Disaster Recovery or Recovery Disaster?
Vol. 1 - No. 6

When I help someone recover from a virus or other attack, I always ask to use the original software CD’s that came with the system. Now and again, I encounter so-called “recovery” CD’s, instead of real software media.

Selling a PC with a “recovery” disk is a terrible practice. If a customer pays for legitimate copies of an operating system and application programs, the customer should receive genuine media (CDs, DVDs or floppy disks) containing the software.

What is a “Recovery” CD?

Although they can have different names, “recovery” CD’s contain an image of the computer’s hard disk as it was originally sold. Although they might be labeled with the names of programs you purchased, the recovery CD doesn’t contain installable copies of the programs.

You will know that you have a “recovery” CD if you ever need to use it. Instead of an installation program, you’ll see a screen with a big warning. It will tell you that the disk is going to go back to your original setup, and that all your files will be destroyed in the process. Usually, the message will strongly encourage you to back up all your data before proceeding. Then you’ll get a straightforward YES or NO choice whether to proceed.

Why Do Vendors Do This?

I can think of a number of reasons why computer makers do this:

1. It solves compatibility issues. Included on the disk image are exactly the right software drivers, updates and patches that will make your computer work. The vendor knows that after you use the “recovery” CD, the computer will be back to its as-sold configuration (everything else will have been obliterated). If you still have a problem, the vendor can rule out most software-induced causes.
   
   
2. It saves support costs. It’s much faster to tell a customer to insert a “recovery” CD and choose “Yes”, instead of guiding the customer through a complete installation of software.
   
   
3. It makes life simple for users who don’t buy many add-on programs later. With a “recovery” CD, you need only one CD disk to make your computer work. There are fewer items to get lost or damaged.
   
   
4. It can help to reduce software piracy. “Recovery” CD’s are customized for a particular brand and model of computer.

Why This is Bad?

1. Modern operating systems provide a lot of tools to help you fix problems without removing everything and starting over. When your computer vendor gives you a “recovery” CD, you don’t always get the benefits of these tools. You have to rebuild your computer’s hard disk from scratch in order to fix any problems (and potentially lose data you might have saved). Real operating system CD’s often include a special mode for repairs – look for names like “Recovery Console”, “Repair”, “Rescue Mode” or something similar.
   
   
2. Modern software gets updated all the time. “Recovery” CD’s can’t include all the updates and patches you may need. After months of updating your system, you might not be able to mix your latest backup with the old software on your “recovery” CD. If that happens, you can still lose access to your data, even if you are diligent in backing up your system.
   
   
3. If you throw away your computer, you might have to throw away the “recovery” CD, too. Even though you paid for a license to use the software, you can’t use the “recovery” CD to set up a different PC from the one you started with.
   
   
4. If you upgrade your software later, you can have difficulty in fixing problems. Sometimes, the installation for the upgrade version asks you to insert your original disk, as a way to show that you are entitled to the upgrade. “Recovery” CD’s might not be recognized as legal copies of the program you are upgrading.
   
   
5. If you upgrade your computer, say with a larger hard disk, your “recovery” CD might no longer work at all, or might cause you to lose access to the upgraded hardware.

What You Can Do About This

If your computer came with a “recovery” CD, you need to be more thoughtful in how you protect your investment in software. Start today.

• Find all the disks and paperwork that came with the computer as well as any that you installed after you bought the computer. Keep everything together in a box or big envelope in a safe place.
  
  
• BACK UP YOUR COMPUTER REGULARLY. This is easy to say, but surprisingly difficult to do. You need a strategy that protects what’s important without being so burdensome you avoid backing up. We can help you plan this.
  
  
• Audit your software. Make sure you aren’t using one copy of software on more than one system, and make sure you can prove you purchased the software on your computer. When you have only a recovery CD, it’s not always obvious that the software you bought is legally yours. Your original invoice and system documentation is usually the key to proving what’s yours.
  
  
• Keep extra, temporary, copies of really important files. What about that document you’re working on now? If you save it to a network share, or a diskette drive, you have some protection from a system failure. If your computer fails, you can still get to that file, and probably still meet that hot deadline.

Here are more things you can do

1. If your computer vendor provides you with a “recovery” CD, ask them for a “reinstallation” CD instead, or a boxed-set copy of software. You’re more likely to get this if you buy from a smaller vendor or you buy a lot of computers.
   
   
2. If you are buying a new computer, and the vendor only offers a “recovery” CD, buy elsewhere. If all customers insisted on genuine, fully-functional, backup copies of software, vendors would comply.
   
   
3. If you want to upgrade to a newer version, skip the upgrade and buy the full version of the software instead. You’ll get the software, and you will no longer depend on a “recovery” CD. The costs of a failed restoration, considering lost data and time, far outweigh the savings on a upgrade-only package.
   
   
4. Save the installer program that you get when you purchase software downloads. If you can get or make a copy of the download on a CD, do it. Software downloads are terribly difficult to recover otherwise.
   
   
5. Avoid bootleg or other illegal sources of software programs. Know exactly where you got each program on your computer.

Please note: Any trademarks and trade names of others mentioned in this message are the property of their owners, and not Stoney Hill Associates, LLC. We respect the intellectual property of others. The information provided is believed to be reliable, but we cannot guarantee that the procedures and information given here will work correctly for your specific situation.

If you would like help with a computer or software problem you face, contact us. Send an email to request@stoneyhillassociates.com.

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