Where to get AlienRespawn (dell datasafe) software

[steviejones133]

The factory recovery image is created when your system is prepped. It is unique to your system. What this means is say you order Adobe Photoshop Elements or a 3 year for McAfee (yikes!), or Win7 Ultimate, then the factory image would include this. Whatever is pre-installed on your system is what the image has. This is why some folks go to create their emergency rescue USB stick and find it asks for a larger stick than others report.

With the basic version of Dell DataSafe Local / AlienRespawn, you cannot 'update' the recovery image. Even with the paid version I do not believe this is possible (cant confirm since I have not tried nor do I plan on it).

Your best option is to ghost the system or use Acronis.

I understand this, regarding the "factory image" - it cant be altered FULL STOP.

However, regarding the option to create recovery media/USB from within AWR, does this option merely create an exact image of whatever is on the recovery partition or does it image the current system configuration?

If its the former, then Im stuffed for using anything AWR related including using my initially created recovery media when I first turned on the system.

If its the latter, then my logic was thinking of updating the 8.692's to 8.763's and re-burning some discs or USB. Then I would be able to use recovery media but not restore from recovery partition.

(Obviously, I will NEVER be able to recover my system from the factory recovery partition successfully without BSOD unless I flashed my cards again with the old vbios before hand which I wouldnt be doing!!!!)
Was just trying to save some cash on purchasing Acronis LOL

[BatBoy]

Yes, I understand what you meant - to answer your question, no, you will not be able to modify/update/re-create the actual recovery image on the system. The emergency recovery media will always have the original factory image.

As for the BSOD - you sure? have you tried to recover?

[steviejones133]

Yes, I understand what you meant - to answer your question, no, you will not be able to modify/update/re-create the actual recovery image on the system. The emergency recovery media will always have the original factory image.

As for the BSOD - you sure? have you tried to recover?

I didnt mean the "factory" image on the system, I meant the image I created on the recovery discs....unless burning recovery media is just craeting an image of the factory partition...in which case, it cant be altered - just I thought I could burn media again in my mind.....with the 8.763 drivers.

Nah, I havent tried using the recovery media I created. I have performed several clean OS installs but obviously, they are done with Standard VGA video drivers.

I remember Brian (Erawneila) specifically stating that using the new vbios with any other Dell driver version before 8.763 would result in endless BSOD's.

So, as my media/recovery partition will be loaded with 8.692 and the latest Vbios, It would simply be a nightmare with BSOD all over the shop.

Unless I can reburn media with 8.763 by using AWR "create recovery" option, I may as well call my recovery discs beer mats and bin off AWR from my system completly and use Acronis - just dont like paying for it!

[BatBoy]

lol - we need to come up with standard verbage...

Yes, the recovery media created by AlienRespawn is your factory image.

Actually, and this is just a guess - but why couldn't a person just boot into safe mode after recovering, remove the AMD display driver (even use driver sweeper if need be), reboot normally and then install the 8.763 driver or whatever over the windows standard VGA driver which would have been auto-installed in safe mode after removing the previous AMD driver?

Granted its a bit much to try and explain this to a new AW user who may have purchased your system but you could always do this prior to selling.

BTW, apologies for not answering this the other day when you posted. (forgot to reply)

[steviejones133]

lol - we need to come up with standard verbage...

Yes, the recovery media created by AlienRespawn is your factory image.

Actually, and this is just a guess - but why couldn't a person just boot into safe mode after recovering, remove the AMD display driver (even use driver sweeper if need be), reboot normally and then install the 8.763 driver or whatever over the windows standard VGA driver which would have been auto-installed in safe mode after removing the previous AMD driver?

Granted its a bit much to try and explain this to a new AW user who may have purchased your system but you could always do this prior to selling.

BTW, apologies for not answering this the other day when you posted. (forgot to reply)

Hahaha - yeah. My whole reason for this line of enquiry was mainly related to a possible "new owner" and the problems they would face trying to use my recovery media!!! - I can see it now...."hey man, this computer you sold me is broken lol"
IF (and im not likely to atm) I sold my system, I would like to give the new owner the media I created but it will be useless in this scenario, so, to make things easier for a new owner, I would have to source another image creating software.....

Myself, I would be fine either doing a clean install or doing like you say and booting into safe mode and removing and updating the driver set but it would prove to be a bit of a bind for a newbie owner.......

Looks like Acronis, here I come......now the fun part (for me, anyway) is to have a moan to AW Tech/Dell about this....see if I can get anything to cover the costs

[alvinkhorfire]

You can use the paid version of AlienRespawn to create a image of your current installation (with latest drivers), as BatBoy said, but this is not confirmed.

Then again, the price of premium version of AlienRespawn is, as you said, jacked up. If you really want to spend money, you are better off with Acronis. What to do? We have to live with it.

BatBoy

Glad to have you join in our discussion and obtain your input in this.

[BatBoy]

yeah, no worries. Sorry, been pulled in many directions these last several days.

[alvinkhorfire]

BatBoy

You made a valid point about AlienRespawn Recovery Media. Each time we restore the system using AlienRespawn Recovery Media, we have to remove Crapafee. Yikes! It is contained in factory image and AlienRespawn Recovery Media.

[steviejones133]

BatBoy

You made a valid point about AlienRespawn Recovery Media. Each time we restore the system using AlienRespawn Recovery Media, we have to remove Crapafee. Yikes! It is contained in factory image and AlienRespawn Recovery Media.

Thank god my system didnt ship with McrapFEE installed....it was an "option" during configuration (for us in the UK) - dont know if it is an option for other countries but sure as heck glad I dont have to clean THAT mess up every time!

[kosti]

Acronis is a great app. I've used it a lot in the past. However, if you are cheap like me, there's a great freeware app called Eseaus Todo Backup Home. Like Acronis, it creates images of your full install and also clones hard drives. Take a look at it.

Free Backup Software for home users. Hard Drive System Backup and Restore in Windows 2000/XP/Vista/7.