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Can I create recovery cd myself?


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#1
medusa9

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Hi. I recently posted about trying slip-stream my old retail XP with sp3 and all newest updates and drivers HERE.
Then I stumbled on advice somewhere on here about making an image of a disk and installing it after a reformat .
If this is true it would solve every problem I'm having.

Please tell me, if I understand correctly, with imaging software (Acronis, Ghost etc.) I could:
1- Load my original version of XP - install all the updates from microsoft - install newest drivers for add'l hardware - install the programs I regularly use - customize all my user settings the way I like them... then make a 'disk image'.
2- Reformat (next time I need to).
3- Reboot using the 'image' and Windows would install - ready to go - without all the hoopla of updating, installing, waiting, etc.?!?!?

please say yes please say yes please say yes please say yes

Thanks,
-Lisa
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#2
Neil Jones

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In a nutshell, yes.

Set the system up as you want it.
Take an image of it with Norton Ghost or Acronis or any other appropriate disk imaging software.
Keep said image safe, and preferably not on the hard drive you've just taken a copy of, because if the drive fails your image will be lost.

When you restore the machine from the image, you don't need to reformat. Just restore the image;
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#3
medusa9

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When you restore the machine from the image, you don't need to reformat. Just restore the image;


GREAT! Thank you Neil. Ok, but I insist on reformatting regularly - once or twice a year at least. (Without debating whether or not reformatting is necessary - please) Do these programs make the image disk bootable? Like a restore disk that I can insert after a 'Boot-and-Nuke' and restore to the state of already being updated and all that?
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#4
Neil Jones

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The image is a copy of the hard drive at that point in time, whether it boots or not. Again, you don't need to reformat manually because the image is a copy of the entire drive - it's effectively a format for you.
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#5
123Runner

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There are a lot of disk imageing software programs out there. The ones Neil Jones suggested are most common and easy to use.
I use Easeus ToDo Backup because it is easy and free. It requires the use of Barts PE as a boot CD to be able to re-image the drive.

If you feel good in using DBAN on the drive 1st, then do so, but it is not needed.
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#6
medusa9

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Ok, I understand. Thanks so much to you both.
Hugs, Lisa
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