How To Get Windows Re-Install Discs
Lost your Windows discs? How to get replacement media, legally.
Recently, Ed Bott posted an excellence resource article those of you who have Microsoft Windows PC’s may want to read .. and act on.
“Did your most recent Windows PC come with reinstallation media? Many do, some don’t. But contrary to what you might have read, creating replacement Windows discs is easy, and every major PC maker will supply backup discs, sometimes for free. I have details.”
This thorough write up is a 4-part How To, but you don’t necessarily have to read all 4 parts. I am posting the ‘sections’ so you can go right to the 4-1-1 for your machine’s manufacturer. This will tell you how to create, or obtain (order) the all-important “Windows disc” that you hope you will never need.. but darn well better have.
I suggest reading part 1, and then skipping to your PC maker’s section.
1) Lost your Windows discs? How to get replacement media, legally
Page 2: Dell recovery and replacement policies
Page 3: HP recovery and replacement policies
Page 4: Acer, Lenovo, and Toshiba
And if you recently got a new Windows 7 machine, or.. am wondering why I said “should darn well have“, you really should read my In Case Of Emergency: You Need This (Disc)
Yeah, yeah, yeah. I know. So much reading! Actually, it’s not. Obtaining the knowledge contained here won’t take but a few minutes.. and it won’t hurt a bit.
Today’s quote: “You can teach a student a lesson for a day; but if you can teach him to learn by creating curiosity, he will continue the learning process as long as he lives.” ~ Clay P. Bedford
Copyright 2007-2011 © “Tech Paul” (Paul Eckstrom). All Rights Reserved.
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• About Tech Paul
I am a Retired computer & network technician. I used to think the machines were pretty cool. Now I don’t.
They’re anything but.
I regularly posted how-to’s and tricks & tips and general computing advice here starting in 2007. (Use the Search tool to find answers. But be aware, many are rather dated.) Sometimes I answered (your) specific questions in an article if I believed the answer was generally helpful to “everyone”. All the writing you see was my own, typos and all. There always is/was an implied “IMHO” in what you see here.
Note: You are responsible for using this blog and its content. I am in no way liable for any losses caused by user error, viruses and/or other malware, hardware or software failure, or any other conceivable reason.
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TechPaul,
Thanks for this information… Bookmarked each!
Rick…
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Rick,
Those valuable discs – when the manufacturers are kind enough to have provided them – do seem to have a funny way of getting misplaced… kind of like that one sock that always escapes the drier and vanishes off to ..?
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Thanks Paul
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Grr,
It’s one of those.. I hope you never have to use, but.. good to know.
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yeah true..caz I have recovery partition..lol
btw My Sony Vaio didn’t came with any dics,so I had to create 1 (2-sets) for myself.
They (Sony) do charge a good amount to mail them, if someone wants to buy.
Grr
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Grr,
The CEO who decided that the way to cut costs was by the use of a “recovery partition” is not my favorite person…. that’s about as polite as I can say it. (But I have to include this image..)
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Dont people just hate it when they find A they dont have a disk or B they have to pay to get one. Solution take a good backup of your laptop or computer when you get it make system disks so it easy when it brakes down
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kbos2hm,
I started daily posting here over 4 years ago now.. And in the early days, I made it a policy to remind people to make a backup of their files (and store it in another location) once each month. And to make a “disk image” backup in case of need for “disaster recovery” (such as the hard drive dying).
Like clockwork.
But I got tired of watching the ‘stats’ on those articles.. “backup” is a Ratings Killer.
I have decided: those who know, do. Those who can’t be bothered can’t be “reminded” into doing it.
Thus, in my years as a repair technician, I can count on one hand (and not use all my fingers) the number of people who answered “yes” when i asked them if they have a backup of their photos, taxes, emails, etc..
But, hey, the data recovery guys gotta make a living too…..
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