Re: Install CD?

Olórin wrote:

My mother's just bought a Packard Bell laptop from PC World with XP Home on, which I'm configuring for her. I've got everything it came from the shop with and I'm surprised to find there's no XP CD (in fact, there were *no* CDs!). Is this usual? It's ages since I've bought a PC...

There's some proprietary Packard Bell feature that lets you roll back and reinstall stuff, but what if worse comes to worse and for some reason or other I need to reformat & reinstall the OS? Is it worth trying to approach PC World and ask for a CD, or would I be on a hiding to nothing?

Thanks in advance for your thoughts.

The manufacturer has to provide some method of restoring the system. They have three choices:

1. Windows installation CD
2. Recovery CD
3. Hidden partition on the hard drive with an image of the drive as received from the factory.

Since you don't have 1 or 2, it probably has #3. Some systems allow you to make a recovery CD from this hidden partition. Check the Packard Bell documentation or call their tech support.

--
Rock
MS MVP Windows - Shell/User

.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: repairing without the cd?
    ... That might help identify the type of Windows installation. ... will give you access to some recovery options. ... own recovery program on there which gives access to the hidden partition. ...
    (microsoft.public.windowsxp.basics)
  • Re: repairing without the cd?
    ... Under registered to does the number there have OEM in it? ... That might help identify the type of Windows installation. ... own recovery program on there which gives access to the hidden partition. ...
    (microsoft.public.windowsxp.basics)
  • Re: XP Pre Installed
    ... On HP's you usually invoke the built in recovery by pressing F10 before the ... machine starts booting to windows. ... need to do a reinstall, but it's a Hewlett Packard with windows installed ... how one goes about getting at the hidden partition to begin the reinstall ...
    (alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt)
  • Re: win xp complete system recovery
    ... Help Please, Cheryl ... Windows installation CD ... Recovery CD ... Hidden partition on the hard drive with an image of the drive from the factory. ...
    (microsoft.public.windowsxp.general)
  • Re: repairing without the cd?
    ... I will send this to my son.. ... That might help identify the type of Windows installation. ... own recovery program on there which gives access to the hidden partition. ...
    (microsoft.public.windowsxp.basics)
Quantcast