RC version and backup/restore
I have been telling ALL my clients for years that Windows should be installed on a separate partition to other programs installed.
Although I intially told and partitoned hard disk to 7Gb for XP (balance to D: for programs). I now make C: as 20Gb for the O.S.
I still use to date Ghost 2003* to backup my (and my clients C: partition) where the operating system sits to !BACKUP folder on D:
Even after installing the RC version 7100 over my Beta 7000 version, I used the same Product Key.
Note that you have to make a partition of at least 20Gb (free) to intall Win7.
* Even though Ghost 2003 only works under DOS, I boot to it using a Fat32 system disk-on-key with:
Partition Magic8
Norton Commander (NC)
Ghost 2003
Formatting under DOS is still the safest & surest way to format a hard disk.
My rule: Always make a (Ghost) backup of C: onto D: immediately after installing O.S. (calling it BASIC if you wish). Then make new backups (with different name) after installing 10 or more programs.
P.S. One of the main problems using Microsoft's Restore Point is that in ALL of the operating systems used so far saves this R.P. on to the same partition as the O.S. I say that it is the same as trying to fix a tyre's puncture while you're driving.
If something happens to your O.S. drive or partiton, how can you get to a previous R.P. ?????
Since I am a seller of hard disks, I tell ALL my clients "NEVER TRUST THAT YOUR HARD DISK WITH ALL YOU IMPORTANT DATA ON IT, will never fail. I have replaced over 30 faulty HDs in 13 years. Since you now have 8.5Gb DVD media, all your Ghost backups can be saved on ONE disc. Note DOS only recognises 2.1Gb files, so backup files end up having 001, 002, 003 etc.. which can be put on a DVD.