Re: create bootable/recovery CD, and also carve partions into C dr

From: Mark Frymier (MarkFrymier_at_discussions.microsoft.com)
Date: 01/01/05 

Date: Sat, 1 Jan 2005 00:01:02 -0800

Thanks much... your information was very helpful.

"Carey Frisch [MVP]" wrote:

> The only way you can create, delete, resize or merge existing partitions,
> and not harm your existing Windows XP installation, is to purchase and use
> a third-party partitioning program such as Partition Magic 8.0
> http://www.powerquest.com/partitionmagic/
>
> HP Pavilions that ship with Microsoft Windows XP do
> not come with Recovery CDs. Instead, they use a hidden
> space (partition) on the hard drive to store the recovery
> information.
>
> Read the following article thoroughly, then follow
> the steps outlined to perform a "non-destructive"
> recovery operation if required:
> http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/document?lc=en&cc=us&docname=bph07145&product=71013&dlc=en&lang=en
>
> If a "non-destructive" recovery will not work, then you'll have
> to resort to a "destructive recovery" which will reformat the
> drive, thus wiping it clean of all files before Windows XP is
> reinstalled.
>
> Obtaining HP Recovery CDs
> http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/document?product=71013&lang=en&cc=us&lc=en&dlc=en&docname=bph07143
>
> --
> Carey Frisch
> Microsoft MVP
> Windows XP - Shell/User
>
> Be Smart! Protect Your PC!
> http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/protect/default.aspx
>
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> "Mark Frymier" wrote:
>
> | I have an external Maxtor USB drive with a couple partitions on it. I use
> | Redux software to automatically update daily/weekly images of my C (system)
> | drive to the two Maxtor drive partitions. But I need something to boot from
> | in the event of a problem with my C drive. This HP pavilion desktop machine
> | does not appear to have anything so straightforward as "create emergency
> | recovery disk on CD." In fact, HP Help documentation on my machine suggested
> | that because there was a manufacturer installed D: recovery partition, that
> | it was unnecessary to create a removable recovery disk. (I guess this would
> | be my first option in the event of failure: boot from the D partition, then
> | copy from the Maxtor image back onto the C drive. But I'd still like to have
> | a bootable CD in case something really ugly happens.)
> |
> | Also, in a similar fashion to what I did on the external Maxtor drive, I'd
> | like to carve this internal C drive into a couple partitions, but can't seem
> | to do that under Computer Management/Disk Management -- presumably because
> | I've booted from C. I imagine if I could boot from an alternate drive (such
> | as a CD recovery disk), that perhaps I could safely(?) allocate unused space
> | on the C drive into another partition. Is that correct?
> |
> | So here's what I'm thinking, if someone can help understand how to create a
> | bootable CD from my existing system: A) in the event of disaster to my C
> | drive, I could boot from the CD, locate the external backup image on the
> | Maxtor and copy from it back to the C drive. And seperately B) I could carve
> | up some of that unused extra space on my C drive and use it for something
> | else (such as a backup copy of my laptop's C drive).
> |
> | I'd appreciate any confirmation (or correction) of my thinking, and any
> | expert advice on how to accomplish what I've described. Thanks much!
>
>