In what situations can RR media help?

I followed ThinkVantage->Create Recovery Media and out of which I created one CD and one DVD:

CD: Rescue and Recovery Startup Disk

DVD: Product Recovery Disk

Can somebody tell me

1. in what situations I need to use them and

2. what is contained in the CD and DVD?

I have some gut feel about the questions but want confirmation from the forum.

Thanks!

 

That's a good question. I can't think of anything they are good for other than restoring your hard drive back to the original bloated factory install exactly like when you pulled it out of the box.

It makes sense to me to just make the RR disks (disks are dirt cheap) just in case you ever want to do that. But, it makes more sense to do a clean install with the "anytime upgrade" DVD and after all of the updated drivers (and applications if you choose) are installed make an image of your hard drive with Acronis True Image 10 or Norton Ghost and use that to restore if needed.

 

the recovery media comes in handy when you some how screw up your MBR and the thinkvantage button no longer brings up rescue and recovery.

 

What is that?

 

master boot record.

 

There's always third party disk imaging software like the ones referenced above.

I guess my answer to MDDZ's question would be it's just good to have just in case.

 

I didn't bother to make any RR disks before I did the format on my machine. So far I haven't regretted it.

 

If you would a perfect example of a good use for RR discs, here is was my latest use:

My sister is in Belgium for 10 months, left this monday. She took with her a new T61, and it was my job to make sure it stayed functioning for 10 months. For this I made a custom clean install for her, had it setup perfectly for the programs that had to be on there, and made backups in triplicate. Rescue and Recovery allowed me to make 3 bootable backup sources for her computer, allowing for multiple failure points, or user error. Bootable USB drive, Bootable DVD's, and the builtin recovery area.

She can recover from viruses, bad software, or a complete hardware failure of the main drive. Mind you this is not the product recovery discs you make yourself, but a standard backup through R&R.

 

thank you guys! your input is really helpful!!!

 

What do you mean standard backup through R&R? As you read in my first post, I have RR Startup Disk and Product Recover Disk. Are you talking about RR Startup Disk?

 

RR can make 2 types of backups. When you first get your computer you can make product recovery discs that will gives you the "factory fresh" install. After that you can make regular/standard backups. Each backup has its own unique type of startup disc and then however many data discs that are needed.