Question how to image and restore netbook from dvd

[jimdagys]

In the past, I have used Ghost to make a DVD of the c drive, and later use that DVD to boot up and restore the computer. However, if I have a netbook with only a usb external DVD burner, then how would I make and use a DVD disk, since I don't think a netbook will boot from the usb?

[redwudz]

Try going into the netbook BIOS and see what boot options it has. With my Asus Eee netbook, I click the power button, then F2 and that will lead me to the BIOS screen. I have three options for boot, the internal HDD, a ATAPI CD-ROM and a 'removable device', though not sure what that would be, maybe a USB stick. Never tried to boot from any other device though. My netbook doesn't have an internal CD/DVD drive.

I suspect it might boot from a CD ROM from the USB port. You could try it with a Linux distro that can run from a CD, that way no damage to the netbook from a install.

[Noahtuck]

I just did a friends Asus netbook and it would boot from the USB port through both an external dvd burner and an 8gb usb flash drive.

How else would you be able to reinstall windows or a restore disc ?

Seeing as the worthless POS does not come with a built in optical drive.
LOL!!!

When you are in bios with something plugged into the USB port it will show USB or something along that line.
It's the only one i ever touched and i hope to never touch one again!!

[redwudz]

I just use my netbook at the airport and on flights, and sometimes in a hotel room. It doesn't take up much space for carry on and the battery lasts for five hours. Small screen, but very portable. It will never replace a laptop, but that's not what they are for.

It also has a 500GB HDD, so I have no need for a optical drive for videos. Besides, no room for a optical drive. Unfortunatelly it's too slow for HD or MKV, but does fine with SD Xvids.

[Cornucopia]

Tell you what, Noahtuck, I'll take all those "worthless POS" netbooks off your hands - for free! Even pay for the shipping (if it's in the US)...

Scott

[CSULB71]

When my daughter's Dell notebook is booting up, it says to press 'F2' for setup/BIOS or 'F12' for a one-time selectable boot which includes the internal HDD, the internal CD/DVD ROM drive, or whatever is plugged in to the USB port (external CD/DVD ROM drive, external HDD, flash drive). Does your laptop show anything similar during boot up?

[Noahtuck]

You may as well surf the net with your smart phone or they probably make a good child's toy
I have seen them in the store, this is the first one i ever messed with, and i have never owned one & for a good reason, because i knew they were basically just toys.

But in all honesty, i am not a big laptop fan either, but they sure are a hell of a lot better than those "netbooks".

A friend bought one less than a year ago, paid $300.00 for it.

It crashed and needed to be restored, but when she bought it from best buy (big mistake) it did not have the restore disc.

Goes to best buy and they tell her, it will cost you $50.00 for the restore disc (that was not in the package like it was supposed to be) then it will cost you $120.00 for us to look at it and diagnose it, then more $$$ for us to actually FIX IT!!!!



She tells me about it and say's, "I may as well buy a new laptop because they want to charge as much to fix it as a new one would cost"

So i buy a used external DVD burner for $15.00, go to the ASUS website and download the drivers, give her an old copy of XP Pro W/sp3 and takes me about an hour to "repair" it....
LOL!!!

But that's probably more of a slam against Best Buy's Ripoff Squad.....
LOL!!

Those things are only good for surfing and using M$ Office
A Smart phone can do more for less!!

They don't even have an optical drive, not like they could really utilize one

I guess i am just a full blown, full size desktop snob

[jimdagys]

Thanks for the replies. I don't have a computer; just looking at options now.