Step 7 - Run the Automated System Recovery Preparation Wizard

Step 7—Run the Automated System Recovery
Preparation Wizard

The worst-case scenario for PC problems is a system crash that renders your hard disk or system files unusable. Your only recourse here is to start from scratch, either with a reformatted hard disk or a new hard disk. This usually means that you have to reinstall Windows XP and then reinstall and reconfigure all your applications. In other words, you’re looking at the better part of a day or, more likely, a few days to recover your system.

However, Windows XP comes with a utility called Automated System Recovery that, with a little advance planning on your part, can help you recover from a crash in just a few steps. What kind of advance planning is required? Just two things:

• You must run the Automated System Recovery Preparation Wizard. This wizard backs up your system files and creates a disk that enables you to restore your system.

• You must run a full backup of all your data and application files.

  Tip

  If you’re not replacing your hard disk and if you have your application files and data files on a separate partition, you don’t have to back up that partition because you won’t be formatting it.

Because your system, application, and data files change regularly, to ensure a smooth recovery, you need to do both of these things regularly. Here are the steps to follow to run the Automated System Recovery Preparation Wizard:

1. In the Backup Utility window, select Tools, ASR Wizard. The Automated System Recovery Preparation Wizard appears.

2. Click Next. The wizard prompts you for a backup destination for your system files.

3. Choose the backup media type and then enter the backup media or file name. Click Next.

   Caution

   Don’t back up the system files to the %SystemDrive% partition because this is the partition you’ll be formatting as part of your recovery effort.

4. Click Finish. The wizard backs up your system files. When it’s done, it prompts you to insert a floppy disk in drive A.

5. Insert a blank, formatted disk and click OK. The wizard copies the files Asr.sif, Asrpnp.sif, and Setup.log to the disk and lets you know when it has finished.

6. Click OK.

To learn how to recover your system using Automated System Recovery, see Chapter 13, “Troubleshooting and Recovering from Problems.”