Creating a system image on DVDs vs. making factory OEM restore discs

Hello...

A quick question for those who may know the answer. I've been pretty much designated "The Official Family I.T. Guy" I'm sure there are many of you who fit under this title LOL!

My issue is trying to make factory OEM recovery discs for a brand new Samsung Laptop. I've been making factory OEM recovery discs for many name brands pretty much ASAP on Acers, Gateways and Toshiba's. This is all done after the initial OEM setup procedures.

For the life of me...this Samsung does have a recovery option but IT DOES NOT HAVE AN OPTION TO MAKE FACTORY OEM RESTORE DISCS! The reason I prefer this is because when its time replace the hard drive due to failure or upgrading to a bigger one...the OEM restore discs allows me to re-install with extreme ease.

I've contaced Samsung and they told me that the only option was to go to control panel/create a system image.

1. Is the "create a system image" to DVD(s) exactly the same result as using factory OEM restore discs when installing to a brand new hard drive?

2. In a nutshell...somewhere in the future I decide to add a bigger hard drive (brand new). I insert the system image disc 1, reboot the laptop and set it to boot from CD. Will this work just like using factory OEM restore discs?

I've read countless threads and none are giving me the exact answer. I don't understand why Samsung so far is the only company that does not allow you to create factory OEM restore discs like Acer and all the others.

Looking forward to your replies!

Win7 has built-in backup imaging which works pretty well, but is not as option-complete as other free Imaging programs like Macrium Reflect or Paragon backup 10 which are popular here.

It uses the Install DVD Repair console or System Repair CD to Recover Using An Image, will autodetect the image if placed in the root of external or another HD and kept named exactly the same.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/663-backup-complete-computer-create-image-backup.html
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/675-system-image-recovery.html
http://www.sevenforums.com/software/43219-image-your-system-free-macrium.html

qually67 said:

1. Is the "create a system image" to DVD(s) exactly the same result as using factory OEM restore discs when installing to a brand new hard drive?

2. In a nutshell...somewhere in the future I decide to add a bigger hard drive (brand new). I insert the system image disc 1, reboot the laptop and set it to boot from CD. Will this work just like using factory OEM restore discs?

Click to expand...

Regarding question 1: No. OEM restore discs would restore hard drive to the way it was when it left the factory. A restore from a system image would simply replicate the partition or partitions that were in the image at the time it was made. That image might contain 1 partition, 2 partitions, a bunch of applications you added, a bunch of your personal data, etc. Images contain complete partitions, not necessarily complete drives. Images would contain everything on the partitions AT THE MOMENT THE IMAGE WAS MADE, including licenses, configurations, applications, etc.

Regarding question 2: Using an imaging application like Macrium Free Edition, the procedure would be to boot from a Linux recovery disk and then point the recovery at the image file, which is typically on a hard drive but in your scenario would be on DVD 1 of several. Then you would cycle in DVD 2, DVD 3, etc. I assume Windows imaging works roughly the same way. But I think you can find complaints on this forum about imaging going off the track when DVDs are involved--so I'd store the image on a hard drive if at all possible.

I restored a clients windows 7 drive from an Acronis image today and it worked exactly like it is supposed to.
( I create a system image each weekend)
The price of the acronis software was pretty cheap and worked. It is better than microsofts free image software included in windows 7. Easier to use..
Free is great a lot of times but to me, simple and warm fuzzy are much better.

I have used Acronis so many times and it has saved my banannas that I can't speak highly enough about it.
Available at the ugr.com user group store and cheaper for user group members.
I don't have any financial connection, just like good software.

Rich

qually67 said:

I've contaced Samsung and they told me that the only option was to go to control panel/create a system image.

1. Is the "create a system image" to DVD(s) exactly the same result as using factory OEM restore discs when installing to a brand new hard drive?

2. In a nutshell...somewhere in the future I decide to add a bigger hard drive (brand new). I insert the system image disc 1, reboot the laptop and set it to boot from CD. Will this work just like using factory OEM restore discs?

Click to expand...

I will be detailed also for the sake of others who find the thread.
Posting more specs on your PC would help.
Assuming your PC has a recovery partiton -
It's amazing that Samsung didn't give you the option to make factory recovery DVDs or instructions how to do a factory restore. Did Samsung understand what you were asking for?

RE:
(1) Imaging is a snapshot of the partitions at the time you image them.
I use Windows Imaging AND Macrium Reflect for insurance. Windows is my primary imaging utility.
Both have been 100% reliable for me. Millions use Windows imaging with success. Some have problems or simply dislike it and they make the most noise.
So make images to an external HDD using both Windows and Macrium.

(2) You can use both imaging programs to recover to a brand new HDD. Just ensure it is as large as the original - not absolutely necessary but life's easier.
I've reimaged my system over 5 times in the last year with Windows imaging. Once with Macrium - just to test it worked!
Use Macrium to make a couple of images of your recover partition - Windows cannot do this.

How I "made" the new 1TB HDD I currently use:

1. Take new HDD out of bag and replace old HDD
2. Boot from the (MS) system Repair DVD
3. Reimage a Windows image following the bouncing ball (no pre formatting etc)
4. System boots up.

Power down and boot the Macrium linux recovery disk
Restore the recovery partition image (normally at the front of the HDD)
Reboot the system

If you have the 100MB system reserved partition always include it in a Macrium image of your Operating system partition. If you use Macrium to restore everything to a new HDD you must restore each partition in turn. The 100MB system reserved partition is essential. Accept restore MBR.
The MBR is the first physical 512 bytes on your computer. It is essential to booting your PC.
Windows and Macrium always make a copy of it with partition images. The MBR does not live in and is totally separate from the 100 MB system reserved partition.

This is great information. Wish I had known this 3 months ago. Anyway, my question is, "If I image my C hard drive (500gb large, 140gb used) to another hard drive, must the other hard drive be 500gb large or can it be 250gb so that it will be large enough to handle the 140gb that is used?" Thank you in anticipation of your answer.

The way Windows imaging works is that it wants to replace the MBR stored with the image. The MBR contains the HDDs partition table. So for the HDD you are reimaging to:
1) If your partition structure/table is the same you just reimage without any need to reformat. The format box will be unticked - generally don't tick it.
2) If the partition structure has changed then Windows will force a reformat. If the disk isn't as large as the old HDD then it cannot reformat and spits out an appropriate message.

I think the new version of macrium V5 allows you to resize the partition when reimaging.
v5: How to restore a backup image (Restore, v5)
With Windows imaging and older versions of Macrium you must resize the partition before making the image.

Paragon and Easus Todo free may also be more flexible going large to small.

I just found this thread doing a google search. I'm in the same boat as the original poster. I bought this Samsung RV511 laptop back in July of 2011. Like original poster I can't find anything on this laptop to make factory recovery disc. It has this thing called Samsung Recovery Solution 5 which will allow you to recover to factory specs from the HDD but there is no option to make recovery discs. WHY? I have contacted Samsung and waiting for a reply. Every other branded pc laptop maker has this option so why doesn't Samsung? Strange.

Update:
I just got off live chat with Samsung support. Bottom line is, Samsung doesn't offer the "create recovery disc" option as the original poster stated but does have an option to recover from the hard drive hidden partition through the Samsung Recovery Solution software. After some firm negotiations (words were exchanged) with the agent on live chat I did manage to get them to send me the recovery discs free of charge.

bassfisher6522 said:

Update:
I just got off live chat with Samsung support. Bottom line is, Samsung doesn't offer the "create recovery disc" option as the original poster stated but does have an option to recover from the hard drive hidden partition through the Samsung Recovery Solution software. After some firm negotiations (words were exchanged) with the agent on live chat I did manage to get them to send me the recovery discs free of charge.

Click to expand...

Not surprising they were dogging you around. There was a long thread on this forum maybe a month ago involving Samsung's dubious support on recovery issues. I think that user eventually got the retailer to take back her new Samsung laptop--no thanks to Samsung at the corporate level.

Yes, this one.
How to make a new OEM Notebook into a brick, by removing OEM software.
http://www.sevenforums.com/installation-setup/200607-new-laptop-changing-partition-disks.html

bassfisher6522 said:

I just found this thread doing a google search. I'm in the same boat as the original poster. I bought this Samsung RV511 laptop back in July of 2011. Like original poster I can't find anything on this laptop to make factory recovery disc. It has this thing called Samsung Recovery Solution 5 which will allow you to recover to factory specs from the HDD but there is no option to make recovery discs. WHY? I have contacted Samsung and waiting for a reply. Every other branded pc laptop maker has this option so why doesn't Samsung? Strange.

Click to expand...

It may be of interest to you and others to provide some detail on what is on the Recovery partition. You can do this quite safely using Partition Wizard's "Explore Partition" feature.
If you know what is on there you can get an idea how to do the recovery "manually".
(Normally I'd say go to the manufacturer but you have been there!!!!!)

Do those come with a program which offers to make a backup image to an external Device?

If there is already a manufacturer recovery somewhere on the drive - you should be able to copy that - manually if necessary.

A hidden partition is referred to so I'm guessing it is a recovery partition.
I always recommend imaging recovery partitions with something like Macrium Reflect. You can definitely replace them to a new HDD if your old one dies.

But knowing what is in the recovery partition will tell you what the recovery mechanism is.