Well that is an hour of my life that I am never going to get back...

[speedwell68]

My Father in Law has just bought his first computer, he has never used one before. So to avoid all the hassles associated with Windows I am installing Xubuntu, as he knows no different. Anyway for warranty purposes he wanted me to create the Windows recovery discs, it has taken a bloody hour to create 3 DVDs and register the thing with Acer.

[neu5eeCh]

Just an hour? I remember that taking much longer, but maybe his system is faster.

[itguy1985]

Yeah. There's nothing like backing up a bunch of crap ware you never wanted in the first place.

[kostageas]

just an hour? I remember that taking much longer, but maybe his system is faster.

+1

[Hur Dur]

twitter.com

[speedwell68]

Yeah. There's nothing like backing up a bunch of crap ware you never wanted in the first place.

I told him he didn't need it for his hardware warranty, but he worries about these things. The machine is now zipping along nicely with Xubuntu.

[jhonan]

You should have just popped the DVDs in for a few minutes and told him you were doing 'direct partition copy speed backup' (or some mumbo jumbo) - Then written 'Windows Recovery Disk' on them, just to keep him happy.

He'd never have found out.

[aysiu]

Next time use CloneZilla. It can image your Windows drive in 20 minutes.

[juancarlospaco]

http://redobackup.org/

[CharlesA]

Next time use CloneZilla. It can image your Windows drive in 20 minutes.

Huge +1.

That's what I do. :)

[sammiev]

+1 for CloneZilla, I use it all the time for all OS. GL :)

[handy]

oops...

[handy]

Show me how to get an hour of my life back? ... (then I could have removed the double post mistake I just made. :))

& yes, I wouldn't use anything other than Clonezilla these days, it works brilliantly well where dd fails.

[Timmer1240]

I bet Xubuntu works well on it and will be less hassles for you to straighten out for him!

[Bandit]

My Father in Law has just bought his first computer, he has never used one before. So to avoid all the hassles associated with Windows I am installing Xubuntu, as he knows no different. Anyway for warranty purposes he wanted me to create the Windows recovery discs, it has taken a bloody hour to create 3 DVDs and register the thing with Acer.

Speedy, if it only took a hour.. I envy you.. lol
It took so long on my wifes laptop I swear there must have been little keebler elves hand carving those DVDs inside her computer.. I think it must have took about 45-60mins for each fo the 3 DVDs.

[linuxforartists]

I feel your pain. Just got a new computer myself. Needed 3 DVDs for the Windows 7 system image, and 1 DVD for the system repair disc.

Wish I'd known about Clonezilla. That would have saved a lot of time.

[ctrlmd]

at least you could show him the two OS's then let him decide which one he is going to use

you decided what is better for him and you didn't give him the choice that most of you claim that user don't have the choice when he buy a new computer

[Swagman]

Did the supplier show him a choice of O/s's or did they just flog him it with Windows on it and tuff-titty ?

Yes I know windows comes as default but THAT'S the issue isn't it.

There is no excuse for ANY computer to be sold with the O/s preinstalled.

I hope the EU force OEM/suppliers to sell their machines O/s free but include a bunch of live dvd distros so the end buyer can make an enlightened choice.

There is NO excuse for the likes of Microsoft to not make a Live CD/DVD.

If the end user then decides to hard install Windows/whatever they have then made an informed choice.


"Please enter your credit card details here to active your installation of Windows.... Would you like some crapware with that ?"

[MBybee]

Actually, since I have an Acer (and have used this backup/restore), Acer does a really good job. Far better than a clonezilla image.

When you recover your laptop with it, it does a base Windows image, and you can pick and choose what gets reinstalled (in other words, you don't get back all the bloatware, McAfee, etc). I actually recommend anyone using an Acer do this exact process - it's a fairly quick way to completely purge all the junk.

[Simian Man]

Anyway for warranty purposes he wanted me to create the Windows recovery discs, it has taken a bloody hour to create 3 DVDs and register the thing with Acer.

Or if he ever wants to use professional software. Or gets one of the many devices without Linux support.

[speedwell68]

at least you could show him the two OS's then let him decide which one he is going to use

you decided what is better for him and you didn't give him the choice that most of you claim that user don't have the choice when he buy a new computer

He has seen Windows 7 on his other daughters computer and he has also seen the mess caused by malicious software and how many times the thing has been back to PC World to have them sorted out, just as an aside I will not touch her computer as her gobby boyfriend thinks I am talking out of the top of my head when it comes to computers, even though I studied IT/computing at college for 3 years and work in the industry, he knows more becuase he has an Xbox.

Anyway I explained the differences between Windows & Xubuntu. His main concern is that he can get on the net, use email and write the odd letter. His main concern other than that is security and virus protection. He was shown my computer before we decided on what he would have and he liked it. When I took him round the computer shops I expained the various merits of each computer, I also gave him the option of Apple Macs. I assure you I didn't just insist he had Linux