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What is the difference between a factory backup and a recovery disk?
To me a simple question, so I'm hoping for a simple answer.
When I first got my laptop I created a recovery USB using DBR. This is a little over 8gb in size, and is named SYSRECOVERY.
At that time I did not create a factory backup.
Having recently been reading up on things related to restoring a system in the event of hard disk failure etc., I saw that Dell said you should create both a recovery media USB and a factory backup. So I got a new USB and today created a factory backup.
Looking at this, it is also called SYSRECOVERY and both have exactly the same list of files and folders and are almost the same size.
So just what is the difference between these 2 options (if any)?
Or do I now have 2 USBs that will do exactly the same job of restoring my laptop to factory condition?
AndIf there is no difference, why does Dell offer both (and advise you to create both)?
Thank you
Balaji M Kundal
235 Posts
2
July 19th, 2014 08:00
Technically speaking recovery media and factory backup are same. But as per the post you saw from Dell, recovery media is a backup of factory backup with the files and software you added later. Hence, to be on the safer side, Dell recommends to create a backup of the files and software that have been added later (or not a part of the default configuration).
Factory backup contains all the drivers and software as per the PC configuration and that have been preinstalled on your PC.
Usually, in case of Windows failure, you can use factory backup media to restore the PC without affecting your personal files and software. In case of hard drive failure, where the hard drive will be replaced, recovery media will be helpful in restoring Windows as well your files and software.
wraujr
63 Posts
0
July 24th, 2014 15:00
Thanks for explanation.
There are TWO versions of Dell Backup and Recovery (DBR) - a BASIC and a PREMIUM.
The BASIC will create the "factory image" (as will the PREMIUM).
But then I go and install all my software, files, etc. and say a week later I want to create a "Snapshot" of my complete hard drive. Can I do this with BASIC version of must I upgrade to PREMIUM....
I want a single set of DVDs or a USB drive that is a complete image of my hard drive so that if my drive failed or I wanted to swap in an SSD drive and resore the disk to a compete image. In some ways I consider this a "ghost image".
So in case of new drive, I plug in USD drive, boot to USB drive, run DBR, and install "Complete" image on new drive (not just "Factory" and have to reinstall all applications and data files)
Lobbers
27 Posts
0
July 25th, 2014 08:00
Thank you for the reply, and sorry for the delay in responding. I failed to get an email saying I had a reply :emotion-6:
From what you say above, the factory image appears to be the snapshot of my laptop 'as new' while the recovery media is a snapshot of my laptop at the date it (i.e. the recovery media) is created, like a system image. Is this correct?
If so, it seems strange that I was prompted to create the recovery media when I first bought the laptop, but only as a one-off action, whereas if using system images as part of a backup procedure it is usual to make new ones regularly.
I wonder if I have misunderstood however, because the recovery media and factory image are each between 8gb and 9gb while a system image created through Windows is closer to 60gb. Surely the recovery media can not be as you say:
'...a backup of factory backup with the files and software you added later...'
if it is the same size as when the laptop was new but I have 100gb of data already?
:emotion-18: