Recovery 5 questions

**macexperts** · 31-10-11, 07:33 PM

Question on the Recovery 5 system for samsung notebook --- i ran the backup from samsung recovery 5 and did the 'complete restore' -- the dvds are bootable (1st one) -- there were 5 of them about 30GB in total.
The software is not as specific as it should be. There is no FAQ for 5 on Sam's website that I can find yet vers. 3 and 4 are referenced though.
It claims in the advanced tab that it can restore entire hard drive -- if one put in a new harddrive would it actually create the restore/recovery partition and boot/C/D partitions correctly? Samsung seems to have 4 partitions ..two large, 1 100mb for boot, C (system) and D (data) and a recovery partition hidden and not a normal file system it seems (not mountable)

Many people mentioned problems with different sized partitions giving errors when doing recovery etc etc -- it remains unclear if it is in deed a full factory restore to OEM or not. The large 30GB size makes me think it would simply revert back to the installation at time of backup and may not actually contain the recovery partition area.

It does allow you to adjust size for C and D but i'm looking at the original undamaged drive in this case. I don't know what would happen with a replacement or new drive.

5 also allows a system DVD but that does not appear to have the system on it rather drivers and samsung software (unless i missed it - again poor articulation in the software)

I need to know if this is indeed a complete recovery or not - specifically will it restore/recovery partition at the end of the drive and allow f4 restore to work (lets assume a new drive or replacement of the failed drive in this case).

Also they now include a 'System recovery media' DVD but booting from that bring seems to be only a win 7 installer with no other options for factory restore that I can see.
As a last resort that would be fine to get win 7 going again but then presumably we'd not have the f4 recovery option if the drive were formatted or a new replacement drive.

help appreciated/ thanks in advance

**jeepers01** · 31-10-11, 08:01 PM

macexperts - Welcome to the forum
A system restore using SRS will only restore to the C: drive and the restore will be the image of the OS taken just after the machine was first set up. ie. from the Recovery partition.

For a new drive the Recovery partition has to be built and this can be done with the Admin Tool.

If you have a system recovery media DVD with the machine it will probably be Win7 only.

Hope this helps

**macexperts** · 01-11-11, 04:34 AM

Originally Posted by jeepers01

macexperts - Welcome to the forum
A system restore using SRS will only restore to the C: drive and the restore will be the image of the OS taken just after the machine was first set up. ie. from the Recovery partition.

For a new drive the Recovery partition has to be built and this can be done with the Admin Tool.

If you have a system recovery media DVD with the machine it will probably be Win7 only.

Hope this helps

Thx Jeepers

What does the Admin tool use to rebuild the contents of the Recovery partition? I saw info on that tool here and DL'd and examined it ...but it is too small to have the system in it I would think -- does it use the Win7 CD that comes with the computers or does it DL what it needs? Can you clarify/elaborate a bit? thanks again!

PS: I couldn't find the admin tool on samsungs site anywhere...did i just miss it or is there a reason for this?

**jeepers01** · 01-11-11, 09:37 AM

macexperts - The Admin Tool just creates the Recovery partition ready to receive the compressed image (init.woo) made with the SRS application and sets the mbr so that [F4] functions. The tool is not available for general download.

Hope this helps

**macexperts** · 02-11-11, 04:41 AM

Thanks Jeepers,

ok so the compressed image is a part of the larger 'complete' backup ....

the iso version of the tool i dl'd did not end up bootable...i will have to see why

thanks

**jeepers01** · 02-11-11, 10:09 AM

Originally Posted by macexperts

Thanks Jeepers,

ok so the compressed image is a part of the larger 'complete' backup ....

the iso version of the tool i dl'd did not end up bootable...i will have to see why

thanks

It will not boot from a cd/dvd only usb stick

Hope this helps