PLUG: OT: ADV:ETC - Good training for mouse-challenged *nixpeople

[Kenneth Brody]

Quoting Mike Schwartz (PC Support) (Mon, 19 Dec 2005 11:36:31 -0600):

> > To save money, they no longer supply media, but rather have a separate
> > partition on the drive which holds the recovery data.  (The spin is
> > that "you can't lose it".)  They do, however, include software which
> > will allow you to burn your own media.  It took 4 DVDs!
>
>    I installed a Compaq computer in my house last year and burned the
> recovery media.  Compaq only gives you one (1) shot at burning the
> media. It turned out that the DVD burner was no good, and the DVD's
> wouldn't pass verify.

Same on the HP.  However, according to the docs, at least, if it doesn't
pass the verify stage, you can still make the disk.  (It checks each disk
as it's made.)

> Compaq told me that it would cost $200.00 to purchase a replacement
> set of media!!!   I was told this is due to licensing agreements with
> Microsoft and others.

I wouldn't be surprised.  There's really no reason to limit you to a
single copy, as the disks that are made are not copy-protected, and
you could simply make copies from them.

> They did replace the DVD burner for free, but I still don't have a
> backup media set, so if this computer ever gets corrupt, I will have
> to either shell out $200.00 or install a different operating system
> (Linux?) on it.

Or find a friend with the same model, and make a copy of his disks.
(After all, you are entitled to the media.)

>    So, my advice is to test the DVD burner C-a-r-e-f-u-l-l-y before you
> attempt to create your recovery set.
>
>    I purchased this through Office Depot, and a couple of my friends
> purchased the same systems, but they chose XP Home, whereas I got XP
> Pro.  I was going to borrow one of their recovery sets if the computer
> ever gets corrupt, but I don't imagine my XP Pro license key would work
> on their XP Home recovery sets.

Not only that, but I found that Gateway's key won't work with a non-
Gateway install set.  (Laura had a client with a trashed Gateway XP
system.  An install from a "normal" XP set wouldn't accept the key
that was stamped on the back of the computer.  Fortunately, the client
was eventually able to find her Gateway recovery disks, which took the
exact same key just fine.)


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