The restore disc-is there a better way?

[adl6009]

I just ordered a new system from dell. I have heard some not so good things about the system restore discs. I would prefer a full version of win xp and then copies of the other software as back up for the system.
Am I correct that the system restore disc is an image of the hard drive and the restore process is just returning the hard drive to this image?
Will Dell sell me a full version winxp? I have allready been told no by a dell rep but I didn't push the issue at that time.
Can you suggest something that would be better?
Thanks.

[Sterling_Aug]

A restore disc is in effect a ghosted image of the installed software. You will not get a full copy of WinXP unless you pay for one.

[adl6009]

Yes thats pretty much what I thought. The thing that I don't like about that is if lets say I need to reinstall windows (I'm sure some of us have done that in the past), I may not want reinstall the old antique (by then) software that came with the computer. Also there have been times where I didn't need to wipe out the drive but needed to reinstall windows. That was alot easier than reinstalling all my software too.
What is the retail price of the full version now, like $300 right?
I have full versions of w-95b and win me, are either qualifing upgrade paths to xp home??

[BipolarBill]

ME is a qualifier.

Check with Dell. The setup files for Windows may be on the restore CD in a folder. I'd still rather have the bootable CD though. ;)

[adl6009]

When you suggested check with dell, I did just that. According to http://support.dell.com/us/en/kb/document.asp?DN=1060556
The following passage-All Dell systems factory-installed with Windows XP ship with the Dell-branded Windows XP operating system reinstallation CDs. This CD is not an image restore CD; it is either a Windows XP Professional or Windows XP Home Edition CD.
When you read the label on the image of the cd is says "Reinstallation cd microsoft windows xp (home edition) or (professional edition)
Ok, its not an image. Its a reinstallation cd. The procedure outlined at dell was to partition, if necessary, and then reformat and reinstall.
I wonder what it means, reinstall cd. Is it a special kind of full version cd that requires an existing os on the hard drive to continue?
I will continue to investigate to see what I've gotten myself into..., tomorow, my heads getting tired from all this thinking.
Thanks.

[BipolarBill]

I read that Dell supprt page. Guess what? It's a Microsoft Windows XP CD with a Dell label on it. I have no idea where Dell put the applications software. Maybe it's on a second partition.

[adl6009]

About the middle of last year we got my daughter a dell with win me, I know there were back up discs. I remember ms word was on its own disc, I'll have to check that out.
Anyway, I was just reading some posts about the restore utility. I am still useing w-95b so I have not used that. By what I've read today it looks promising, if you keep up on the restore points or whatever they call it. I'm going to look into that.