Ghost Drive Thingy

[Kal-El]

Ok well my computer has a 120gb HD. The way it was set up is that a certain amount of HD space was partitioned on a hidden partition and copy of windows and other pre installed programs where put there. Instead of reformating my computer all I have to do is put a CD in my drive and reboot my computer (the CD has absolutely nothing on it which is kinda weird) then a DOS based program starts and copies everything from the hidden partition and returns my computer to how it was when I bought it.

Now this is very convienient and fast, so I want to keep this handy feature. The problem is it installs some programs that I don't want and some 30-day trial crap.

My question is; is there a way to modify that partition? My goal is to take what's installed on my computer at the moment and put it on the partition, so that next time I run the DOS thingy ("Thingy" is a technical term not everyone might understand) it'll put my computer back the way it is now (with all the updates up-to-date and no need to reinstall SP2, etc). Is there a way to do this?

[xi Apocalypse ix]

Defrag your HD, it might work or do a ScanDisk and it will search those kind of "thingys" . If that dont work, call Microsoft.

[Kal-El]

Defrag your HD, it might work or do a ScanDisk and it will search those kind of "thingys" . If that dont work, call Microsoft.

Um, Defrag nor scandisk allows you to add/delete/modify files on a hidden partition. Heck the partition doesn't even show up on those utilities. I don't need to detect it. I already know it's there.

1) because I have a 120 GB HD and only about 100 GB shows up for me to use. Where did that 20GB go?
2) because when I do the DOS thing it says it's copying files from it.
3) I can see it using the administrative tools

I just can't figure out how to see/change the files on it.

I'm pretty sure MS won't help me. If they supported stuff like that (by having their own program that does it), I would have already found the answer I'm looking for when I searched through their customer support pages.

I know it's doable since my hard drive has it. There has to be something that put the files there in the first place. What ever utility it is, it must not be very well known/used. If it were, I would have found it during the days I spent searching every thing I could think of on google to find it.

EDIT: I just came across this: http://www.partition-magic-download.com/

I was wondering if anyone who knows what they are doing could tell me if this would do the job I'm trying to do.

[xi Apocalypse ix]

Well you can hold down the "delete" button when you turn on the comp. Keep holding the button until you see the "Start Windows" screen and you'll see some more options to choose from. See if that can help.

[Kal-El]

Well you can hold down the "delete" button when you turn on the comp. Keep holding the button until you see the "Start Windows" screen and you'll see some more options to choose from. See if that can help.

Delete brings you into the Bios. Like I said; If it was that simple, this thread wouldn't exsist because I would have found the answer.

I know it's a third part program that does it because there's nothing about it on the windows website. That means they don't have a program/utitility that does it and it's not built into the computer, so they don't support it. Just have to find which third-party program/utility does it.

[asphix]

Dex, I'm assuming you have a DELL or HP or IBM. I dont believe you can update that partition as its set to be the factory default roll-out. You MAY find an option somewhere within the restore CD somewhere but I'm about 99% sure theres no easy way to go about it.

I'm sure if you dug deep enough you could find a way to create a compatable image file and deposit it in that partition.. but to do so would require some know-how and a significant amount of time invested.. which may or may not nullify the end result as you're talking about convenience here.

Alternatively.. you could pick up norton ghost and create a cd/dvd backup of your OS drive (or whole computer if you dont have multiple drives/partitions) and whenever something screws up, you just boot from the Norton Ghost cd, and restore by inserting your cd's (likewise you can set up norton to copy the image to another partition and do the same as what you're talking about).. though it will be less automated than the solution you're currently using and will require a little learning if you've never done anything such as this. Sure beats trying to hack your PC manufacturers solution to update it with a personalized image.

But yeah, you're looking for Norton Ghost (http://www.symantec.com/home_homeoffice/products/overview.jsp?pcid=br&pvid=ghost10) if you're wanting to do this with a 3rd party program.

[WearyGamer]

thats pretty weird

[WearyGamer]

weary gamer]thats pretty weird

[H2OSilentCid]

or partition magic can help you as well, which I believe norton bought out the company which now has the product which will show you the hidden partition. They even have it to where you can modify it's size.