A set of recovery discs is an important failsafe when it comes to protecting your computer. Advent PCs ship with recovery files stored on a hidden part of your hard drive, which makes them quick and easy to access. But as a precaution, you should also create a set of recovery DVDs in case something happens to your hard drive.
All Advent PCs come with the Recovery Backup Wizard, a tool that helps you create these discs. It’s easy to use – see the first step of this guide– but things don’t always go to plan. If you’re having problems creating your recovery discs, check out these quick-fire solutions.
The Recovery Backup Wizard should work in most cases but occasionally you might encounter a problem
Why can’t the Recovery Backup Wizard see my DVD drive?
This error occurs if you have a second DVD drive connected to your Advent PC. The solution is to temporarily unplug the external drive, restart your PC and then re-run the Recovery Backup Wizard. It should now detect your DVD drive and let you create the rescue discs. Once the discs have been burned you can plug the second DVD drive back in.
You’ll need to unplug any additional DVD drives from your laptop or desktop before burning the recovery discs
How do I fix a ‘Cannot create a file when file already exists’ error?
This error message occurs when you’ve previously run the Recovery Backup Wizard but quit halfway through the process. Resolving this issue involves deleting some files from a hidden folder. First, press [Win] + [R] to open the Run dialogue box, then type C:\ProgramData\TTG\RecoveryBackupWizard and click OK to open the folder you need.
From here, look for folders beginning with ISO (such as ISO1 or ISO2) and drag them to the recycle bin. Also look for any files ending in .ISO – you need to delete these as well.
Once the files are deleted, the Recovery Backup Wizard should function properly.
Can I create the recovery discs manually?
If all else fails, it’s possible to create the recovery discs yourself. Follow the procedure in the last question to access the Recovery Backup Wizard folder and look for files ending in .ISO – these are disc images that can be burned directly to disc in Windows 7 and 8.
If there are two files that are around 4.8GB in size, you’ll need two regular, blank, writable DVDs – put one in the drive, right-click the first ISO image file and choose Burn disc image from the pop-up menu that appears. We recommend ticking Verifying disc after burning before clicking the Burn button and waiting for the disc to be created. Once created and verified, eject (and label) the disc, then insert the second blank DVD and repeat the process with the second ISO file.
If there’s only one ISO file in the folder that’s about 8GB in size, you’ll need to use a special double-layer blank DVD instead.
You can manually burn your own recovery discs using the files found in the Recovery Backup Wizard folder
Where else can I obtain recovery discs?
If you still can’t create your discs, you can buy replacement recovery discs from the Advent Recovery Media store. Just use the search tools to find the make and model of your Advent PC and buy the discs directly from there.
If your PC is still under warranty and you were unable to create a set of recovery discs using the Recovery Backup Wizard despite following our troubleshooting advice, we may be able to help. Locate your receipt and call the KNOWHOW support number on it to explain your problem, and the steps you’ve tried to resolve it. If you’ve exhausted all troubleshooting steps, you may be able to get a set of recovery discs ordered for you without charge.