Create recovery partition

I've started building systems for people. But having a "restore DVD" isn't really an option. I can give them a Windows DVD but they wouldn't know to install MB drivers and the rest of it. So what I'd like to do is do what the big guys have started doing and create a restore partition on the HDD. What I'd like to do is create an image of a brand new functioning copy of windows and put that image in a recovery partition so if needed at start up a person could choose recovery and things would revert to the way they were when they got their computer. 2 problems. First I don't know how to do it. 2nd when initializing windows you have to choose user names and the rest of it that the customer should be able to choose for themselves and I know of no way around it. So if you can help it would be appreciated.

Personally, assuming you are fully setting up windows when you build it for them, I'd just give them a Windows DVD or USB and if they don't know how to properly reinstall it (if they ever need to) then they just come back to you.

In regards to allowing the customer to choose their user names etc. the first time they use the computer, look up the sysprep utility. It will let you set it up and then restore it to an out of box experience for them.

MakoShark said:

Personally, assuming you are fully setting up windows when you build it for them, I'd just give them a Windows DVD or USB and if they don't know how to properly reinstall it (if they ever need to) then they just come back to you.

In regards to allowing the customer to choose their user names etc. the first time they use the computer, look up the sysprep utility. It will let you set it up and then restore it to an out of box experience for them.

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Great Idea. Is sysprep a part of Windows? I have the DVD I will give them but preferred doing it like the big guys as to avoid giving them an edge as far as features go.

Rigit said:

Great Idea. Is sysprep a part of Windows? I have the DVD I will give them but preferred doing it like the big guys as to avoid giving them an edge as far as features go.

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Yeah, here's a guide that explains what you'll need to do.

MakoShark said:

Yeah, here's a guide that explains what you'll need to do.

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That's excellent! Thanks! Now I just need to figure out how to do a recovery partition. I want to take an image of that install, put it in a small partition of the HDD and label it Recovery. I need to somehow make it bootable so if someone chooses recovery the image is loaded to the HDD and it's back to the way it was when they bought it. But this is a great start!

You'll need some sort of preinstallation environment.

Take a look at this link. http://www.microsoft.com/oem/en/installation/downloads/Pages/windows_7_opk.aspx#fbid=nb-FY64cp88