[xp7xp]

CREATE clean restore DISK - [ advanced.] { please move if this is the wrong forum, Im
new here }

Hi,

I've wanted to do this for a long time. I am intermediate to advanced level, on pc.

I am currently using a TOSHIBA satellite, laptop, with xp , no service packs. I am considering upgrading to a HP laptop, with windows 7. But i don't want all their junk installed.

{ I know of no way to buy a laptop without the junk }

I want to create a restore disk , dvd. { the TOSHIBA uses 2 dvd's } that can restore the OS without ANY JUNK software attached. Yes, I know you can delete those programs, but it takes forever and creates a mess!

The current dvd restore disks are older and dont have sp2 on them. so I would add sp 2 to a custom disk, also, it there is a way. { why not xp sp3 ? I found it
runs worse than sp2, for me }

Also, I want to repeat the process for the new windows 7 laptop.
What is the best way to do this please?

Or should I create a junk free version by removing all programs , then copying to another partition?

I would like this copying partition method, as a second way to restore the clean Junk free OS, without having to reformat and use recovery disks.

I would be willing to buy bootit ng, or what partitioning software ?, to do this.

Or is it better, to just install A NEW HARDDRIVE to the laptop to do this? How?

{ I did buy a new, bigger harddrive for the toshiba, but haven't tried to install it yet. Not really sure how }

I hope this is clear.

thank you very much!

[Dude044]

Hi xp7xp .I have always used nlite to create custom windows disks,(to add service packs,drivers,or remove unwanted xp functions.or create an unattented install disk. I dont know if its possible to do with your toshiba disks but you could look here on there site .they have good help section on there forum .Dude044

http://www.nliteos.com/

[TheOutcaste]

Welcome to TSG!

I just use Acronis True Image. (You can find better prices if you shop around, or get last years version)
Setup the system the way I want, then image it to another hard drive/External drive, excluding my large data files: Music, Recorded TV, Pictures, Virtual hard drives for Virtual Machines. These get backed up daily to another system.

I can restore the system in 10-15 minutes, and have instant access to my data on the other system, and can restore it in the background.

Do an incremental update every couple weeks, or after installing a new program.

With a new system, I would image the drive before booting it up for the first time. (Hit pause as soon as it powers on so you can get the CD in the drive). This way if you sell/give it away later, you can DBAN the drive, restore the image, and the new owner has the system in the same shape as when it left the factory, including the ability to make Recovery DVDs. This would also let you restore just the Recovery partition to make another set of DVDs if your Recovery DVDs go bad.

Remove the junk, configure it, then make your base "working" image.

[rainforest123]

Perhaps I do not understand your question.

IF:
you want to install XP, without the junk, you need a folder called i386 with files such as filename.DL_ . You might need to set your system to display hidden, system & protected OS files.
If you have it, you can follow these steps. http://www.dslreports.com/forum/r191...-Windows-XP-CD

THEN, using a program such as N Lite, there are others, you can slipstream to create SP2, SP3, et al. You will need an XP SP2 CD or XP SP3 CD, or the downloads.

FWIW, I use Acronis True Image to clone my HDDs. T.O. is right about recovery; 5 min if you use removable racks & trays, from, for example, Kingwin.

RF123

[xp7xp]

Hi,

thanks all for great replies,

it will take me some time to analyze what you've suggested, try them out, and respond to everyones suggestions!

[xp7xp]

Originally Posted by Dude044

Hi xp7xp .I have always used nlite to create custom windows disks,(to add service packs,drivers,or remove unwanted xp functions.or create an unattented install disk. I dont know if its possible to do with your toshiba disks but you could look here on there site .they have good help section on there forum .Dude044

http://www.nliteos.com/

Hi Dude944,

Oh okay, never heard of that program, but it looks good.
Yeah, I thought I heard that laptops have to "see" certain things in a disc for it to run
and be recognized. .Not sure if that is clear.

Thats why I didnt know if adding a new drive would be the best way or not. This way
I could put the drive in an EXTERNAL esata bay, and work with it to set it up.

{ of course that would be now, just setting it up. I dont think I could run the
laptop from just an external drive, right? Cause the laptop would have to
have the esata driver, to just recognize the drive, right? }

{ an external USB connected drive, would have same problem, right? }


thanks

[rainforest123]

The lappy might recognize the external drive for the same reason it recognizes the internal HDD & internal optical drive & keyboard & display [ card & monitor / screen ].

You could:
Buy a lappy HDD [ hard disk drive ] that is larger than your current HDD. Buy a shell that connects via eSATA or USB or 1394 / firewire [ or some combination thereof ].
Put HDD into shell.

Buy the .iso from Acronis. Create a bootable optical disk. Turn of the computer.
Connect the external drive [ eSATA or USB or 1394 / firewire ]. Turn on the computer. Boot to the Acronis disk.
Try to clone.

If cloning succeeds, reboot. During the reboot process, remove the Acronis optical disk. Boot into Windows.
After booting has finished, turn off / shutdown the computer.
Remove the HDD from the lappy.
Remove the new HDD from the shell.
Put the new HDD into the lappy.
turn on the lappy.
If it boots into Windows, you have all of your data, on a larger HDD.

RF123

[xp7xp]

TheOutcaste Welcome to TSG!

thanks!

I just use Acronis True Image. (You can find better prices if you shop around, or get last years version)

Okay, ive tried this before. Its coming back to me now -lol.

Setup the system the way I want, then image it to another hard drive/External drive, excluding my large data files: Music, Recorded TV, Pictures, Virtual hard drives for Virtual Machines. These get backed up daily to another system.

I remember this all started when i wanted TO DUAL BOOT. Not only that, but off
A RAID SYSTEM!

I wanted to dual boot VISTA, and XP. Boy that was a nightmare! I think we tried
Acronis, and about three other brands. Most COULD not handle vista! { at that
time } Then when you added RAID, it was even more of a hassle.


I can restore the system in 10-15 minutes, and have instant access to my data on the other system, and can restore it in the background.

Do an incremental update every couple weeks, or after installing a new program.

Okay I gather Acronis is certified for windows 7 now then correct?

Also, can it dual boot with xp you think? { creating separate partitions on the laptop}


With a new system, I would image the drive before booting it up for the first time. (Hit pause as soon as it powers on so you can get the CD in the drive).

Okay, never done this but will give it a try.



This way if you sell/give it away later, you can DBAN the drive, restore the image, and the new owner has the system in the same shape as when it left the factory, including the ability to make Recovery DVDs.

gotcha


This would also let you restore just the Recovery partition to make another set of DVDs if your Recovery DVDs go bad.

Remove the junk, configure it, then make your base "working" image.

Okay. sounds like a plan, thanks. Anybody else recommend acronis for windows 7
dual boot?

Or whats best? I think the other one we tried started with a P - paragon?

thanks will reply to everyone here, as I get the chance!

[Noyb]

Okay I gather Acronis is certified for windows 7 now then correct?

YES .. Acronis .... Better price

I'd use a full backup (not Incremental) for Images of your configured fresh install.

[TheOutcaste]

Acronis True Image has nothing to do with Dual Booting. It's simply a cloning/imaging application. Doesn't even have to be installed, runs off a CD/Flash/External drive using a Linux OS, so it doesn't care what version of Windows you have installed.

You can Dual Boot Vista or Win7 with XP. You can even Dual Boot with Windows 3.11 without too much trouble.

Always best to install the older OS first, then the newer one. The newer one will know about the older versions and will setup a Dual Boot automatically.
Vista/Win 7 will not pick up a Win9x version of windows as Win2K/XP did, but will automatically find and configure a previous NT based version of Windows.
Win9x or MS-DOS will have to be manually added to the boot menu.

Installing an older OS after a newer one is where it gets tricky. The older one has no way of knowing about the new one and how it works, and they made major changes to how Windows boots starting with Vista.

RAID can be a problem, especially with XP, as XP Setup only supports additional Mass Storage drivers supplied on a floppy disk. If you don't have a floppy drive, you have to slipstream the driver. Vista/Win 7 can read the drivers from CD/DVD, USB Flash drives, or USB Externals, so it's much easier.