Recovery & Loss prevention

Backing up your data is always a good idea - however simply copying all your data files to a backup drive will not rescue a PC with a failed hard drive - Windows must first be installed onto a replacement drive along with all your applications, and then your data files can be restored. Many systems today do not come with a Windows installation CD; instead, a hidden partition on the hard drive contains a bootable image of Windows to perform system restoration. However, this is of little use if your hard drive crashes! If you do not have a Windows CD (or a rescue-and-recovery CD), you can often create one using utilites supplied with your PC. This process should be one of the first things you do with a new PC! These CDs allow you to restore your computer to it's factory-shipped state; i.e. the same condition when you first purchased it. These utilities differ from vendor to vendor.

Barring the absence of a recovery or rescue CD, a complete system image of your hard drive can be created and saved as one large file onto a removeable or portable hard drive. This image can then be used to perform a complete system restoration onto a new drive. Utilites like PartitionMagic® or Acronis TrueImage® can take a snapshot of your entire drive and save it to an external drive for future restoration. Performing a system snapshot like this on a regular basis can prevent data loss - and a considerable amount of time spent trying to reinstall Windows and all of your applications.

For a painless, automatic, image-based backup solution, see this article on the HP Home Server.