Full System Restores

So I know plenty how to do them, I tell customers at work all day long to do them ;) Anyway, I was just wondering, does anyone have any pre/post tips to doing them? Like before I do them, should I wipe the drive out completely some how? Or afterwards is there some things I should do before installing all my programs?

Are you talking about System Restores, as from backups, or formatting, and restarting from scratch again?

Totally restarting. As in wiping out the hard drive and using the disc to install back the factory settings.

I usually just format from the windows installation unless I need a high level format for whatever reason.

Using an OEM restore disc as provided by a PC manufacturer will automatically wipe out the drive, as will an install+format with a regular XP CD. Unless you're concerned about [iac1a8d195c]securely[/iac1a8d195c] wiping confidential data so that it could never be recovered, that's all you need to do.

[quoteb45f824a23="dmorris68"]Using an OEM restore disc as provided by a PC manufacturer will automatically wipe out the drive, as will an install+format with a regular XP CD. Unless you're concerned about [ib45f824a23]securely[/ib45f824a23] wiping confidential data so that it could never be recovered, that's all you need to do.[/quoteb45f824a23]Yeah, I wanna do that. Last time I did a restore, I know for a fact it didnt totally wipe everything out.

If this is a personal (not a business or government) drive, unless you're concerned about law enforcement recovering your data, a simple format should be sufficient. ;)

But if not, go get DBAN and burn the bootable ISO. It will take DAYS to run on a large drive if you select an extra secure setting, but it will completely wipe the drive.

http//dban.sourceforge.net

[quote0c038a2866="dmorris68"]If this is a personal (not a business or government) drive, unless you're concerned about law enforcement recovering your data, a simple format should be sufficient. ;)

But if not, go get DBAN and burn the bootable ISO. It will take DAYS to run on a large drive if you select an extra secure setting, but it will completely wipe the drive.

http//dban.sourceforge.net[/quote0c038a2866]Well is there a setting for a quick erase? Cause im also going to be putting in a second drive that has stuff on it, but I dont want to install everything on that one, I just want to clean it out...

[quote47f9f0bcf9="mnx12"][quote47f9f0bcf9="dmorris68"]If this is a personal (not a business or government) drive, unless you're concerned about law enforcement recovering your data, a simple format should be sufficient. ;)

But if not, go get DBAN and burn the bootable ISO. It will take DAYS to run on a large drive if you select an extra secure setting, but it will completely wipe the drive.

http//dban.sourceforge.net[/quote47f9f0bcf9]Well is there a setting for a quick erase? Cause im also going to be putting in a second drive that has stuff on it, but I dont want to install everything on that one, I just want to clean it out...[/quote47f9f0bcf9]
Yes, DBAN has a quick erase feature, but "Quick Erase" and "Securely Wipe" are mutually exclusive. Anything you do to quickly erase a drive, to include formatting, is easily recoverable. That's why I'm asking you if you really need something beyond formatting -- 99% of people don't, unless they're planning to sell/give a drive that had sensitive information to someone. If you're re-using your own drive, there's really no reason for a secure wipe.

It sounds to me like all you want to do is start from scratch with a clean OS install and nothing else. All that requires is a simple format. Nobody will see anything else on the drive unless they actually know how to perform data recovery. Just let the Windows install format the drive and go with it, unless you have something you lireallyli need to hide.

[quote47ad623e37="mnx12"][quote47ad623e37="dmorris68"]If this is a personal (not a business or government) drive, unless you're concerned about law enforcement recovering your data, a simple format should be sufficient. ;)

But if not, go get DBAN and burn the bootable ISO. It will take DAYS to run on a large drive if you select an extra secure setting, but it will completely wipe the drive.

http//dban.sourceforge.net[/quote47ad623e37]Well is there a setting for a quick erase? Cause im also going to be putting in a second drive that has stuff on it, but I dont want to install everything on that one, I just want to clean it out...[/quote47ad623e37]

You gotta cut back on the kiddie pr0n, man.

Its more like registry files that seem to stay behind, but what do i know haha... shrug

[quote386f07de03="mnx12"]Its more like registry files that seem to stay behind, but what do i know haha... shrug[/quote386f07de03]
Not from a format, they don't. NOTHING besides the boot block is left behind (visibly) on the file system after a format/fresh install. Windows cannot possibly see any registry data or anything else that was on the drive previously, without extensive data recovery efforts.

Only if you choose during install to NOT format the install partition, and do an over-the-top Repair installation, will registry data from the prior install be left intact.