Restore media with all applications

Hello All,

I have HP machine, which comes with a recovery DVD, that restores my OS along with HP crapware.
I want to create a restore DVD that will not only restore my OS but also all applications that I need (and without HP crapware) so next time when I decide to make a clean install, I could use this newly created DVD and I have a ready to use machine in 2-3 hours. (so this restore DVD will get rid of all the partitions, format HDD and restore OS and applications as I want/as when the restore media was created.)

I wonder, if this is possible with True Image 11 home product. I have downloaded trial (but haven't installed it yet) and manual. I don't find any such instructions in the manual so I am not too sure.

I am not new to backups but my backup are like simply making a copy on another HDDs using SyncbackSE. I am very new to all this business using TrueImage 11.

I will be glad if anybody could give me some pointers on if this possible and if this is mentioned in the manual, please let me know which chapter its in..

Many thanks in advance.

 

Yes, True Image will do that.

 

Thanks tuttle,
Now my question is which option do you use? Backup under Backup & Restore? If yes, this asks me if I want to backup my computer but nowhere it says thats it going to create a restore DVD like the one HP has provided me with.

All I want is to create a restore disc like HP, only difference would be, it will be like the current state of my machine (and it will do formatting, reinstalling OS and applications, everything automatically)

If this has been detailed in the manual, please direct me to the right chapter.

Thanks in advance.

 

What you are asking for is reasonable, but not possible with TI practically. The HP disk restores a system with almost nothing on it (except crapware). A working machine has much more space used, so it won't fit on one DVD.

You can get the functionality by making your backup to DVD disks. However, if more than two disks are required, you will go crazy swapping the disks in order to do a restore. The TI manual covers this in how do do a manual full image backup, but I really don't recommend it.

For most computers with a few major applidations (MS Office, photo editor, etc.) installed plus the normal data (email, documents, photos some music, etc.) plus the array of Windows and program updates and patches, a backup will require more than two DVDs. Therefore, backing up to an external hard drive is far more practical.

Buy an external USB drive of 250-500GB for $100 or less and use that. It will hold quite a few backups, and you won't have to wait around to swap DVDs while they are being made.

The TI Rescue CD should boot your system in the event of a hard drive crash, and you can restore the backup you select from the USB drive. Of course, you should test the Rescue CD and validate a backup you have made after booting from the CD.

If all of this seems like too much work or complexity, I'm sorry.

 

EDIT:
Oh, I worked too long on my posting
John was faster...
/EDIT

The best you can do is following:

- create and customize the Windows and your applications
- if you have a satisfy state you have to build an image with Ti.
- This image would include your OS with MasterBootRecord, your data and your applications.

But before you create an image there must be some prerequisites.
Let me ask some questions:
- how many devices (hdd) do you have?
- What partitions do you have on it?
- are your applications and data detached from your OS?
- or are data, applications and data on only one partition?
- do you have external devices (like usb-hdd)?

When we have the answers we can give you the best advices to create an image.

BTW:
Tuttle said only one sentence above and he is right.
But: According to your questions I assume that you are not a professional in imaging software.
And I want to prevent you from false expectations to Acronis TrueImage.
The way is NOT to format, install Win, install data and application in Ti.
With Ti you restore the created image in one action and you have the state you have backuped.

 

Thanks John and MrMorse for your replies. Now things are making some sense to me.

Replies to MrMorse's questions are follows.

- 250gb internal HDD with 3 partitions, first partition of 50GB for only OS and applications, not a single email/document or anything else.
- I didn't understand what do you mean by, if all my applications are 'detached'.
- The data is on other two partitions.
- I have 2 external HDDs, one 250GB (FAT32 formatted) and 500GB (NTFS formatted)

I agree that if I go on to make restore disc like HP then it will take at least 4 DVDs for me. My OS, updates and applications is already 15GB now and honestly, I would prefer going mad using 4 discs to restore rather than spending whole week to restore my machine by going routine way for HP restore->remove crapware->apply OS updates->Install applications of my need->Update all the applications.. Still I am open for making image on HDD as John said.

Now, please tell me if such restore DVD is possible from TureImage or I am expecting too much from TrueImage..
Or
what method do you suggest in my case?

 

The primary purpose of True Image is to make an image of your entire hard-drive or only selected partition(s) as you wish.

So all you have to do is tailor your PC to the state you want and then make an image of the drive. As you have been told the best media for storing the backup on is typically an external USB hard-drive.

If your drive goes bad, you install a new drive, connect your USB drive with the image archive on it, boot up the TI rescue CD which you made after you installed TI, and restore your image to the new disk. Now you are back to the state the PC was in when the image was created. Naturally, you will find as you update the OS, add/subtract applications, etc, you will make a more current image.

As we always tell new users, you really need to test the rescue CD before you know for certain you can indeed restore your archive. The best way of doing this is to a spare hard-drive. If you don't want to do that, the next best thing is to boot up the rescue CD and ensure you can validate the archive using TI. This means it can find the archive and read it correctly. Note that the rescue CD is Linux, not Windows, and sometimes the hardware device drivers aren't the best or present especially for newer hardware.

 

The option to make a bootable DVD that contains both the Restore feature as well as the Backup Image can be found here:
Tools>Options>Default Backup Options>Media Components>Advanced Tab

I will be a little more daring than jmk and would say that if the Backup takes 3 dvds then the amount of swapping during a recovery is tolerable. More than that and you'll be a candidate for the nut house after a restore.

 

With 'detached' I meant that I wanted to know whether your OS, the applications and the data are in ONE patition.
But you have separated these things. Good.

seekforever and DwnNdrty have answered this question.
That's the workflow I prefer too.
Read the posts of the two members and let's know your answer.
If you have questions yet, post these here.

But to prevent you complain later about Ti, try seekforever's suggestion with the rescue-CD.
You have the trial Ti11. Install it, build a new ISO file and burn it on CD.
Then start with it and check whether all can be recognized.

 

Thank you folks for your replies. Things have started looking very clear to me now.

I don't mind using DVD or HDD, anything is fine as long as it works.

@seekforver,
You nailed my confusion. My confusion was, how would I boot from this image but your answer clears my confusion. I will give it a try and see how it goes.

Thanks a lot again.