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Product Recovery Discs

I would like to format my computer and start over. I don't remember getting a CD or DVD for Vista, it was already installed. How do I format my computer and keep Vista?

A number of assumptions will be required to answer your question directly, for example you don't mention what edition of Vista you have, nor do you mention the make and model of your machine, which would help narrow down the possibilities available to you. You will have to read this article carefully and make some decisions.

Note: This article relates to Product Recovery Discs, which are  CDs or DVDs provided by an original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM).

Step 1: Determine your Edition of Vista

If you have Vista Home Basic or Home Premium then proceed to Step 2.

If you have Vista Business or Vista Ultimate then you can either:

  • Proceed to Step 2, or
  • Take a huge shortcut:
    • Both Vista Business and Vista Ultimate include Windows Complete PC Backup and Restore, which can create disk images.
      • Step 1A: Optional, but highly recommended
        • Make a full image disc or set of discs of the system as it is now.
          • Keep this set in a safe place, away from dust, heat and light.
      • Step 1B: Use System Restore
        • If you haven't disabled System Restore then use it to restore your system to the state it was in at a point in time as far back as possible.
      • Step 1C: Clean Up
        • Delete any unwanted files
        • Uninstall any unwanted applications
        • Run Disk Cleanup to clear out other unwanted rubbish
      • Create a full image disc or set of discs of the system as it is now
        • Keep this set in a safe place, away from dust, heat and light.
          • Use this set to restore the system in future

Step 2: Determine what you should have

If you don't have a retail Vista DVD or a manufacturer-supplied recovery DVD (or CD set) then either:

  • You were supposed to create your own recovery discs when the machine was new, or
  • You should have been supplied a "Product Recovery Disc", or
  • You must restore the system from a hidden partition on your hard disk
    • Note: Some systems have a complete Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) image of Vista on the hidden partition, and some systems have a sawn-off Windows 98 installation that is used to manage system recovery from a "Product Recovery Disc".

Note: When you reinstall the operating system from a "Product Recovery Disc", the hard disk will be reformatted and all data will be lost.

Step 3: If you have Vista on a Recovery Partition

If the documentation that came with your system says something like "The System Recovery Options feature is installed on the hard disk when shipped from the factory. The System Recovery Options menu includes some tools to repair startup problems, run diagnostics or restore the system..." then follow the instructions in your user documentation to restore the system.

You do not need to follow any more of the steps in this article.

Step 4: If you should have created your own recovery discs

You have a problem. If your system is in a state where it now needs to be restored it's a bit late to be looking at creating a recovery disc from it. The problem you have is that many manufacturers install software that will only allow you to make a single recovery set, which means you only get one shot at this.

If you can live with the system in the state it's in now then you can create your recovery disc set and vow to read the manuals first the next time you buy a machine with a pre-installed operating system.

If you can't bear the idea of a "dirty" system, cleaning it out before making a recovery set is an option, as is going back to the dealer you bought the system from and asking them to solve the problem for you. If you decide to sort it out yourself then take these steps:

  • Step 1A: Use System Restore
    • If you haven't disabled System Restore then use it to restore your system to the state it was in at a point in time as far back as possible.
  • Step 1B: Clean Up
    • Delete any unwanted files
    • Uninstall any unwanted applications
    • Run Disk Cleanup to clear out other unwanted rubbish
  • Step 1C: Use the method described in your product documentation to create a "Product Recovery Disc"
    • Keep this set in a safe place, away from dust, heat and light
      • Use this set to restore the system in future