Making a recovery disk

[#1]

I now have my friend's repaired laptop back but want to make a recovery disk/s for it (Vista Home Basic).
I have located THIS and would just like confirmation that this is the best way to do it, or if there is another method?
In Maintenance there is the Backup and Restore utility but not sure if it is adequate.
Cannot go to the expense of purchasing Acronis or the like, especially as it probably would not be used on a regular basis.
* Just noticed this: "What it doesn't do: You cannot use the Windows Vista Recovery Disc to re-install Windows - it only fixes (not replaces!) Windows." so it is probably not the ideal solution.

[#2]

Surely you have the original Vista install disk as you paid for it - if not why not?

[#3]

No, it didn't come with the laptop - like many these days it had a recovery partition and you were asked to make the DVDs on first boot up. Alas the young man did not bother.
The machine now has a new hard drive and Vista reinstalled at the repair shop but I want to back up the system before I give it back.
Have just found a free utility on Download.com  - Easeus ToDo so might try that as have used Easeus software before and it was OK. (Unless any other ideas come forth).

[#4]

download norton ghost
it comes as a 30 day trial
install it on your pc
then create a full drive backup to another drive  or to another partition on the drive or to DVD's
check  how it will  allow you to create a recovery disk
keep the backup but check the  recovery disk you make finds your ghost backup first
keep all until its needed

http://www.softpedia.com/get/System/Back-Up-and-Recovery/Symantec-Norton-Ghost.shtml
you just  have to put up with a nag screen if you dont buy it