# Recovery disc

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> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Recovery_disc
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{{Short description|Media intended to restore the operating system}}
[[File:Recovery Disk.JPG|thumb|A typical recovery disk for an [Acer](/source/Acer_Inc.) PC.]]
The terms '''Recovery disc''' (or Disk), '''Rescue Disk'''/Disc and '''Emergency Disk'''<ref>an emergency Dis'''c''' is for roadside emergency lighting</ref> all refer to a capability to boot from an external device, possibly a [thumb drive](/source/thumb_drive), that includes a self-running [operating system](/source/operating_system): the ability to be a '''boot disk'''/Disc that runs independent of an internal hard drive that may be failing, or for some other reason is not the operating system to be run.<ref>e.g. to demo an operating system or other software without installing it</ref>

The focus of recovery or rescue is not to lose the data files on the hard drive; the focus of restore is to restore the [operating system](/source/operating_system)'s functionality (and subsequently restore the contents of one's latest backups).<ref name=RecovDSK.NYT1996>{{cite news
   |newspaper=[The New York Times](/source/The_New_York_Times)
   |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1996/07/16/science/personal-computers-disaster-recovery-there-s-a-catch.html
   |title=Disaster Recovery: There's a Catch
   |author=Stephen Manes |date=July 16, 1996}}</ref>

The rescue/recovery tool uses media containing a [backup](/source/backup) of the original [factory](/source/factory) condition or a favored condition of a computer as configured by an OEM ([original equipment manufacturer](/source/original_equipment_manufacturer)) or an end-user. [OEM](/source/OEM) supplied media are often restore tools shipped with computers to allow the user to [reformat](/source/reformat) the [hard drive](/source/hard_drive) and reinstall the [operating system](/source/operating_system) and [pre-installed software](/source/pre-installed_software) as it was when it was shipped.<ref>without user-created data files</ref> Many modern systems have eliminated use of a physical ''recovery disc'' and instead store this software in a separate partition on the hard disk itself.

==Overview==
As an alternative to using media supplied with a system, it is possible to make one's own rescue/recovery disk. The Macintosh computer tool's name is Disk First Aid; on Windows systems there is a ''Create Disk'' function.<ref name=RecovDSK.NYT98>{{cite news
   |newspaper=[The New York Times](/source/The_New_York_Times)
   |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1998/10/08/technology/q-a-emergency-preparedness.html
   |title=Emergency Preparedness
   |author=By J. D. Biersdorfer |date=October 8, 1998}}</ref>

==Factory reset "recovery"==
{{main|Factory reset}}
When a '''[factory reset](/source/factory_reset)''' is done, user data is lost. The term
"OEM recovery" refers to that type of "recovery." What is "recovered"
is the original system.
<ref name=HP.OEM>{{cite web
   |url=https://h30434.www3.hp.com/t5/Notebook-Operating-System-and-Recovery/Accidently-deleted-OEM-Recovery-Partition-Help-please/td-p/6279158
   |title={{sic|Acciden|tly|hide=y}} deleted OEM Recovery Partition! Help please 
   |date=August 19, 2017}}</ref> [Hewlett-Packard](/source/Hewlett-Packard),
using the term ''System Recovery'', describes it as '''destructive'''<ref>THEIR emphasis</ref> recovery.
<ref name=HP.Re>{{cite web
|url=http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/document?cc=us&docname=bph07145
|title=HP and Compaq Desktop PCs - Performing an HP System Recovery in Windows XP
|access-date=2008-01-16
|archive-date=2007-12-17
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071217180235/http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/document?cc=us&docname=bph07145
|url-status=dead
}}</ref> They even advise removing "extra hard drives"
to prevent loss of this too.

Although non-destructive alternatives do exist,<ref name=HP.Re/> the standard OEM Systems Recovery of [Microsoft Windows](/source/Microsoft_Windows)-based [operating systems](/source/operating_systems) involves booting from a separate [hard drive](/source/hard_drive) partition, [CD-ROM](/source/CD-ROM), or [DVD](/source/DVD), reformatting the hard drive and then copying operating system and software files. After the recovery process is completed, configuration such as the Windows [Out-Of-Box Experience](/source/Out-Of-Box_Experience) wizard is first run (along with any other additional setup the computer may perform), as it was on the initial startup of the computer. Most recovery systems use specialized software, though [Toshiba](/source/Toshiba) and [Dell](/source/Dell) licensed [Norton Ghost](/source/Norton_Ghost) technology for their recovery systems at one point.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.goodells.net/dellrestore/image.htm
|title=Inside the Dell PC Restore Partition |accessdate=2008-01-16 
|url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://archive.today/20061025071518/http://www.goodells.net/dellrestore/image.htm |archivedate=2006-10-25}}</ref> As of [Windows Vista](/source/Windows_Vista), Dell uses a [Windows Imaging Format](/source/Windows_Imaging_Format) based image on a partition along with a tool launched from the [Windows Recovery Environment](/source/Windows_Recovery_Environment)'s command prompt.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.goodells.net/dellrestore/vista.htm |title=Inside the Dell PC Restore Partition |accessdate=2008-01-16 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070526111103/http://www.goodells.net/dellrestore/vista.htm |archivedate=2007-05-26 }}</ref>

==Details==
===Recovery partitions===
Most modern PCs store their recovery (non-destructive) or restore (destructive) tool on a hard drive [partition](/source/Disk_partitioning) rather than on bundled CD-ROMs or DVDs. They're typically accessed by using a specific key combination during system startup.<ref>after the computer's [power-on self-test](/source/power-on_self-test)</ref> There's less cost to the OEM, but exposes the user to hard drive failure.

An application used to create recovery discs or [flash drive](/source/Flash_memory) is sometimes offered to allow a backup of the recovery data.<ref>{{cite web
   |title=HP PCs – Obtaining HP Recovery Discs or an HP USB Recovery Drive
   |url=http://support.hp.com/gb-en/document/bph07143
   |publisher=HP |accessdate=12 June 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://support.toshiba.ca/support/techsupport/tsbs/all/-TSB001019.htm
|title=How to Create/Use a Toshiba Recovery CD/DVD-ROM |accessdate=2008-01-16 |archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20071223183622/http://support.toshiba.ca/support/techsupport/tsbs/all/-TSB001019.htm |archivedate = December 23, 2007}}</ref> Recovery CDs can also sometimes be ordered directly from the [OEM](/source/OEM). For some computers, they can also recreate the recovery partition. Other recovery systems, such as those included with recent [Apple Macintosh](/source/Apple_Macintosh) models, permit users to download the recovery partition over an internet connection, enabling successful recovery even if the hard disk fails or is replaced.

Some third-party software has the function to create a factory recovery partition and one key system backup and restore for Windows PC and Server.

==Disk image recovery==
{{Main|Disk cloning}}
The advantages of [OEM](/source/OEM) recovery media can be had, without some of their disadvantages, by using [disk imaging](/source/disk_image) software such as [Mondo Rescue](/source/Mondo_Rescue) or [Acronis True Image](/source/Acronis_True_Image) to create a bootable recovery CD containing an image of the machine in the desired initial state. For example, a user can install their operating system, install all device drivers for their hardware, install other desired software, and configure other personal settings. Some smaller [OEM](/source/OEM)s even use bootable CDs generated by this software as the actual recovery CD or DVD itself.

==Criticism==
Many manufacturers do not supply a physical "recovery disc," but instead store the [https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Recovery_disc&diff=974490817&oldid=974489757 "recovery" (destructive) software tool] on a partition of the hard disk. Some software that was preloaded may not be included; likewise some device drivers.

== Alternatives ==
Prior to the use of recovery discs, one would use a [boot disk](/source/boot_disk) to boot the system, then reinstall software as necessary from the original installation media.

A contemporary alternative, particularly used in [Linux](/source/Linux), is the installation disc or discs for a [Linux distribution](/source/Linux_distribution), or a [Live CD](/source/Live_CD) or Live DVD – a bootable disc. These can be used to boot the system and then either manually troubleshoot and repair problems (in the case of a live disc), or re-install or re-configure the operating system. In the case of [free software](/source/free_software), operating systems can legally be re-packaged and distributed, and thus there is no barrier to making the full installation available. However, in the absence of a backup of system-specific configuration, which is provided on recovery discs, a re-installed operating system may require re-configuration.

[Windows 8](/source/Windows_8) includes two built-in recovery options, Refresh and Reset; Refresh re-installs Windows while preserving most user settings, while Reset performs a full restore back to its default configuration, similar to a factory restore function.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://blogs.msdn.com/b/b8/archive/2012/01/04/refresh-and-reset-your-pc.aspx |title=Refresh and reset your PC |work=Microsoft |date=January 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://arstechnica.com/microsoft/news/2011/09/making-the-lives-of-it-easier-windows-8-refresh-reset-and-windows-to-go.ars |title=Making the lives of IT easier: Windows 8 Refresh, Reset, and Windows To Go |work=Ars Technica |date=September 2011}}</ref>

== See also ==
* [Master boot record](/source/Master_boot_record)
* [Reboot to restore software](/source/Reboot_to_restore_software)
* [System Restore](/source/System_Restore)
* [Windows Preinstallation Environment](/source/Windows_Preinstallation_Environment)

==References==
{{Reflist}}

__FORCETOC__

{{DEFAULTSORT:Recovery Disc}}
Category:Bootable media
Category:Installation software

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Recovery disc](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Recovery_disc) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Recovery_disc?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.