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To install Windows, use your original Windows installation disk. Our list of recovery media guides for specific PC manufacturers: Dell (including the guide on the recovery partition), Acer, Asus, Gateway, Toshiba, HP, Lenovo.Ī boot or startup disk is not an installation disk! You can not use a boot disk to install Windows. Some older models had only a recovery disk (as a CD, DVD etc.) or only the recovery partition. Most PC manufacturers with computers that have Windows installed also have a recovery partition that you can make use of to restore or repair your computer. If you have a computer from any of the following manufacturers, read that guide too.
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NeoSmart Technologies has extensive guides on how to create recovery media for all major PC manufacturers that have their own software for recovery procedures and a recovery disk for all Windows versions (XP, Vista, 7, 8, 10). For Windows 7, Windows 8 and Windows 10 the “boot disk” term is mostly replaced with the term “recovery disk” (sometimes also named as a “repair disk” or “restore disk”).
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The term “boot disk” was mostly used in connection with Windows XP (and older versions) and, in some cases, with Windows Vista.
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