Can not do a system recovery

[DeathGiver]

On the boot menu theres options for the bios and boot menu. I press F10 for a system recovery and it will not start. Any ideas on how to reformat my hard drive?

[Snake101]

What type of computer do you have?

[DeathGiver]

Amd Athlon Xp 3200+ 2.8 ghz
Hewlett packard

I can not do a reformatt :(

[ptegan]

Go to www.bootdisk.com and make a bootdisk for XP.

Boot with this floppy and then you can reformat.

[Gunny Highway]

The system recovery you are talking about is that some kind of HP method of reinstalling their system, or is it just a regular XP cd??

If not and you have an XP CD then the option system recovery is probably Windows Automated System Recovery. This is only usable if you previously have made a ASR backup set: one floppy and the back files.

If you have a Windows XP cd (or 2000), a regular one that doesn't include HP way of reinstalling, then just set BIOS to boot from the CD and you should be able to boot from the CD and then install XP from there, during this install you have to select partions and drive to install to, and it is here you can delete partions and/or format drivers, to get a clean install.

[DeathGiver]

Its their method to restore factory shipped settings. The boot screen comes up with the boot menu, bios and F10 for system recovery. I press F10 and nothing happens. Btw i dont have a floopy drive in this CPU.

[Gunny Highway]

Its their method to restore factory shipped settings. The boot screen comes up with the boot menu, bios and F10 for system recovery. I press F10 and nothing happens. Btw i dont have a floopy drive in this CPU.

So is the install files for system recovery on a second HD partition or on CD/DVD??


There a boot CD called Ultimate BOOT CD, loaded with utils if you don't have a floppy, e.g. partion tool/mangers, you just burn the image and boot from it.
http://www.ultimatebootcd.com/

Not sure it will help in your case because you have to start from the HP install thing probably to get system reinstalled. Also take note that if your HP Recovery files are on a second HD partition, make sure not to wipe them out with the format/partition tools, unless you also have them on a CD/DVD.

Have you tried asking HP support on why it is not starting up??

[HC1Gunner]

On the boot menu theres options for the bios and boot menu. I press F10 for a system recovery and it will not start. Any ideas on how to reformat my hard drive?

I work on computers of all types daily, and this is one of a techs worst nightmare, restore CD's from computer companies, partially company’s fault, and partially Microsoft’s fault. Main reason behind restore CD's is not because HP or whoever has tried to make formatting and clean install idiot proof, but rather because of OEM issues with XP install on new systems, this way Ms does not have to support the OS, but rather the PC manufacture does. What most do is put a small partition on the HD, and uses this are for restore purposes, and this partition is hidden except to a few apps. When I more time I will edit this post and give you options on how you can use your system restore. Since he has system restore CD's your copy of win XP is here, if you have a retail copy of XP, there are ways of quickly getting around the restore issue, formatting and doing a clean install of XP.

BTW you dont need a floppy, there are sites that now have the same files that allow you to make bootable CD's.

[DeathGiver]

Bootable cds. Have a link?

[HC1Gunner]

Its been awhile since I've had to make one because I have all my files burnt to floopys of CD's for regular maintennace of customers PC's, but try...

http://www.bootdisk.com/