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broxi_blu
regular
Reg'd: Thu
Posts: 342
Loc: shetland isles,scotland
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just a quick question, my uncle and i were wondering what happens to your computer when it crashes and you loose everything when you have windows xp installed on your computer when you bought the system. and if you got the system to work properly again would the computer loose the xp on the computer ? its just something we were talking and wondering about over the dinner table lol.
because if the computer came with xp installed you wouldnt have a back up disk or nothing would you?
all you get is a red floppy disk does this have the xp on it?
oh i dont know ! some things he thinks of heheh.
if any one can shed any light on this feel free.
simply the best
running windows xp, dial up connection
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bricat
HijackThis Helper
Reg'd: Wed
Posts: 28615
Loc: belfast
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I think you would have to go back to where you bought it and get them to reload windows.
Whenever I read about the perils of drink, I gave up reading
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greysts
regular
Reg'd: Thu
Posts: 17963
Loc: Colchester
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It depends on what the manufacturer provided when he built the PC. The best give you the original Windows XP CD with it's product code so you can re-install at any time. The next level down is a Recovery CD which puts your PC back into the condition it was in when it left the factory. This CD does not contain the complete kit of parts. It requires a directory to be present on the PC with the remaining parts of Windows plus all the in-built software you got when you bought the PC. The worst option of all is that you get nothing with the PC.
To recover using the Windows CD is easy but you will also need to re-install all your software. You will also lose all your personal stuff so you need to create backups of that on a regular basis. The same thing applies in the second scenario where the PC is put back the way it was. Your only hope in the third scenario is that you have installed and run some proprietary sotware that will have given you a complete backup of your hard disc.
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George
regular
Reg'd: Tue
Posts: 3811
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Adding to greysts good advice I would recommend buying Drive Image 7 the latest version from PowerQuest. You can then copy an image of your main drive to another, either a second drive or to CDR. This will copy everything and restore in the event of a system failure, you can even restore a single file or program when accidently lost.
When I bought my computer all I received was the System Recovery disc with relevant drivers required. The actual system Restore disc which would take me back to an out of box condition was available for an extra £60. PQ's Drive Image was £40.
My mind not only wanders, sometimes it leaves completely.
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greysts
regular
Reg'd: Thu
Posts: 17963
Loc: Colchester
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I reckon some of these PC manufacturers have got a b....y nerve. You spent upwards of a £1000 on a new PC and they have the bare faced effrontery to demand another £60 so the user can put his PC back together again when something that the manufacturer has done, fails. Us users should tell these people to sod off and not buy there overpriced rubbish in the first place.
Rant over.
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Joe_London
HijackThis Helper
Reg'd: Tue
Posts: 10701
Loc: London
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Personally I would never buy a new Computer unless it came with a full install disk. Trouble is people who are new to computing aren't aware of the problems they are likely to face without a full install disk.
Joe.
Genius is one percent inspiration, and ninety-nine percent perspiration.
Thomas Alva Edison
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Jonny555
Reg'd: Fri
Posts: 5329
Loc: Cheshire, England
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I think that everyone who goes out to buy a new computer should tell the seller the purchase will only happen as long as the disk is supplied with the computer. I went with my mate to a well known computer retailer and insisted on this. They were very reluctant, but when they realised they wouldn't get £1200 of my mates money they gave in.
Personally I wouldn't use a major retailer. I always build my own, but without my knowledge I would go to a small computer shop and have them build me one with much better spec for the same amount of money. You'll get a personal service as well.
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jetpress
regular
Reg'd: Sun
Posts: 1514
Loc: wrexham
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someone i know built this computer for me at a relatively cheap price but i no instalation disc with it suppose thats how he makes a profit using the same disc over and over again, being new to compters at the time i didnt realize you needed one, it was only when i had all sorts of problems with kazaa and the computer still being under he cme back and reformated my drive that i would need the disc,
have you an address george for drive image 7? might give it a go
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putasolutions
regular
Reg'd: Tue
Posts: 12276
Loc: Infinity and beyond
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Down to £29.99 (Free P&P) from Amazon
This is well worth it, and is my preferred method of backing up
Of all the Things I've lost, I miss my mind the most
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owen
regular
Reg'd: Thu
Posts: 3236
Loc: Lancashire, United Kingdom
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I don't really backup to much, I haven't got any software like Drive Image, all i have is the files I really need (my website files mainly) on my portable drive and a Windows Xp Installation disk that came with the computer.
Owen,
http://www.isecurity.org.uk
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putasolutions
regular
Reg'd: Tue
Posts: 12276
Loc: Infinity and beyond
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I use DI, simply because in the event of a hard drive failure, by the time I have reinstalled all the drivers, and network connections and the software and the layout and all the registry tweaks and all the data, I would lose about 8 hours of time . I suffer severe withdrawal symptoms if I am off line for any length of time 
Drive image can have me back up and running in 46 minutes. In fact it would be safe to say that DI is my FAVOURITE piece of software
Of all the Things I've lost, I miss my mind the most
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George
regular
Reg'd: Tue
Posts: 3811
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Reason given for charging £60 for the Restore disc was it's specially designed by the particular manufacturer to assist beginners in event of trouble. It only works on the one machine. The real reason I believe, is, Microsoft says No to manufacturers providing the full XP disc in an attempt to stop piracy.
I hadn't a clue when first purchasing, switching the machine on and off correctly were my first lessons!! A bit further down the road I kept reading, "use your installation disc" for this that or 'tother, I was handicapped other than 'System Restore' in XP. Drive Image 2000 answered that and now DI 7 is better again.
Installing a second drive was a blessing, image completed in 9 minutes as against 45 mins or more copying to CDR. One copy was to CDRW, took 3 hours!
Iain's said all there needs to be said, what's good for him I follow without any further ado.
My mind not only wanders, sometimes it leaves completely.
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greysts
regular
Reg'd: Thu
Posts: 17963
Loc: Colchester
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By coincidence this arrived in my inbox at the same time as your reply to this thread.
We thought you would like to know that the following item has been sent to:
Spencer Greystrong
using Royal Mail.
For more information about delivery estimates and any open orders, please visit:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/your-account
Your order (received 29 December 2003, 15:37 GMT)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ordered Title Price Dispatched Subtotal
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
1 Drive Image 7.0 29.99 GBP 1 29.99 GBP
Sold by Amazon International Sales, Inc.
I'm rebuilding 2 PC's on Friday and your note finally persuaded me to get some better software.
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putasolutions
regular
Reg'd: Tue
Posts: 12276
Loc: Infinity and beyond
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For those interested, PowerQuest do some superb interactive tutorials for Drive image 7 to help you to get to learn how to their software painlessly. They can be found here
Of all the Things I've lost, I miss my mind the most
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George
regular
Reg'd: Tue
Posts: 3811
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When your copy arrives and installed you may think it's a Microsoft product not PowerQuest. The interface is very much Windows XP, so much so I felt more relaxed in using it.
My mind not only wanders, sometimes it leaves completely.
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George
regular
Reg'd: Tue
Posts: 3811
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There's one thing I should have mentioned, after installing DI 7 I noticed the computer took a fraction longer to completely shutdown, possibly 7 to 8 seconds.
I uninstalled and sure enough shutdown was more rapid. Nevertheless I reinstalled thinking to hell with it why worry about a few seconds.
Unless Iain comes back on this one, I'd appreciate knowing about your experience.
My mind not only wanders, sometimes it leaves completely.
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greysts
regular
Reg'd: Thu
Posts: 17963
Loc: Colchester
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Presumably if DI is running continuously in the background it will need to update the current image of your HD. Again I presume it would need to close the file down properly before allowing Windows to close and that would take a few seconds. Unfortunately my PC already takes an age to close. I think the main culprit is Norton. When my subscription runs out (early next year) I'll dump it and use AVG. I'll let you know what happens after I install DI.
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George
regular
Reg'd: Tue
Posts: 3811
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Have just paid a visit to another mags forums, there a guy relates his experience seeking a new computer.
One of the extras quoted, by what seems to be the same manufacturer I bought from, was the Restore disc. It's no longer £60, now available for £99 would you believe!!
Someone told me a few weeks ago that's what they are asking and I told him he was pulling my chain. Seems he wasn't!
My mind not only wanders, sometimes it leaves completely.
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