rebooting windows xp?

[DABhand]

There is only one option left, and thats to purchase a Windows XP disc, bear in mind that Home is cheaper than Pro.


If you do have any CD's that came with the PC, if I remember correctly through my shop workings, I think you press F11 during Post to start the Restore Boot Up with the CD in the drive.


Most of the time, companies like HP split your HD partition into 2 parts a huge 95% for normal use and a 5% backup partition, if you have lost that also then it will be difficult to restore.

But if you have the CD try the F11 option during POST (i.e when PC has been started)

[Burnie Burnerson]

DABhand like you were saying I have a product key for XP. Could I use like nero or something to copy XP right off my HDD?

[DABhand]

No..

If your XP is on your hard disk it will be fragmented with your i386 folder and setup files all over your HD.

The only way of putting on the cd is to use the restore option that HP machines come with, in windows under the Start > All Programs..


If its not there then its lost.


But you did say you got a new Motherboard, so how did that windows get installed (the one you have now) onto your machine?

[Big Country]

I would bet you could get that program from HP. Might try looking on their web site or contact customer service. There is no other way to backup Windows from your computer.

[DABhand]

HP either ...

1. Keep an I386 folder, and several others on the main partition. Their backup software makes the cd's from this data.

2. They have a backup partition that a backup CD reads for information, like cd-key, drivers, other product information, and owner information.

[Burnie Burnerson]

I called HP today heres the thing they will send me a set of system restore discs for $33.00 Cdn. I only have one reservation and didn't think of it until just now. Other than the fact my tower says HP its now got an asus motherboard and I added 2x512k ram (for a total of 1536). Will their system restore discs work with this system?

[DABhand]

Good question.

I dont think it will be a normal windows disc they will send you.

It will be a generic restore CD which will try to recover data from the little partition I was talking about.


Shame you dont have anyone near you that you know has an HP, as the restore CD's are generic and work on all HP machines.