Restore Disk Questoin

[Kilgore Trout]

I have a Windows Vista notebook about 2 years old.
The performance has become very slow and clunky for some odd reason in the last month and I'm thinking of using the restore disks that I created when I first got the PC to restore the computer to the way it was when I first got it.

I'm just wondering what exactly goes on when you use system restore disks because I've never used a system restore disk before.
Do they reformat the hard drive and then reinstall vista and all the drivers or is some other process involved.
I'm worried I'll totally ruin the computer if I use the system restore disks.

So, basically I'm just wondering what is going on when you use your system restore disks and is there anything I need to look out for.
Thanks for any info.

 

[nihilism]

they reformat the hard drive and then reinstall vista and all the drivers

This is exactly the process. However, it also re-installs all the useless pre-loaded software that will slow your system down.

 

[larry]

This is exactly the process. However, it also re-installs all the useless pre-loaded software that will slow your system down.

A little over the top, as most posts on Terb are, but accurate. I don't know what "restore" disks you have but usually they will restore it to the exact delivery condition. Sure, it'll have some useless stuff. Your task, if you're able, is to turn off services, remove apps you don't want, set it up a little more the way you like it, install some of your favorite software and then make your own backup. Use Ghost. Or Acronix or whatever you can get from your friends.

Next time you restore, it'll start out as a pretty nice system.

 

[JEFF247]

I just restored my 2 year old Toshiba Vista laptop. The Restore (recovery disk that came with it), as said above, will restore software and settings to the day you bought it. All additional programs and data are erased when your disk drive is reformatted. My laptop was running so bad I thought the hard drive was dying. Now it runs "like new". Just backup up data you want to keep on an disk or flash drive. Then you will have to re-install programs you added since purchase with backed up data.

You will be getting Windows and other updates for a week or so to get caught up. Sure glad I did it. Took about 30 minutes. Good luck.

PS-Most recovery disks will only work with the computer they came with.

 

[Kilgore Trout]

Okay, thanks a lot for all that.
I have a Toshiba notebook too and the decline in performance lately is hard to believe.
I have a system restore disk A and system restore disk B with my computer so I guess I need to use both of them to restore the system.
Thanks for the input again.

 

[nihilism]

Okay, thanks a lot for all that.
I have a Toshiba notebook too and the decline in performance lately is hard to believe.
I have a system restore disk A and system restore disk B with my computer so I guess I need to use both of them to restore the system.
Thanks for the input again.

You will need to run both. Typically Disk A handles the reformat, and re-install of windows. Disc B handles drivers and applications.

 

[Kilgore Trout]

You will need to run both. Typically Disk A handles the reformat, and re-install of windows. Disc B handles drivers and applications.

Okay, thanks a lot for that.
If disk B really has all the system drivers I might buy a new hard drive, swap it in and try to do a new install of Windows XP on this PC. The thing that has stopped me from doing this is that the PC box did not contain a disk for all the system drivers and I don't think I can install XP without all those drivers.
I've never liked Vista and always wished almost from the get go that this PC had XP installed on it instead of Vista.

 

[nihilism]

Okay, thanks a lot for that.
If disk B really has all the system drivers I might buy a new hard drive, swap it in and try to do a new install of Windows XP on this PC. The thing that has stopped me from doing this is that the PC box did not contain a disk for all the system drivers and I don't think I can install XP without all those drivers.
I've never liked Vista and always wished almost from the get go that this PC had XP installed on it instead of Vista.

If you can move to Windows 7, you will be in better shape than XP. I recently wiped out an older IBM laptop, and installed Windows 7, 98% of the drivers I needed were included within windows7, the rest I was able to find online.

 

[WoodPeckr]

Have to second W7

Vista with SP1 is solid but if you want to move to another OS go to W7 rather than XP.

 

[s0yntgreen]

how much ram you got
jumping from early vista to win7 (2+ years) might be too much for your comp

 

[WoodPeckr]

how much ram you got
jumping from early vista to win7 (2+ years) might be too much for your comp

Not necessarily. W7 runs leaner and is not as big a resource hog as Vista. Many have upgraded from Vista to W7 and report their PC runs better with no modifications at all after moving to W7.