window xp sp2 disk

[mill]

i did that and i also ran the sp23946.exe file and thats when i got the message that the original drivers are stored in the hp\lan folder. so i poped in the number one recovery cd and it searched it and found it. Im back on line now with the hp. Was trying to keep the x2 off line lol but i had to break it in some day i guess, Thanks Chewy

[Budreaux]

post 1 in this thread:

too bad people post without reading thread

Actually, I read the entire thread and that particular statement is what lead me to maknig the comment. I've never heard of "7" recovery cds ( now I remember when it took that many diskettes) to restore a computer this new. Dell usually includes several different Disks, but those are for different Dell Drivers, configured to the computer. I've been on the phone with HP for a problem such as this and even though the recovery CDs are available, there is still a partition on the HD with the recovery.
I was asked to look at one of the computers at work that was an HP and after a long day of phone conversations and talking with the folks at work, I found out they had reinstalled windows from a non OEM disk... it was a company copy they had purchased... doing that wiped out all chances of using the HP recovery partition.

Now, while this isn't that big a deal, because I really would prefer a clean install over a recovery version anyways, I just felt it was worth mentioning, since it is a factor or alternative.

That SP2 disk was mailed out free, I got one too, MS offered it to anyone asking for it, since it was a huge downlaod for folks trying to do it via dial-up. In this case though, it does appear someone goofed and sent in a new disk of XP SP2 version.

Anyways, the comment about me not reading the post just rubbed me the wrong way, and adding facts to the post always seems to help eliminate confussion, verses pot shots.

[Chewy]

This hp came with 7 recovery cds

from post 1

You need to be prepared and willing to accept that you wil not be able to go back to OEM with this decision. HP puts there Recovery on a seperate Partition on the HD. When you do a Clean install with a MS XP disk, it will format over that and the option is no longer their. IF you decide to go back, for some crazy reason, you'll have to call HP and buy the recovery disk from them

sorry to be so blunt, it would seem you missed that part?

a screen shot of disk management would show the hidden partition

I have reloaded or helped others reload several computers with hidden partitions, you have to delibrately delete them, it's quite a trick. They are hidden after all.

[Budreaux]

Well, ok then.. I see what you were referring to.....
My comment about having to go buy them.... Yeah, i wasn;t thinking bout him already having them, i was referring to anyone who damaged the partition, as in the case of the folks where I work. They were told they could buy them and that is what I was thining about when I posted, but you can;t read my mind, for that, i apologize.
But yes, I can see how my post would suggest I didn't see that....

I'm still not sure how they deleted the recovery partition, but I do know they did it... hell, there are alot of hard to believe stories when it comes to computers and the conditions folks manage to get them into.

budreaux

[Chewy]

You couldn't delete it with the windows cd when I tried, at first I couldn't figure out where the missing gigs were, then I pulled the drive and hooked into another windows xp computer, disk management allowed me to delete all partitions and start from scratch clean, another method for ide drives is to use zap, an ibm utility that writes 0's to the fat?(boot tables).
that's the little 8MB unpartitioned space you see.

[katzdvd]

an ibm utility that writes 0's to the fat?(boot tables).
that's the little 8MB unpartitioned space you see.

Dang, I always wondered about those 8mb! I searched all over the 'net & came up with all kinds of different answers, but no one could ever seem to agree on what exactly it was, or how to reclaim it!

Thanks for clueing us in, chewy!

cheers, katz

[Chewy]

or how to reclaim it!

it seems to go with fat32 drives and windows xp?

haven't seen it in quite a while on my newer systems