deleted operating system

[beejay]

I have deleted the Windows o/s system from my pc by mistake, and now when I start up with the recovery disks, I get a message requesting the "F disk." Can anyone help me please.

[RandyL]

Hi beejay;

What O/S are you using?

You might need to perform an fdisk from a boot floppy disk first.

[beejay]

Hi there.

It was ME operating system, unfortunately I only have the recovery disks, not a boot floppy disk.

[RandyL]

I don't know the make/model of your computer.

And I'm still not sure of the EXACT message.

As such I can only guess.

 

Some computers come with a recovery/restore CD that needs to be started first with a boot floppy. This is rare however. Most computers that have a recovery/restore CD will automatically set up the needed partitions and format them even if a brand new hard drive is installed. I did it on a Compaq computer for instance.

 

I'm not sure if you're message is asking for a Floppy disk or a Fdisk function first or a formatC first. Typically a computer that uses more than one recovery/restore CD will ask for disk 1,2 or 3. Not A,B,C etc.

 

Can you please supply more info on;

exact message,

exact make/model of computer.

 

Boot disks can be downloaded and MADE from http://www.bootdisk.com/

 

I can link you up to fdisk and format C instructions if need be.

 

Keep trying;

RandyL

[beejay]

Hi Randy,

The pc is HP Pavilion 7760 with Windows ME.

I was wiping the hard drive for security reasons, not realising that this also erased the operating system. When I start up, I get a message to "insert F disk" which I do not have. I have the recovery disks which were supplied with my pc but no boot disk.

[RandyL]

Hi again beejay;

 

I'm very familiar with HP Pavillion computers. I looked up the 7760. As near as I can tell their should be two restore disks. Restoring should be a simple matter of inserting the disks in order.

 

"If needed" a boot floppy can be created on another computer using ME or sometimes 98. Or download one from http://www.bootdisk.com

 

But normally you wouldn't need one for your computer. I'm at a loss as to why you get the message "insert F disk".

 

If you were formatting your computer by just using the restore disks then starting with disk one should work. Later you would be prompted for disk two. On some systems reinserting disk one would be needed later.

 

If that was not how you attempted a restore/format then a format and fdisk from a boot floppy might be needed first.

 

This is really not hard and always works providing the hard drive and cdrom/dvd drives are functioning.

 

I'm going to provide you with three links to HP support for your computer on using the restore functions. The last link deals with fdisk. But there are better guides on fdisk especially if all you need is one primary partition. Read these first.

 

HP Pavilion Desktop PCs - Performing a System Recovery in Windows 98 and Me.

 

http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/document?lc=en&cc=us&dlc=en&product=61574&lang=en&docname=bph07141

 

HP Pavilion Desktop PCs - Troubleshooting Recovery Problems in Windows 95, 98 and Me.

 

http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/document?lc=en&cc=us&dlc=en&product=61574&lang=en&docname=bph07140

 

HP and Compaq PCs - Using the FDISK Utility.

 

http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/document?lc=en&cc=us&lang=en&product=61574&dlc=en&docname=bph02138

 

Let me know;

RandyL

[beejay]

Hi Randy,

Thanks for your advice but, it turns out that the operating system was permanently deleted, so I got myself a new version of Windows XP.

Problem now resolved.

Thanks

beejay