# Solved: Create system repair disc. Disc size?



## hhm7163 (Dec 12, 2002)

I have found a plethora of advice on how to do it. They all say to insert a blank DVD, but nowhere can I find anything about size of disc or how to determine size in individual cases. Also, specific recommendations for disc (I have never burned a disc)?

Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit

I plan to use an exterior HD for system image.


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## DoubleHelix (Dec 10, 2004)

What kind of disk are you looking to burn? The Windows 7 installation disk can be used to run a repair. Or was Windows 7 pre-installed by the computer manufacturer? If so, each has their own procedure for creating restore disks which will create a *set* of disks to return the computer to factory defaults. DVDs are all the same size: 4.7GB. An image is just a snapshot of a system at a particular time. It isn't used to repair anything.


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## hhm7163 (Dec 12, 2002)

Win 7 was preinstalled and in event of a HD failure users should use windows backup to create a system image. And, in case I can't boot, a system repair disc should be created (as I'm told). It is the latter that I'm asking about. I want to be certain to have a DVD of sufficient size to handle it. I just recalled a website mentioning that a system repair disc "only takes up 142MB of space". This was the only site or source that mentioned size and I wasn't certain as to reliability. 
All DVDs the same size? Good to know. Looks like I would need just one?


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## Byteman (Jan 24, 2002)

Must have been similar to this one> but it's not the only site using the size information of the disc created....

http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/5409/create-a-system-repair-disc-in-windows-7/

Here's a site referring to HowToGeek's directions to build the repair disc> http://www.outpostfirewall.com/forum/showthread.php?p=184470

The disc is NOT a full image or Recovery disc for your computer. For those who for some reason, don't have the bootable Windows 7 disc.

You can access the same list of options by booting a regular Win 7 disc.

You'd still need your specific self-created image of your installation, if you wished to restore that image.


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## hhm7163 (Dec 12, 2002)

Yep! That's the one. Can I reliably depend on that size? Even if off some, it is a long way from 4.7GB as the size of a DVD per DoubleHelix.


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## Byteman (Jan 24, 2002)

The size it refers to, is not the capacity, which for a normal DVD disk is 4.7 Gigs.

The size it is talking about, is the size of the image file on it, that the system repair disk program makes.....

you don't need to create this on a DVD, you can use a CD. This disk is made with a built-in utility of Windows 7, it is similar to creating a floppy boot disk back in Win 9X days....................... it boots the computer in times of trouble.

It's more of a Bootdisk, or repair disk, or Startup disk..., it is not a complete install disk to put back the operating system, programs, etc.

The menu it shows when you boot with this disk, is similar to or the same as, the normal Win 7 boot menu, and there is a picture of it at the link. >> http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/5409/create-a-system-repair-disc-in-windows-7/

This disk will just get you to the same point as a Win 7 disk will, to the menu of items to further repair or recover the computer.

As the info at the link I posted before tells you, you need to also make a backup image of your system, which would be able to put things back to running condition, based on the time and condition of the hard drive when the image was created.

*And, this info is probably what you need to follow: *



DoubleHelix said:


> What kind of disk are you looking to burn? The Windows 7 installation disk can be used to run a repair. Or was Windows 7 pre-installed by the computer manufacturer? If so, each has their own procedure for creating restore disks which will create a *set* of disks to return the computer to factory defaults. DVDs are all the same size: 4.7GB. An image is just a snapshot of a system at a particular time. It isn't used to repair anything.


 Some Recovery disk creator utilities use more than one DVD, and they also require non-erasable disks, usually DVD +R or -R.

The utilities come pre-installed on most common OEM manufactured computers these days, but may not if you have a custom or generic built PC.

If you post the details of the computer you need help for, we will try to help you further.


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## hhm7163 (Dec 12, 2002)

Thanks much for the replies and help. I now feel confident to proceed with creating the repair disc and also a system image on a
external hard drive.


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