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General => Technical Help => Topic started by: Selina on Wednesday 02 November 11 12:09 GMT (UK)
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Hi all,
After about a year of dithering and comparing models etc., I have finally purchased a laptop in case my 7˝ year old desktop gives out on me (I don't like new things, I like my old friends!)
So for the first of what I expect will be many requests when I would appreciate help.
I need to create recovery discs or flashdrive. Advice given is to use high quality and it specifies which type of DVD to use and also says to number the discs prior to use so that indicates several but does not say how many or what size flashdrive.
I have to hand 3 DVD-R (DVD-R being one of the types mentioned) 4.7GB 1x-4x compatible and also 5 DVD-R 4.7GB 1x16x compatible, all Sony.
Please can you tell me how many discs am I likely to need and/or what size flashdrive.
Also I have read that discs over x8 can shatter in the drive, not sure if that is a fact or not. My fast ones were cheap when Woolies closed so not bothered if I discard them.
Thanks,
Selina
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Hi Selina
As a general rule, how many discs / flash drives you need will depend on
a) size of discs / drives
b) how much you want to recover / copy.
Dawn M
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Hi
I used 3x 4.7gb DVDs, they have to be non rewritable, assuming it is for your OS recovery discs. The speed of my discs are 1-16x so i don't think that will be an issue.
Kevin
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Thanks Dawn and Kevin,
Just been pondering and if I look at the recovery partition perhaps I can see what size that is, presuming that is what I am going to copy using the wizard.
As it states only one set of discs can be made I don't want to mess with it until I am certain on all points!
Kevin - sounds like I have enough to do it, many thanks.
Selina
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I purchased a new desk top recently and when i started the recovery wixard it states how many discs you will require.
Kevin
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Thanks Kevin - that's handy to know.
When I bought my present desktop it came complete with the discs so have not had to think about it previously. Have never had to use them so hopefully that will prove the same with new computer!
Selina
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Hello Selina,
When I bought my Acer netbook this time last year, Windows 7 64bit, I used 3 cds for the recovery back-up and one cd for the drivers and applications. The cds are 4.7gb 1-16x speed.
cheers, falcybe
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Hi falcybe,
Thanks for reply - looks like I have enough DVD's in stock to go ahead.
Regards,
Selina
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Perhaps someone can help me, then? I tried to create recovery disks ... but 9/10ths of the way through (according to the little "ribbon" display), it failed. I tried again ... same result.
Gave up in total frustration!
I, therefore, still have no recovery disks, twelve months after purchase of the laptop, and wonder how big a mess I'm going to be in (and how soon!?!?) without them?
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When I purchased my wife's Toshiba laptop with Vista installed, I first removed the trial antivirus program.
This laptop came with a backup program which removed the uncertainty of 'how do you do it'.
Just 1 DVD required, which I then stored before repeating the process for a second time, this time I gave my wife the disc and told her her laptop required disc as a safeguard. (She then put it away with the family jewels?)
Brian
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I scrounged an old HP laptop to use as my media centre - I did not have any disks, and the hard disk had been wiped.
I found the model number & Serial number - contacted HP support via their web site and purchased a set of recovery disks for $30AUD.
Well worth it, I thought. Most of the big manufacturers will have the disks for sale.
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Deb D - That is exactly what I fear happening to me! Hopefully you will never need to recover.
Brian - It looks like the process should be straightfoward, just don't like to enter into it until fully ready, says only one go.
macbeth - reading manual I printed off which covers all models, it does say that a disc can be purchased from the HP website so if I do make a pig's ear of it I can fall back on that option. Not sure how the price you quote converts but sounds reasonable.
Thanks for all replies.
Selina
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Selina
Do you not have a partition on your hard drive with a copy of your original installation?
Subject to confirmation, most computers that don't have software supplied have some sort of a program that allows you to create a copy of your hard drive.
(I was lucky, in that all the software that was installed onto my hard drive I got)
Be aware that sometimes a recovery disc is supplied, this only takes your computer back to how it was supplied and does not cover any programs installed since purchase.
Brian
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Hi Brian,
I have just had a better look. There is a recovery partition (13.64 GB) and I see how to access HP Recovery Media Creation so now I know roughly how many discs I need it should be straight forward.
There is some software installed, I haven't added much to my present elderly computer, mostly just use what it came with and as I am only used to Works word processor, Microsoft Office Starter will probably be enough for my purposes at present.
Once I get this done I will move on to getting it online!
Selina
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So by my reckoning, 4.7Gb capacity for a DVD disc, you need 3 discs.
Just start up your recovery program and feed a disc as required.
Best of luck.
Brian
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Successfully created discs today. Told me at the beginning that I needed 4 - think that is due to way it divides up to get prepare, burn and verify on each.
Had rise in blood pressure on disc 2 when I got message that it was experiencing difficulties, please try again. Put fresh disc in and it was fine.
Now have to convert all my Works files into Wordpad so that that Word can open them.
Will soon be back with another thread for next stage - i.e. getting it online!
Thanks for the help.
Selina