Windows 7: Corrupted HD and windows Backup

I have just been told by Dell that they are going to have to replace both my motherboard and HD as both have issues. Stupidly I haven't taken a system image of the drive 9big lesson), but do use Windows Backup everynight. I also have all my data on an external HD.

Once the machine is up and running I can do a clean install from the installation disk. My question is whether the windows backup is of any use to me or in someway linked to the installation that created it. If I can restore from this backup I assume I need to create the same partitions I had before ( C: OS/progs and U: data) and install all my programs. Is there anything else that needs to be done before restoring the files? If I think I have everything relevant on my other HD so am I better off just copying it over rather than using the windows restore function? The restore will restore some non-data files and configuration settings that I haven't manually backed up.

Thanks for any advice on the least painful solution.


Mike

As long as only one instance/installation is using your key you shouldn't encounter any problems.
I can't speak for any third party programs you may have installed but windows should be fine.

do you mean and I can/should restore the files from Windows Backup?

1. What kind of Windows backup is it - an image?
2. If it is an image, you can dump it on the new HDD - saves you a lot of installtion time and resetting all your defaults.
3. When the guys install the new mobo, make sure it is set to the same ID as you current mobo. Else you will have an activation problem - which can be fixed but is a pain in the neck.

1. brilliantly no it isn't an image just the incremental backup. Don't understand it as have images of my wife's pc and my laptop! It coudl be hiding on the 3rd HD I have in my PC, but as PC is dead I haven't checked.
3. Good tip on the ID thanks