Presario C300 - trying to help a freind with a major problem

[ticketyboo]

Hi I'm ticketyboo, a freinds daughter appears to have completely killed her C300, should be running on Windows XP Home, but wont go past a message which says that Windows did not start successfully, then gives options on how you want to start, i.e. safe mode, normally, last known configuration. None of these options has any effect and evenNorton save and restore and GoBack are not helping. I've also tried various other antivirus software, also no good. Any ideas anyone ???

[dan m]

Welcome to free pc help.

 

If like you said you cant get it to boot in safe mode or restore it to an older check point.

 

The it sounds like your going to have to re format the drive with the cd that came with the computer.

 

Warning!

 

you will lose everything any pictures or files that are on the hard drive.

[ticketyboo]

Cheers Dan, unfortunately, the nice girl appears to have lost that as well, is it something I can download ?

[dan m]

Im afraid not. If she has lost the the cd that came with it and you dont have one that she made. You can buy another one from Microsoft or if you take it to a computer tech then they will do it for you but they will charge you =/

 

 

Hope it all goes well for you

 

Dan

[RandyL]

You may be able to purchase the disks from Compaq for your model very cheap.

 

For instance I found this for the Presario C300 CTO model.

 

Purchase Recovery Disks.

[Tootech]

Have a read of this

 

Using HP Backup and Recovery Manager*

 

It says its for Vista, but look down to this part

 

Restore the PC to its original condition with the HP Recovery Manager if Windows Vista is not accessible

If the PC cannot launch into Windows, it may still be possible to use the HP Recovery Manager on the hard drive to restore the computer to its original operating condition by first pressing the Power button to start the PC, and then pressing the F11 key to start the HP Recovery Manager. NOTE: Depending on the BIOS version, your computer may display multiple prompts during startup including F11 to start System Recovery. Pressing the F11 key on a computer with an HP factory image will start System Recovery even if the prompt is not displayed.

 

• If the HP Recovery Manager can access the hard drive, a prompt is displayed to backup the user files before beginning the recovery. Follow any on-screen instructions.
  

[ticketyboo]

Thanks for that Randy I'll give them a go !!

[ticketyboo]

Thanks Tootech, pressing F11 appears to have no effect at all. There is a message which appears for about a millisecond between the windows logo running and the compaq logo. Even videoing this it isnt easy to read but looks like instructions/advice regarding software failure.

Well,well ive just spent 5 minutes pressing F11 in various places and ..... system recovery appears to be under way. You are a star !!!

[RandyL]

Make sure you enter the exact correct information so you get the right ones ok?