Can I use Microsoft's ASR to restore all my software to a new disk

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G

Guest

If my hard drive fails I want to restore all the software and settings to a
new disk easily. I was wondering if I could do that with the Automated System
Recovery that is on XP or do I need an imaging software like ghost, acronis,
drive image?
 
Yes, ASR works for that purpose if the new HDD is the same size or larger than the old HDD. You do need a 2nd HDD installed on the machine to write and restore the .bkf file to. Open help and support, type "ASR" and read it. EVERYTHING that is on your system HDD at the time the .bkf is created is restored as it was at that point in time.

The ASR method does take longer to create the .bkf file and does take longer to restore it than when using imaging software. I use TrueImage from www.acronis.com.

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Just my 2¢ worth,
Jeff
__________in response to__________

| If my hard drive fails I want to restore all the software and settings to a
| new disk easily. I was wondering if I could do that with the Automated System
| Recovery that is on XP or do I need an imaging software like ghost, acronis,
| drive image?
 
I believe ASR has to do with if your machine came with such a disk by an OEM
vendor/seller - often they don't come with a full "Windows" CD but rather a
"Restore" or "Rescue" Windows/System CD which returns the system to the
state it was in when you bought it.

That's my way of thinking what Automatic System Recovery refers to.

Simplest way would to just reinstall Windows if you have a Windows XP CD.
 
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