There are several ways in which re-imaging can be done. Which one is best for your computer? It depends on the situation and what you want the reimaged system to do. Each method has advantages and disadvantages.
How to reimage a computer?
1. Reinstall Windows from scratch
One drawback of this method is that it requires a full retail version of Windows because even if you have an upgrade copy, you can’t use the key to activate a clean install. This also means that any pre-installed programs on your computer will need their own product keys and installation discs to be reinstalled.
Also, if the license agreement did not allow you to create a recovery disc set and/or recovery partition, your computer will be reimaged with exactly what it had when you sent it to us–there’s no way around that. If the serial number on your computer doesn’t match up with the one of your Windows installation (for example, if your older Windows installation had a used key contracted out to one of our clients and we did not clean the disk) the device will be reimaged with its original version.
This method is best if:
-You need specific software reinstalled
-The license agreement allows you to create a recovery disc set and/or recovery partition
-You have your Windows installation disc, product key and all pertinent serial numbers
-You don’t mind how long it takes to get your computer back (this is the slowest method)
2. Clone Operating System:
A cloned copy of your hard drive can be reimaged with a different version of Windows or another operating system if you wish–it will restore all pre-existing software. This can be very useful if you’ve upgraded to a new computer but still have older files on your old hard drive.
The problem with cloning is that the copy of your hard drive is often not bootable (in other words, it doesn’t work in another computer). Some manufacturers (Dell, HP etc.) now invariably put their computers in “recovery mode” when you first turn them on. This makes it look like your hard drive has been cloned–but it hasn’t. What this means is that you can restore all of your software if you have the necessary CD/DVD set and serial numbers. The drawback is that you need to put your computer in “recovery mode” before we can restore your operating system and all software; we then send it back to you pre-booted.
This method is best if:
-You have all of your necessary Windows installation media, including product key and serial number for each installation
-You have all of your software’s installation media and serial number for each installation
-You don’t mind waiting until we can restore your computer to its original state (usually takes just a few days)
3. Clone operating system, then clone back:
This method is similar to the one above except that we clone your hard drive, put it in “recovery mode” for you and then restore your original operating system. You can then reinstall all of your software using the same installation media as before (including serial numbers).
This method is best if:
-You’re willing to take the computer out of “recovery mode” yourself by following our written instruction (we will provide them to you)
-You have all of your installation media, serial number and product key
-You don’t mind taking the computer out of “recovery mode” yourself before we send it back to you (usually takes just a few minutes)
4. Clone operating system, wipe hard drive, reclone operating system:
This method is similar to the one above except that we also wipe your hard drive before reinstalling Windows. This means you can have an entirely clean computer with absolutely no personal information on it before we send it back to you. The drawback of this clone is that it takes longer than any other cloned copy–it must be done on a separate machine and the new hard drive must then be installed into your computer.
This method is best if:
-You need a completely clean copy of your operating system (no personal information) as well as all of your software preinstalled
-You don’t mind waiting until we can restore your computer to its original state (usually takes just a few days)
-The license agreement allows you to create a recovery disc set and/or recovery partition
If the license agreement allows it, we would recommend cloning your hard drive with its original version of Windows and all of your necessary software (including serial numbers). However if you need any specific software reinstalled or if the license agreement does not permit us to use cloning technology, we will reimage your computer–completely restoring it to its original state.
