d2lover88

My dad just bought a Toshiba Satellite L305-S5921 with Windows Vista and it came with no recovery/restore cds, I'm afraid to install Windows XP thinking something might go wrong in the future and a reinstallation will have to happen but no cd to do so. I do have the Vista cd that came with my other Toshiba Laptop that I've had for over a year now but finding the cd key would be a problem?

How would I go about making a recovery/restore cd/dvd so if something happens I can boot from that cd/dvd and fix the problem or do a whole new installation of Vista?

On a side note, would the Vista cd key be 25 characters as stated when I run keyfinder?

SiNiSt3r

you have to make them. it should be in one of the folders in the all programs list.

and yes, that is the correct amount of characters for a vista key

__________________

NITRO1250

You can restore from a regular full Vista install DVD. There are options for that in the booter.

hxcnero

alot of laptops today have the restore on a separate partition of the hard drive.
so when you boot the computer there should be an option during post much like entering bios. to restore to factory default. its f11 for my HP laptop. im unsure about toshiba tho.

__________________
Hardcore and Deathcore = br00tal WIN!
phenom 8650 @3.2 http://valid.canardpc.com/show_oc.php?id=457873
8650 ripping world record http://ripping.org/database.php?cpuid=822

IEATFISH

It is probably on a different partition. Right click My Computer and click Manage. On the right, look for Disk Management. See if you have two partitions. I know mine does (Toshiba U405D).

__________________
I LOVE my Filco Majestouch Touch Click NKRO!!

Iceman0803

With some laptops you have to make the restore discs yourself and others you can do a restore right form the recovery partition. Forgot to mention that the key for windows can be found on the bottom of the laptop.

__________________

d2lover88

i went to start, all programs, toshiba, "make recovery discs" or something like that, and i'm using 3 dvds now to make them
once i make them and i install xp, is it ok to delete that separate partitons or what?

Iceman0803

I would leave the recovery partition intact because it may contain diagnostic tools that can be useful in the event of a hardware failure. The laptop will still function just fine though if you delete the partition. Ultimately it's up to you.

__________________