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Possible Duplicates:
Want to create a system image
Windows backup by Imaging

I'm about to send a new laptop to my mom with the router pre-configured to work with the laptop. I live 1000 miles away so any support I'd need to give would be remote.

I intend to install Logmein so I can check on anti-virus and other issues.

However, if she royally screws it up, I'd like to create a custom restore dvd which will re-image the computer with as little hassle as possible and keep her router settings and such. It needs to be brain dead simple for her to process.

What do you recommend to create such a custom boot dvd? Acronis?

Journeyman Geek
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DavidStein
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1 Answers1

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Acronis is quite capable of such a task, but I'm afraid even that might be too technical for non-savvy users.

What's never failed for me is good old Deep Freeze (well, at least since deep unfreezer stopped being developed =)). It isn't free ($45.00), but it will save you many headaches and late night calls dealing with computer problems. The software is extremely flexible in what is protected and very easy to use. Every school I've been to has sworn by this software as well.

If you aren't familiar with the software, in a nutshell it will revert all changes to a system with a simple reboot. Of course, these reverts depend on the areas you specified, but it simplifies a lot of it for you.

If your Mom isn't yet familiar with Windows 7, you could also consider Windows XP and SteadyState (a free alternative to Deep Freeze). Although XP is old, a lot of parent's I've dealt with are resistant to change and are more comfortable with the environment, so if it work's for them and saves you problems, questions, and money, I'd be all for it.