New Dell Laptop with hidden partition. Able to backup XP?

hamster

Hi,

I recommended my sister a widescreen laptop (XP Home edition with that 2005 media addon).

I noticed she didn't get a XP Window CD with but did get the usual blue resource cds. Anyway, I read here that Dell now put a 5Gb partition on the drives these days to save cost. She has a DVD burner as part of the laptop. I was thinking if I installed Partition Magic to see what in that partition. Is it worth backing up to a DVD blank? ie, is that a disk installable version of XP Dell put on there?
I've didnt have a chance to see the laptop in detail yet but they are the details I know. I want to be able to backup XP for a future reinstall in case she loses the hard drive.

Thanks.

hamster

Any new recent buyers notice the lack of a XP CD?

MunsterCycling

hamster wrote:

Any new recent buyers notice the lack of a XP CD?

Nope, GF got new D610 just few weeks back and got the windows cd (Dell Branded one) with the computer, but her techs ordered XP Pro so that might be the difference. As regards the hidden partition, that is where Dell put a compressed (encrypted?) version of the OS that can only be accessed by booting from the restore CD. Had a similar partition on desktop, but when I tried to use the CD after the OS had gone belly up (this is Windoze after all, eventually will happen) didn' t I find that the cd image/partition was corrupt. Just my 2c.

BTW Using her laptop to post this as she off on holidays:D

hamster

Ah damn! I was going to take the lazy way to upgrade my own P3 to a new PC later this year. Get a bare Dell (with a decent cpu) and add my own stuff to it. If I'm going to have to pay for the OS (or at least with the backup) I may as well order a MSI or Asus motherboard and make it myself... at least I will have a decent bios and more configurable features. But they are powerful and cheap though once you get rid of the crap and avoid their addons.

Capt'n Midnight

I love that considering that the HDD is probably the component most likely to fail of natrual causes or rough handling of the laptop :rolleyes:

qtparted on bootable linux CD should do - though since the rest of the drive is in a single ntfs partition you may have trouble saving the image, usb hard drive perhaps.

As for Is it worth backing up. 3% chance of the HDD dying each year. Factor in whatever chance there is of the OS keeling over or her wanting a larger drive in the future.

Maybe someone knows of a Dell util that allows you to make disk images - or is this against OEM license since Targa don't seem to do so either - way back in the past it used to pop-up every two weeks to nag you into making backups.

Capt'n Midnight

Actually install ntbackup.msi and use it to backup the C: drive and system state. to a File which can then be copied to DVD ( you can untick data folders and back them up separatley to save space )

support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;q302894

hamster

Thanks I will try that.

irlrobins

hamster wrote:

Any new recent buyers notice the lack of a XP CD?

Yea, but if you look at the options when ur choosing your system it will tell you it doesn't come with OS on CD as standard. If you Pay €6 you can get it on CD as normal.

So it's not as if they hide the fact you don't get XP on CD.

irlrobins

Capt'n Midnight wrote:

Maybe someone knows of a Dell util that allows you to make disk images

https://support.dell.com/support/topics/global.aspx/support/dsn/en/document?journalid=CFC296529B1711DABAF99DC363FC37C5&docid=F0298774D06E7340E030030ABD62396D

hamster

Thank you irlrobins... I appreciate your help here.

irlrobins

You're welcome