Using Recovery disc on a regular basis?

The_stingemeister

Would doing this on, say, a 6 monthly basis be a good bit of computer management or not? Or does it ultimately put strain on the computer and is to be done only when all else fails?

I'm asking as my laptop is playing up, being fairly slow. Also the system restore no longer works! I've seen that 17Gb of the 35Gb of memory is used up.

chuckles1066

The_stingemeister wrote: »

Would doing this on, say, a 6 monthly basis be a good bit of computer management or not? Or does it ultimately put strain on the computer and is to be done only when all else fails?

I'm asking as my laptop is playing up, being fairly slow. Also the system restore no longer works! I've seen that 17Gb of the 35Gb of memory is used up.

I re-image my system at least once a month; you won't put any strain on it.

Conor_3

It's absolutely and completely utterly pointless. It's the IT equivalent of using a sledgehammer to crack an egg.

BillScarab

The only time I re-install windows is if I have a hardware failure such as a disc drive failing or if I replace a component such as the motherboard.

There are lots of tools available to keep your PC running well. As for the disc space you've only used half of it.

If your PC has got into a bad state it may be worth doing just so you cna start with a clean slate.

aknot

Conor wrote: »

It's absolutely and completely utterly pointless. It's the IT equivalent of using a sledgehammer to crack an egg.

Another quality answer :rolleyes:

Actually why do you post anything at all?

Anyway, Its actually ok to install a fresh copy/re image/ghost your PC as many times as you want but it is a bit extreme, maybe you should just keep a check on what you have installed/done to warrant a ghosting.

chuckles1066

For what its worth, I install Windows and any other stuff that I use (Office etc) and then use BootIt to create an image.

It takes about six minutes to flash that image back over whenever I feel the need.

It needn't be time-consuming.

aknot

chuckles1066 wrote: »

For what its worth, I install Windows and any other stuff that I use (Office etc) and then use BootIt to create an image.

It takes about six minutes to flash that image back over whenever I feel the need.

It needn't be time-consuming.

Top idea, I use Acronis 10, I forgot what life was like before it :T

free4440273

chuckles1066 wrote: »

For what its worth, I install Windows and any other stuff that I use (Office etc) and then use BootIt to create an image.

It takes about six minutes to flash that image back over whenever I feel the need.

It needn't be time-consuming.

Is BootIt freeware; is it relatively easy to use? Thanks

weegie.geek

The problem with doing this is that the backup will always be out of date. New drivers, software updates, etc.

By all means keep a base install imaged (imaged as soon as you see the desktop for the first time when installing windows) and just rewrite that onto the drive, then install the latest drivers and software.


The fact that system restore's stopped working would worry me, so I'd definitely reinstall just now, but I'm not sure I'd reinstall as often as every 6 months tbh. If you were changing the hardware significantly then yeah.

chuckles1066

weegie.geek wrote: »

The problem with doing this is that the backup will always be out of date. New drivers, software updates, etc.

Yes.............and no!

Flash the image back across, sit and let, for example, Windows Update download and install the latest hotfixes and then create a new image from that.

For example, I've just flashed an image across and then installed Vista SP1 before re-imaging.

So my current image is of a Vista SP1 install...........you can't much more upto date than that.

As aknot says, I can't imagine what it's like to run a pc without some sort of regular imaging/re-imaging exercise.

chuckles1066

free4440273 wrote: »

Is BootIt freeware; is it relatively easy to use? Thanks

No and no!