eRecovery Management

This might be a few n00b questions, if so pls forgive me!

Every so often i format my system so doing this as quickly as possible is obvioulsy favourable. first off when i bought the laptop new it asked me to burn a backup dvd. Why is this when all the information is already there on the hidden partition? Just for fail safe?

How do i just format C: The option is greyed out for me.

If i create a Backup snapshot image soon after i format, remove all the unwanted programs and install mine will i be able to use this 'image'' to recover from instead of going thought the whole install process of all my programs?

If i can create the dvd with my usual install it wud be great but failing that formatting and reinstalling windows on just the C: leaving D: untouched would be suffice......also why wont this crappy acer utility let u convert the partition sizes?

thanx in advance

 

First up, I recommend burning the backup DVD to EVERY 5672 owner. I've lost count as to how many times I've had to rely on my DVD to "resurrect" my notebook.

If you want to format C: and install windows, can't you just pop in the windows CD and install it?

 

my 8204 didnt come with a windows cd, nor do many laptops nowadays

 

Greyed out where? Which menu? How did you reach there?

Using a tool like Acronis True Image should help. You'll most probably need an external hard drive to store the image. I don't recommend saving it in the notebook.

You can't create a backup dvd using Nero. All the contents are in the hidden partition, and moreoever, you don't know how exactly the file structure should be on the dvd. For HDD partition management, I suggest you use Partition Magic - it's the best out there.

 

what wrong with using all of the default acer stuff.

first to do a clean install
enable D2D recovery in bios if not already enabled
restart and press ALT and F10 at the same time when the acer screen appears. follow options and reformat using the partiniton

acer e recovery load up the utility select creat a back up disc... then follow throught with creat a current snap shot...

try reading the the Acer users guide installed on your computer(i hope you never unistalled these components, as they are very useful). i know you can not change partition sizes, and i know if you uses the optinion for clean your hdd it will likely erase all that is one you d:.

 

a 3rd option is to get ahold of an XP Home/Pro OEM CD (depending on which license you own). This removes the need for "hidden partitions" and "Restore DVD'S". I could just as easily create my own backup disk with Norton Ghost or Acronis True Image.

 

Not always. There can be times when nothing else will work - a fresh install will be fast alright but some stuff won't work the way it should. There's a reason why they give you the option of creating a backup DVD.

 

what is preventing you from doing a complete format and reinstall of xp with an oem disk if you go out to the hardware manufacturer's website and downloading all of the needed drivers and applications?

I'm running xp pro corp and have deleted all of the "recovery" programs off of my 5672wmli after I made a restore DVD. I have all of the origional software and files as a restore but without all of the crap and auto settings and services that come with it!

I guess i'm confused as far as you say that it won't be the same. Software is software my friend, regardless if you installed it on a "recovery" dvd or if you installed a virgin install of xp using an xp disk. you can still go out to the manufactures website and install the same software (if not an updated version of it)

--ssx--

 

Lol, I think you must've misunderstood me (if your post was directed at me). I'm sorry if I made you go mad and confused, I just thought that you were installing XP Pro and not install the rest of the drivers from Acer's webbie. If you do that, theoretically it should be the same. Have you done it, and is your notebook error-free? If so, I think it's really cool. But I doubt if an OEM version can be installed, since Acer (being a VAR) must have shipped a "modified" version of Windows.

 

right youve all confused me. can we keep it simple! i dont want to use all these darn programs and for now i will forget about changing the partition sizes! i still have the Acer User Manual on my hard disk, however i found it too simple even for a noob like me. I have all the Empowering technology bullsh1te still, except the security one which i had to remove because it interefered with my msn file sharing - sending/recieving files etc.

....so i use the eRovery Management with the empowering tech. utilities....
1> i type in the default password
2> select the 2nd option to recover using existing backup file or restore to factory config.
3> it then gives me 4 options, the 2nd of which is greyed out which should be RESTORE C: FROM USER BACKUP IMAGE FUNCTION (no user backup in system)
the remainding options are

Restore factory default system - ASSUME IT WILL ERASE D: ?

Recvoer system from CD/DVD backup

Reinstall Applications/drivers

What i need to understand is the first DVD i burnt when i booted up, whats the differnce with that DVD and these snapshot images u guys or Acer are on about, and does this snapshot image include stuff ive dont to my computer not needing to reinstall programs again after i formatted windows?

sorry for being long winded, remember all i wanna do is format C: leaving D: intact. if i can format c: but still have all my programs and drivers that ive installed already there that wud be great, now is this a snapshot image?

 

The DVD u burnt at the start will actually partition an empty hard disk, put a ACER partition as the first, then put all the original files into that partition, so when the computer restarts, it goes back to the original windows setup (BUT with no Hidden Partition, and no D Partition, just a big ACER ( C: ) Partition.

The difference is that this Recovery DVD u burnt at the start has all the bloatware Acer wants your computer to carry (But it is user friendly for the n00bs), while these guys above wanted a CLEAN windows XP, with minimal software by Acer, so the resources can be used elsewhere more useful. This can be achieved by installing Windows XP using a OEM disc and using the serial number on the back of your laptop. This will install a clean Windows XP, then the guys can manually install the drivers they want, and at the end backup this partition.