. Make sure yu have enough of the required media on hand. (i.e. 1-3 CDs or 1 DVD). The program will create install media for you. However this restore set (or for that matter using the recovery partition) will, like has been mentioned, return your laptop to the factory condition, INCLUDING all the crapware that comes with it.

Another alternative, IF you have access to an OS disk, is to use a program like nlite 1.4.1, which will run under Vista. This will allow you to do many things including adding in service packs, patches, updates, what hardware to include/exclude, etc. I really like it and once you burn to media, you always have a custom OS available to install. It's saved me lots of time and frustration.

 

[undergrd]

Anyway, I did a search in the internet and alot of ppl couldnt find the recovery program in the pc...
Someone stated is under program>maintenance>create recovery disc but still quite a number of ppl do not have...

 

[pweegar]

Anyway, I did a search in the internet and alot of ppl couldnt find the recovery program in the pc...
Someone stated is under program>maintenance>create recovery disc but still quite a number of ppl do not have...

It may NOT be under program->maint.... Try looking for a folder with the same name as the pc manufacturer, i.e. Gateway. I know my gateway laptop has at least 2 folders under programs starting with Gateway. Also, most manufacturers will allow you to create ONE 91) and only ONE(1) recovery cd/dvd. If you mess it up, it's gone. You would have to call the manufacturer and buy the recovery set.

Also, try this:
1) Double click on "My Computer" to open it.
2) How many drives do you see? IF you have a recovery partition, you should see at least 2 drive letters (C: and D:, Maybe C: and E, along with your DVD and/or CD-ROM drives.
The recovery partition may be labelled as a FAT parttion VS an NTFS one.

IF it doesn't exist, that means either it has been deleted and reformatted or 2) was never there to begin with and you SHOULD have a recovery cd.

 

[siudan]

I have a similar question that doesn't really deserve its own thread - I have a Vaio CR, Model PCG-5L2L, and I made the stupid mistake of ignorantly messing with the registry myself. I don't have the install disk for Vista, although I have disks for all other programs. Would a factory reset (through Vaio Recovery Center) or reformat be better? All I need is for Vista to remain on the computer, in its original state. If both ways leave Vista on the computer, then which one takes less time?
Thanks for your help in advance!

 

[OldBloke]

To summarize your options:

Some laptop makers use a recovery CD method. They usually don't provide the CDs, you have to make them - preferably as soon as you get your new laptop. There is usually a program on the start menu for making the recovery CDs or DVDs

Some laptop makers only provide a recovery partition (a hidden partition on the hard disk which is usually not visible in Windows Explorer but is visible in Windows disk management as a partition without a drive letter allocated to it). You can start a recovery to the factory state by pressing F4 (or whatever key it is) at boot time. That starts the recovery program in the hidden partition, where the original state of the system is also stored.

Sometimes that method can go wrong, for example the recovery partition might get damaged, or you may lose the ability to start it. Also if the hard disk dies completely the recovery partition is useless of course because you have to buy a new empty hard disk.

Therefore if I got a new laptop I would also create a completely independent backup image of the whole disk using an independent imaging program such as the free Seagate DiskWizard or the shareware Acronis True Image.

If you choose the correct options, that can create a compressed image file which contains the entire hard disk including its hidden recovery partition. You would save the image file onto an external hard disk, connected by USB. Don't save it onto the internal hard disk.

If the internal hard disk dies, you can buy a new one and restore from the image onto it. Then it will be just like it was at the time you saved the image.

Of course, just in case your internal disk dies and you can't get into Windows, you need a way to run the imaging program to restore your image. So after installing Diskwizard or TrueImage in Windows, use its menu item for making bootable media. That makes a bootable CD with the imaging program on it, which will be able to restore everything from your image file on the external disk to the new empty internal disk.