My answers are amongst your original text. Carol Writes: I appreciate this additional information. I need first to get a good XP installation as I currently have an issue unresolved which means my system is "a little less than perfect". I also am not quite sure how the "Restore" could work with an external HD, since the system has to boot and recognise that HD, but perhaps I'm just behind the times here! Wally writes: From what I remember, I think that powerQuest contains the necessary software to detect the external drive and provide CD/DVD ROM support, so booting the system isn't necessary. This package can also be used from a command prompt and it's CD is used as a boot disk to give you that command prompt and peripheral support. Carol continues: I'd very much like to know what you have to do when you restore and if it works flawlessly as a totally blind person, given that you can't boot the machine to start with. Now, am I asking too much? <SMILE> Wally Writes: I can't answer that properly as I've never had to restore an image, but I'm told by someone who has, that once it is started it is easy to do. you can even do it with jaws but the process would involve removing the hard disk you want to restore from it's PC, adding it to another PC as a secondary drive and use the operating system on the PC that now houses both drives to execute the restore. The bottom line is that most blind people would have to have sighted help to reinstall windows from scratch, this software may still require sighted help to start the restore but it's quicker and all your software is set up just how you want it without all the hassle of installing it package by package and then make all those changes to the settings of each package individually. Carol continues: Is it possible for you to "restore" on a different computer at the RNIB which may be used for "technical trial" purposes, or something similar, or can you only restore to the original drie anyway? Wally writes: Part of your question has been answered above, see the reference to removing the drive and placing it in another PC. You can restore the image to the same drive or to a new drive if the original, for example has packed up on you altogether. The only time you wouldn't restore an image is if you buy a new PC which is not an identical spec as the recovery system in Windows XP may not be able to cope with the shock of so many new and different components to the old one. Carol continues: I am certainly looking into it and would very much like to have answers to these questions if possible, please. Thanks for all your efforts. Wally concludes: I hope I've answered them satisfactorily but if not just let me know. Your thanks are appreciated and your welcome. Wally Harding RNIB Hi-tech support -- DISCLAIMER: NOTICE: The information contained in this email and any attachments is confidential and may be privileged. If you are not the intended recipient you should not use, disclose, distribute or copy any of the content of it or of any attachment; you are requested to notify the sender immediately of your receipt of the email and then to delete it and any attachments from your system. RNIB endeavours to ensure that emails and any attachments generated by its staff are free from viruses or other contaminants. However, it cannot accept any responsibility for any such which are transmitted. We therefore recommend you scan all attachments. Please note that the statements and views expressed in this email and any attachments are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of RNIB. RNIB Registered Charity Number: 226227 Website: http://www.rnib.org.uk ** Going on holiday and want to halt messages? Send a message to:- ** access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx ** and in the Subject line type ** vacation ## d ** where ## is the number of days followed by d for days. ** For other things like digest mode, send a message, to ** access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with the Subject:- faq