Reformat Vista

[#1]

Just reformatted a laptop and the recovery disk gave two options:
    Recovery to Factory Default (all files lost)
    Fail-safe recovery - this action will restore your computer back to original  NB Manufacturer's setting.  All files and settings will be
    lost.  Are you sure that you want to continue?
Please does anyone know what the difference is?  BTW I chose the first option.

[#2]

I think it would be that option 1 would do a wipe and a type of "ghost" image restore - back to when you first got the l/t, the 2nd would do a re-install trying to "fix the problem" (if it isn't a virus etc)
But some of the Linux haters will probably tell me I am wrong and shouldn't post in here 

[#3]

you will probably find that factory hasnt got the drivers for some of the bits fitted

[#4]

I am sure that you are very welcome in the Windows forum HB! 
Yes, Pierre I had a thought that a driver-less restore might be the result of the second, in which case what a good job I chose the first.
Should be a bit more explicit though. 

[#5]

Quote from: poppy

Just reformatted a laptop and the recovery disk gave two options:     Recovery to Factory Default (all files lost)     Fail-safe recovery - this action will restore your computer back to original  NB Manufacturer's setting.  All files and settings will be     lost.   Are you sure that you want to continue? Please does anyone know what the difference is?  BTW I chose the first option.

According to the manual here http://www.scribd.com/doc/7415279/Recovery-Manual-English the first option restores from a hidden partition on the hard drive whilst the second option restores from a DVD and deletes that hidden partition as part of the process.  Presumably the hard disc gets completely reformatted in the fail-safe option.

[#6]

Thank you RR for taking the trouble to source  that document, enabling me to understand it better.  I will bookmark it in case I need it again.  The computer does not have a hidden partition, only C: containing the OS and a 10GB 😧 partition which is empty.  Had I proceeded with the second choice I would have ended up with just one C: partition which would not have been a problem.  However, glad to have chosen the first. as it was very simple indeed, other than taking hours to get the updates.

[#7]

Quote from: poppy

......... The computer does not have a hidden partition, only C: containing the OS and a 10GB 😧 partition which is empty.

So where did the recovery data come from? 

[#8]

Not sure if they still provide them but my MSI came with a recovery DVD which presented me with the options as referred to above.  Have bought 3 of these laptops (not all for me I might had) and none of them came with a recovery partition.  I wish that other manufacturers did the same instead of having to make your own when the machine is new.
After all, recovery partitions are no use if the HD has failed.

[#9]

So I correctly identified that it was an MSI laptop (as per the instruction manual I found) but it seems that in your case there was no recovery partition; whichever option you chose there was only one possible result.