Do I need Rescue and Recovery when I have recovery disks?

[Cramp]

Thinkpad R60
XP Pro
removed firewall, antivirus, IE, Windows mail client,
installed Filseclab firewall (with added 1026 and 1027 blocked ports),
NOD32 av, Opera 7.5 browser with mail client, and Open Office

I bought this notepad for my husband, and he likes to keep his machine lean, and also does not like automatic updates. So, I turned these off, and uninstalled some of the stuff that looked like it was unecessary.

I called Lenovo for a CD recovery disk, and they said for me to make my own. Well, I guess out of their hearts, they went ahead and sent me some recovery CDs. One is for Rescue and Recovery, and four disks for W XP Pro. Actually I received two sets of these disks, as I talked to two different people at Lenovo. Oops.
We do our own backups on a regular basis. He won't be using this computer on a network situation, but only when he goes off for a work trip.
I wanted to find out if I need to leave the 150MB Rescue and Recovery and Client Security Solution on the system?
He removed the fingerprint reader program.
Also, does one need Diskeeper Lite, when disk defragment is already in accessories/tools program as it was in W 2K? When we use Diskeeper Lite and start the defrag, when it gets to the end, a Diskeeper Lite window pops up and says that the system needs defragmenting, even though it doesn't as I've just performed the process.

Thanks for your input. I appreciate it.

Regards,
Lisa

[agarza]

You don't need R&R at all. Just use the Recovery CD's to restore the system in case of failure.

Try using the Windows Defragmenter, maybe there's something wrong with Diskeeper.

[ashleys]

The Recovery CDs and Rescue and Recovery do two different things.

The Recovery CDs will restore your system to it's preload state. You then need to forward recover it, in your case from your own backups and possibly some manual configuration changes.

Rescue and Recovery is a logical backup product (it is *NOT* and imaging product like TrueImage for example). Rescue and Recovery can take a full backup of your system and fully restore it again in the event of failure. It can also take incremental backups. Assuming that you take regular backups then you can restore your complete (latest configuration) system from these backups.

[Cramp]

Thank you both for your replies.
One would think it odd that I bought this nice Thinkpad, and it comes with Rescue & Recovery, which in itself is a pretty snazzy backup and recovery utility, and that we would be willing to remove it. But, I mainly bought the Thinkpad because it is made of top quality.
We also use live bootable Simply Mepis LINUX on it. We are used to recovering a broken Window with it.
Again, I appreciate your input and time writing me.
Thank you!
Lisa
Edited to add, the XP Pro sent was a 5 disk set, and not 4.

[dcouzin]

I'd foolishly posted the following in the T4.x hardware session:
Untrustworthy Rescue and Recovery
Twice I've sought recovery to my base date and twice Rescue and Recovery told me it couldn't do it. Both times I had to do a complete wipe to the new state. One time even this couldn't be done from R&R and required the 6 CD's. These experiences were with IBM version 2.00.0170. The later Lenovo versions of Rescue and Recovery seem even flakier. I find carrying around 10 GB of backup that doesn't even work in a clinch silly. I removed R&R.

[ashleys]

I see that other people have complained that RnR hasn't worked for them.
However, I've used every release that has come out and they've all worked as I would wish. I've tested both individual file restores and full system volume restore.

As a rule, after installing of a new version (in this case V3.1 to V4.0) I always test a full volume recovery. This is to ensure that I can fully restore my system if required.
I'm glad to report that I WAS able to fully restore my system volume with V4.0

[dcouzin]

R&R recovers individual files well. R&R can restore a full system also, when you test it for this. But in real life, the full system restore (to either a backup or the original condition) is used when there is a BIG PROBLEM. It is then that we find R&R unrealiable.

[ashleys]

But in real life, the full system restore (to either a backup or the original condition) is used when there is a BIG PROBLEM. It is then that we find R&R unrealiable.

My "real life" examples have been when upgrading my disk. It's worked then.
Furthermore, to test it I completely erase my hard drive (including MBR record etc.) using a low-level utility and then run the full system restore. That works as well.

Perhaps the problems occur when you attempt to do a full volume recovery whilst saving some of the changed files and retaining the userids ? I never take those restore options, I always take the full restore option with no existing data to be retained.