Factory Settings

[Hoggie]

Hi folks, I hope someone can help.

Here goes, I downloaded Windows 7 but I didn’t like it so I opted to go back to my factory setting (XP home which has been factory installed). The problem is that when I put my recovery disk in my computer it just hung looking for to boot of a disk and didn’t go back to my factory settings. I have ghost so I put that in(floppy and CD ) and it loaded up windows 98. I tried my recovery disk to see if I could get back to factory settings but had the same problems as above. A friend of a friend gave me a loan of a XP pro disk, so I loaded it up and everything was ok until I went to windows update. The XP Pro key is a counterfeit. Can someone tell me how I can find my original XP home so I can use it.

Hoggie

[Guest Wolfeymole]

Hello Hoggie

 

Welcome to FPCH

 

Well there's all manner of things going on here isn't there?

 

Can you let us us know just exactly what disks you do have and what it says on them?

[Hoggie]

I have reload (backup cd) version 0.2 which I got with the computer I'm having bother with, and I have system restor pack (win98se_uk) version 5.1a (cd and floppy) what I got with my last computer

 

H

[Guest Wolfeymole]

So let me get this right.

 

The recovery disk/s for XP did not work so you slapped a ghosted image of 98SE on?

 

You then installed an illegal copy of XP.

 

If the above is true then any vestige of your original setup will be history.

[Hoggie]

So let me get this right.

 

The recovery disk/s for XP did not work so you slapped a ghosted image of 98SE on?

Yes

 

You then installed an illegal copy of XP.

as I said I got it from a friend, I thought it was legit

 

If the above is true then any vestige of your original setup will be history.

is there no way of getting it back?? or are me goosed!!

[Match]

do you have the little sticker with the XP Key on?

[Hoggie]

yes.

[Match]

Hi

 

Due to the technicalities of Microsoft Licensing, we have decided that the best way to help you is to refer you to The Microsoft Support site

 

[/url]http://support.microsoft.com/gp/oemphone

we regret that we can't advise you directly but due to site policy and so as to avoid any liable issues we feel that this is the best option open to us.

 

we hope that this is helpful to you and that if you have any further problems that you will get back to us and we will try and assist you further.

Edited March 2, 2009 by Match

[Tootech]

Just to add to Matches advice......

 

It appears that your computer hardware is ok - the fact that you could install Windows 7 and XP Pro indicate that the DVD reads disks ok, and as you could install and run Windows the hard drive is ok.

 

You also mentioned that you have a Recovery CD and that it doesn't seem to work.

 

It may be that you have a faulty Recovery CD, and in that case go back to the manufacturer and order a new one.

 

The other alternative is for you to buy a copy of Windows, install it and download the additional drivers required.

 

If you need any more help, please come back and drop us a line.

[Dalo Harkin]

Seems to me like someone installed your windows 7 to your recovery partition and then when you 'got rid of it' you wiped the whole drive.

[Hoggie]

I've been looking on ebay and found software that formats your hdd. could i use it and install a new version of windows

[BeeCeeBee]

Taking into account that Tootech has come to the conclusion that your hardware is all apparently ok, a new copy of windows should be fine. I don't know what this "software" is or why you feel you need it.

 

Keep this in mind, if you buy software you need to be able to run it. If you could run it you would have an operating system that works. If that is the case, why do you need the software.

 

Once you are up and running there are a number of ways you can partition your hard drive if that is what you are trying to do.

[Hoggie]

The reason for the software was to go back to winxp home, but I don't have a disk to download it from. I got my pc with xp home pre-installed from the factory therefore no need for a disk.

[BeeCeeBee]

The reason for the software was to go back to winxp home,

I've been looking on ebay and found software that formats your hdd. could i use it and install a new version of windows

What you need is a new version of XP. There is no going back you have wiped it clean. You don't need additional software that you will be unable to run.

 

It may be that you have a faulty Recovery CD, and in that case go back to the manufacturer and order a new one.

If the recovery disk is actually the one for your machine you really should take that advice and try to get a new one. Edited March 2, 2009 by BeeCeeBee

[Tootech]

Hoggie,

 

Unfortunately, installing another version of Windows has wiped out any version of Windows that came from the factory installed on your PC.

 

I got my pc with xp home pre-installed from the factory therefore no need for a disk

To reinstall that copy of Windows you need the correct CD.

 

but I don't have a disk to download it from. I got my pc with xp home pre-installed from the factory therefore no need for a disk.

From what you have told us, you have a recovery CD for your system. That is your copy of Windows shipped from the factory. So, if that does not work anymore as you have suggested, you will need to purchase a new one.

 

Let us know the make and model number of your PC, and the version and what is printed on the Recovery CD you have and we will try to point you in the right direction.