Recovery, Backup, and Restore in Win 7 UEFI 64bit

Hi there,
First to define terms: Recovery means to fix the computer when something has gone wrong, Backup means to incrementally store new data files in a second location, and Restore means to put the computer back the way it was at an earlier point in time. These are my definitions within the scope of this thread.

So I made up a 'boot disk' which is on a CD, and was eventually able to get to test it. Apparently my laptop sometimes tries to boot a recovery disk in MBR mode and that made the disc appear not to work. But the CD does work when the computer boots into UEFI mode. All set for my first blue screen of death. Now I also made up the Windows Install DVD, and my first question is:

This can also be used as a boot disk right?
I just need to figure out how to test that without accidentally reloading Windows!!!

I do my own thing on the backup. I am old school. So I don't want Windows to make backups for me. As far as applications, I would want to get the latest version if I had to reload everything. As for the files, I only use Google Docs so all of those things are automatically backed up in Google Drive. I periodically e-mail everything else to myself (music files, bookmarks) or store them on my Sansa Clip Zip or phone, so there are backup copies in my gmail and yahoo mail or in my phone and MP3 player.

Now as far as restore, I believe there are three things going on.

First I made a 4 DVD set when I first got the laptop, which would restore everything to the way it was at that time. Good for things that I don't have on DVD otherwise: the free software that was installed and which can't be obtained on disc, and all the specific drivers that did not come on a disc. Now I could and probably should make up a CD with all those drivers on it (by downloading 20-30 files from ASUS), but I figure I would want to get the latest versions of those anyway and I don't expect ASUS to go out of business during the life of this laptop. So I would be able to download those on someone else's computer if mine died. My second question(s) concern using the Windows 7 install DVD:

Is there a way to reload Windows 7 from my install disc where the install process goes online to fetch the drivers when installing? Can the Windows 7 installer figure out how to get online either wired or wireless?
Will this only wipe the C: partition or will it always clear the whole disk?

The second restore subject is by making a restore image. This sounds like a great idea once I have like 50 applications on here! So I would have to buy a USB3 external HD to make that image, probably costs less than how long I would have to suffer otherwise. This is what I think they used to call 'slipstreaming'.

The third restore is something I'm not clear on. New computers have a restore partition on the primary HD where the OS can keep one restore image (assuming the HD still works, not a real good assumption though). Now I have a 'remanufactured' laptop rather than a new one. There are four partitions for Windows right now: the 200MB UEFI, the C: with the OS and apps on it, the D: with all the data on it, and another partition marked as Layout-Simple, Type-Basic, File System-(blank), Status-Healthy(Recovery Partition) of 25GB. If I go into Control Panel > System and Security > Backup and Restore under Restore it says "Windows could not find a backup for this computer" and this is UNDER RESTORE NOT UNDER BACKUP just in case someone thinks this is about backup (which I explained earlier). So my third question is:

Since my recovery partition appears to be of no use, how do I delete it and will this screw up Windows?

The disk manager won't let me delete it. I am thinking I can delete it in Linux. Any thoughts there? The big question is of course, will Windows let me delete a partition that it is not using? I remember I was informed that since this is a remanufactured computer, it does not have a restore image on the HD. I don't really want one on the same HD, but since I can't access the "Healthy(Recovery Partition)" in any meaningful way, I'm not sure if maybe Windows IS USING IT to keep that set of rollback to a previous working points recovery deal, which I think ARE BEING KEPT ON C: is that right? (my third question in another light.)

thanks - PJ

It's been two days now and no reply.

Anybody home?

Days go by, only crickets....

Well, I stumbled upon this webpage that told me how to delete the restore partition:

http://www.vladan.fr/how-to-delete-t...series-laptop/

This was very helpful for me, unlike this forum!

goodbye - prof james