Hi, i'm new to this but recently bought new computer and following all the
advice i did a complete backup of my computer via the Backup/restore window
instructions to a 200gb Maxtor external HDD . when i thought i would test
out the procedure to restore complete pc from system image backup as per the
instructions. i chose to "restore using pre-installed recovery" procedure -
i get to step 3 but cannot find "Repair Your Computer" on the "advanced boot
options" screen. .....confused?? how do i actually go about to restore my
computer if i have a catastrophic failure. ps the copy of vista ultimate is
an OEM copy supplied when i bought the computer and although i can use it to
reinstall a clean OS i thought i should be able to restore from my Maxtor -
any assist greatly appreciated

PPG;549952 Wrote:
Hi, i'm new to this but recently bought new computer and following all
the
advice i did a complete backup of my computer via the Backup/restore
window
instructions to a 200gb Maxtor external HDD . when i thought i would
test
out the procedure to restore complete pc from system image backup as
per the
instructions. i chose to "restore using pre-installed recovery"
procedure -
i get to step 3 but cannot find "Repair Your Computer" on the "advanced
boot
options" screen. .....confused?? how do i actually go about to restore
my
computer if i have a catastrophic failure. ps the copy of vista
ultimate is
an OEM copy supplied when i bought the computer and although i can use
it to
reinstall a clean OS i thought i should be able to restore from my
Maxtor -
any assist greatly appreciated

Hi PPG,

Take a look at this tutorial on restoring a complete PC backup to see
if it can help you. There may have been a step you overlooked
somewhere. This shows you how to do it from booting from your Vista
installation DVD.

http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/99...-computer.html

Shawn


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brink

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Thanks shawn,
my OS is 32 bit so i'm not sure if that make a diff to the web link but i
will try it anyway. how do i know if i have an "installation dvd" because
the disc i've got is licensed only for distribution with a new pc and it
doesn't seem to be a bootable disc ie only seems to run with the computer up
and running ??

"brink" wrote:


PPG;549952 Wrote:
Hi, i'm new to this but recently bought new computer and following all
the
advice i did a complete backup of my computer via the Backup/restore
window
instructions to a 200gb Maxtor external HDD . when i thought i would
test
out the procedure to restore complete pc from system image backup as
per the
instructions. i chose to "restore using pre-installed recovery"
procedure -
i get to step 3 but cannot find "Repair Your Computer" on the "advanced
boot
options" screen. .....confused?? how do i actually go about to restore
my
computer if i have a catastrophic failure. ps the copy of vista
ultimate is
an OEM copy supplied when i bought the computer and although i can use
it to
reinstall a clean OS i thought i should be able to restore from my
Maxtor -
any assist greatly appreciated

Hi PPG,

Take a look at this tutorial on restoring a complete PC backup to see
if it can help you. There may have been a step you overlooked
somewhere. This shows you how to do it from booting from your Vista
installation DVD.

http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/99...-computer.html

Shawn


--
brink

*There are no dumb questions, just the people that do not ask them.*
VISTA FORUMS X64 (\"HTTP://WWW.VISTAX64.COM/\")
*Please post feedback to help others.*

PPG;550353 Wrote:
Thanks shawn,
my OS is 32 bit so i'm not sure if that make a diff to the web link but
i
will try it anyway. how do i know if i have an "installation dvd"
because
the disc i've got is licensed only for distribution with a new pc and
it
doesn't seem to be a bootable disc ie only seems to run with the
computer up
and running ??

"brink" wrote:

Hi PPG,

Take a look at this tutorial on restoring a complete PC backup to see
if it can help you. There may have been a step you overlooked
somewhere. This shows you how to do it from booting from your Vista
installation DVD.


http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/99...-computer.html

Shawn



PPG,

It's the same for 32 bit and 64 bit, but you will not be able to do
this from a Recovery DVD. This link is the procedure for having a
Recovery DVD, but like you I never saw the "Repair your computer"
option in the F8 Advanced Boot Options either. See the "To restore
using pre-installed recovery options" section.

'Windows Vista Help: Restore your computer from a system image
backup'
(http://windowshelp.microsoft.com/Win...11033.mspx#EOB)


I would just backup your data files on a DVD by the usual copy
method, or you can use a 3rd party program like Acronis True Image.
It has a 15 day fully functional trial period to see if you like it.

'Download backup software trial of HDD ghosting, data backup and
restore software for home and home office PCs'
(http://www.acronis.com/homecomputing...oad/trueimage/)

Hope this helps,
Shawn


--
brink

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Some confusion regarding "... i chose to "restore using pre-installed
recovery" procedure.... '

"pre-installed recovery" refers to the OEM installed recovery partition -
this is not an option regarding restoring from Complete PC Backup.

What directions were you following? Restoring the backup must be done via
booting from the Vista DVD.

"brink" wrote in message
...

PPG;549952 Wrote:
Hi, i'm new to this but recently bought new computer and following all
the
advice i did a complete backup of my computer via the Backup/restore
window
instructions to a 200gb Maxtor external HDD . when i thought i would
test
out the procedure to restore complete pc from system image backup as
per the
instructions. i chose to "restore using pre-installed recovery"
procedure -
i get to step 3 but cannot find "Repair Your Computer" on the "advanced
boot
options" screen. .....confused?? how do i actually go about to restore
my
computer if i have a catastrophic failure. ps the copy of vista
ultimate is
an OEM copy supplied when i bought the computer and although i can use
it to
reinstall a clean OS i thought i should be able to restore from my
Maxtor -
any assist greatly appreciated

Hi PPG,

Take a look at this tutorial on restoring a complete PC backup to see
if it can help you. There may have been a step you overlooked
somewhere. This shows you how to do it from booting from your Vista
installation DVD.

http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/99...-computer.html

Shawn


--
brink

*There are no dumb questions, just the people that do not ask them.*
VISTA FORUMS X64 (\"HTTP://WWW.VISTAX64.COM/\")
*Please post feedback to help others.*

Remember tha quite a few "OEM" P/Cs have an OEM peculiar restore proceedure,
and the image may be on the hard drive in a hidden partition.

"AJR" wrote in message
...
Some confusion regarding "... i chose to "restore using pre-installed
recovery" procedure.... '

"pre-installed recovery" refers to the OEM installed recovery partition -
this is not an option regarding restoring from Complete PC Backup.

What directions were you following? Restoring the backup must be done via
booting from the Vista DVD.

"brink" wrote in message
...

PPG;549952 Wrote:
Hi, i'm new to this but recently bought new computer and following all
the
advice i did a complete backup of my computer via the Backup/restore
window
instructions to a 200gb Maxtor external HDD . when i thought i would
test
out the procedure to restore complete pc from system image backup as
per the
instructions. i chose to "restore using pre-installed recovery"
procedure -
i get to step 3 but cannot find "Repair Your Computer" on the "advanced
boot
options" screen. .....confused?? how do i actually go about to restore
my
computer if i have a catastrophic failure. ps the copy of vista
ultimate is
an OEM copy supplied when i bought the computer and although i can use
it to
reinstall a clean OS i thought i should be able to restore from my
Maxtor -
any assist greatly appreciated

Hi PPG,

Take a look at this tutorial on restoring a complete PC backup to see
if it can help you. There may have been a step you overlooked
somewhere. This shows you how to do it from booting from your Vista
installation DVD.

http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/99...-computer.html

Shawn


--
brink

*There are no dumb questions, just the people that do not ask them.*
VISTA FORUMS X64 (\"HTTP://WWW.VISTAX64.COM/\")
*Please post feedback to help others.*

"brink" wrote in message
...
Hi PPG,

Take a look at this tutorial on restoring a complete PC backup to see
if it can help you. There may have been a step you overlooked
somewhere. This shows you how to do it from booting from your Vista
installation DVD.

http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/99...-computer.html

Shawn


--
brink

*There are no dumb questions, just the people that do not ask them.*
VISTA FORUMS X64 (\"HTTP://WWW.VISTAX64.COM/\")
*Please post feedback to help others.*


That is a fabulous job, Shawn! Especially since the Vista backup has a
bare, inadequate amount of documentation.

Do you have any idea how to tell what has been backed up? I'm referring to
the directories in previous backup programs that show what is in the backup.
I know that suggests file backup, but I am mainly concerned with complete
backups.

For example, in complete backup, when my backup disk gets full, it's
supposed to delete the oldest backup(s) to make room for the new backup, but
it doesn't. The timeline turns red and says there is no room for the backup
on the device.

I tried to go into the backup device and delete the oldest dated files, but
I've tried it file by file until the backup is completely deleted and I
still get the red timeline. The only way I have found to fix it is to
format the drive!

Using the formatted drive, backup works again. But before the backup runs
it gives a description of the oldest backup on the device (August 31 in my
case) and the date of the last backup (which would be December something).
Now understand that I just got done formatting the disk, then restarted the
backup program which is now telling me that I have backups!

I don't know where it is getting this information, but since I formatted the
disk, I know all my old backups are gone. I sure would like to see some
better way of knowing what has been backed up--that I can trust.

John

John;556425 Wrote:
"brink" wrote in message
...
Hi PPG,

Take a look at this tutorial on restoring a complete PC backup to see
if it can help you. There may have been a step you overlooked
somewhere. This shows you how to do it from booting from your Vista
installation DVD.


http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/99...-computer.html

Shawn


--
brink

*There are no dumb questions, just the people that do not ask them.*
VISTA FORUMS X64 (\"HTTP://WWW.VISTAX64.COM/\")
*Please post feedback to help others.*


That is a fabulous job, Shawn! Especially since the Vista backup has
a
bare, inadequate amount of documentation.

Do you have any idea how to tell what has been backed up? I'm
referring to
the directories in previous backup programs that show what is in the
backup.
I know that suggests file backup, but I am mainly concerned with
complete
backups.

For example, in complete backup, when my backup disk gets full, it's
supposed to delete the oldest backup(s) to make room for the new
backup, but
it doesn't. The timeline turns red and says there is no room for the
backup
on the device.

I tried to go into the backup device and delete the oldest dated
files, but
I've tried it file by file until the backup is completely deleted and
I
still get the red timeline. The only way I have found to fix it is to
format the drive!

Using the formatted drive, backup works again. But before the backup
runs
it gives a description of the oldest backup on the device (August 31
in my
case) and the date of the last backup (which would be December
something).
Now understand that I just got done formatting the disk, then
restarted the
backup program which is now telling me that I have backups!

I don't know where it is getting this information, but since I
formatted the
disk, I know all my old backups are gone. I sure would like to see
some
better way of knowing what has been backed up--that I can trust.

John

Hi John,

I'll have to do some testing to see if I find where Vista stores the
information for this. In the mean time I update the tutorial to help
with knowing the "Backup Location" file path.

Shawn


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