[PC Genie]

I have system recovery pretty much under control. My question is how to make it easier. I have an HP netbook that has a separate partition for system recovery files and there is a utility on the primary hard drive that allows for a complete resetting of the system back to manufacturer's original installation settings. The nice thing about this is that I don't have to exit windows and use an external utility. I would like to be able to do the same thing with my desktop computer. If I make a separate partition for a recovery image like this, what program would let me do the recovery like my netbook?

Currently, I am using Acronis to make a disk image and when I need to restore my system I go through an inconvenient procedure. I place an Acronis utility disk in the CD ROM and reboot my system. The utility loads itself without running Windows. I select the backup image from my external hard drive and re-install it. This works well.

My question is that I would like to do this like the HP netbook does which is much simpler and easier? Does anyone know what I'm talking about?

Edited by PC Genie, 21 June 2011 - 11:39 AM.

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Acronis has the ability to setup the Acronis Recovery Manager which allows you to press F11 at boot to restore from a backup image. As long as the hard drive is good you won't need to boot a CD/DVD.

[Ztruker]

Acronis has the ability to setup the Acronis Recovery Manager which allows you to press F11 at boot to restore from a backup image. As long as the hard drive is good you won't need to boot a CD/DVD.

[PC Genie]

Thanks for your reply. I saw something in the Acronis user's manual about a "Secure Zone", but I wasn't clear as to its function. I think maybe this is what you are talking about. Would you happen to know if it has a function to make partitions or should I use another partition management program? I have my OS on a separate HD from my data HD and I'm thinking of putting the "Secure Zone" on the data HD.

[Ztruker]

No, Secure Zone is something else. You want Acronis Startup Recovery Manager. This link is for ATI 2011.

[PC Genie]

Thanks for the link. Although I have the 2009 version, there seems to be the same tools.