need help got a used desk top with Windows XP installed can i make back up disk for windows incase or crash

Answer 1

Many name-brand pcs these days don't come with recovery disks when they're new, BUT provide a way to burn one set. Look in the Start > All Programs menu for a folder by the name of the pc's manufacturer and in there look for "Create Recovery Disks". If they haven't been made than you'll be able to go ahead and make them (stick first CD in and start the process). If they have already been made than you'll get a message saying so. (If you don't see a shortcut to that in that folder,check the manual for info on it.)

If they have already been made you may have another alternative. Again, most name-brand pcs these days also come with a "Recovery Partition" or "System Restore Partition" (the latter is not the same as the Windows Restore function). Usually this recovery function is accessed by pressing a key or combination of keys at boot. To find out if that is available, look in the manual usually found in a folder by the name of the pc's manufacturer off of the Start > All Programs menu.

It may be possible that the former owner has both burned the disks off and deleted the recovery partition, if that is the case then you'll need to go to the manufacturer's site (support) and see if they're available for purchase.


This part isn't aimed at you, questioner, but I always see the same uninformed answers to these kind of questions! ("If you didn't get the recovery disks along with the pc then you're screwed" type thing. ARGHHH!) Even those who profess to know about this have never cracked open their own pc's manual! RTFM!

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Answer 2

The thing is, Windows is a dynamic operating system, which means certain system files are being changed all the time, so if you did own a Windows installations disk then the files on it are mostly out of date. If you were to install from disk, you would then spend a couple of days trying to bring Windows back up-to-date.

It is difficult to backup just Windows, you can use something like Drive Image XML to backup your whole C drive. The important thing to backup is Windows registry. Most backup software does not backup the registry because it is locked when it is mounted but Drive Image can.

Answer 3

You cannot make a XP inistall disk, but you can make an image of the drive as it is installed and if your drive or OS goes bad you can restore the backup image. It is in some way better because all of you application will remain intact so you won't have to reinstall them. At least the one installed at the time of the back up.

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/setup/learnmore/bott_03july14.mspx

If you have a branded computer (HP, Compaq, Dell,..) you could order branded OEM disks for $35

http://www.restoredisks.com/

Answer 4

No, you should have received the legal XP disk with the purchase.

FIRST determine if your XP is legal. If so, call the seller and demand the disk. If he won't supply it, demand your money back or demand that he buy you a legal XP Upgrade disk.

If XP is illegal, just call the police. That's fraud AND piracy.