system recovery

Oh! I see. I can do that on my laptop. Thanks again for your continued
interest.

"Mark Adams" wrote:



"LOLL" wrote:

But wouldn't I need windows to go to these websites and download their
software?


Shurely, you must know one other person whom has a computer! Download the
utilities and burn them to CD and use the CD on your computer.

"Mark Adams" wrote:



"LOLL" wrote:

No I tried installing using the recovery discs again, this time using the
bios to boot from the external dvd drive which was listed ok on the bios
list. Then I got an all black screen with a white loading bar saying windows
was loading files. Then I got an error message #1012 saying "if this issue
continues contact HP".
I tried several times but I always end up with this message. I have two
different sets of recovery discs from HP for this computer and I tried both,
but I always get the error message


You may have hardware problems. If HP has diagnostic utilities for your
model computer, download them and test. If not, test the RAM with memtest86+,
and go to the website of the hard drive maker and download their testing
utilities for the drive. If things check O.K. it's time to contact HP. Post
back with a resolution.

"Mark Adams" wrote:



"LOLL" wrote:

That is a great informative reply. Thank you so much.


Were you able to perform the install?

"Mark Adams" wrote:



"LOLL" wrote:

Wky would any old drive do when the connectors are different for SATA and IDE
etc. HP support told me the only unit compatible would be a SATA unit. I
tried a new internal unit but it was incompatinle, for instamce it had a
ribbon cable and there was nowhere on the computers circuit board to bonnect
this cable.


You are correct in that regard. Some mainboards don't have provisions for
IDE cables. Probably soon all new boards will be SATA only. Nevertheless, the
CD/DVD drive can be "any old" SATA drive. It does not have to be "identical".
Go down to your local electronics store and buy a SATA DVD drive on sale-
whatever they have, it'll work.

How do you know the old drive is "burned out"? Check to see that it is or
isn't recognized in the BIOS. If it's not, double check both the power and
SATA cables. A loose connection will keep it from working.

To install from the external drive that you have already purchased, you must
set the BIOS to boot from a USB device. If the BIOS doesn't have a provision
for this, you might be outta luck. Check your owner's manual or call HP.

"Mark Adams" wrote:



"LOLL" wrote:

My dvd drive burned out during system recovery. The position I am in now is
the hard drive has been wiped clean during the system recovery and I have
been unable to find an identical internal dvd drive replace the defective
unit.
So I have bought a new external dvd drive, but how can I install the driver
for this dvd drive if windows is not loaded on the PC.
Am I in a catch 22 situation where I cant install windows without a dvd
driver but I need windows installed to use the new dvd driver.

You don't need an "identical internal DVD drive", any old CD or DVD drive
will do. Also the Windows XP install CD has the drivers to run the external
DVD drive.

You have to set the BIOS to boot from CD. I'll bet your old drive is still
good.

Did what you said, tested the memory with memtest86, and tested the hard
drive with its own smart test utility. The pc passed both tests without
error.
Contacted HP about this matter and they suggest returning it to them and
they will do a force install of windows or alternately they can send me a new
dvd drive. However the pc being out of warranty this may not be an economic
option.

"Mark Adams" wrote:



"LOLL" wrote:

No I tried installing using the recovery discs again, this time using the
bios to boot from the external dvd drive which was listed ok on the bios
list. Then I got an all black screen with a white loading bar saying windows
was loading files. Then I got an error message #1012 saying "if this issue
continues contact HP".
I tried several times but I always end up with this message. I have two
different sets of recovery discs from HP for this computer and I tried both,
but I always get the error message


You may have hardware problems. If HP has diagnostic utilities for your
model computer, download them and test. If not, test the RAM with memtest86+,
and go to the website of the hard drive maker and download their testing
utilities for the drive. If things check O.K. it's time to contact HP. Post
back with a resolution.

"Mark Adams" wrote:



"LOLL" wrote:

That is a great informative reply. Thank you so much.


Were you able to perform the install?

"Mark Adams" wrote:



"LOLL" wrote:

Wky would any old drive do when the connectors are different for SATA and IDE
etc. HP support told me the only unit compatible would be a SATA unit. I
tried a new internal unit but it was incompatinle, for instamce it had a
ribbon cable and there was nowhere on the computers circuit board to bonnect
this cable.


You are correct in that regard. Some mainboards don't have provisions for
IDE cables. Probably soon all new boards will be SATA only. Nevertheless, the
CD/DVD drive can be "any old" SATA drive. It does not have to be "identical".
Go down to your local electronics store and buy a SATA DVD drive on sale-
whatever they have, it'll work.

How do you know the old drive is "burned out"? Check to see that it is or
isn't recognized in the BIOS. If it's not, double check both the power and
SATA cables. A loose connection will keep it from working.

To install from the external drive that you have already purchased, you must
set the BIOS to boot from a USB device. If the BIOS doesn't have a provision
for this, you might be outta luck. Check your owner's manual or call HP.

"Mark Adams" wrote:



"LOLL" wrote:

My dvd drive burned out during system recovery. The position I am in now is
the hard drive has been wiped clean during the system recovery and I have
been unable to find an identical internal dvd drive replace the defective
unit.
So I have bought a new external dvd drive, but how can I install the driver
for this dvd drive if windows is not loaded on the PC.
Am I in a catch 22 situation where I cant install windows without a dvd
driver but I need windows installed to use the new dvd driver.

You don't need an "identical internal DVD drive", any old CD or DVD drive
will do. Also the Windows XP install CD has the drivers to run the external
DVD drive.

You have to set the BIOS to boot from CD. I'll bet your old drive is still
good.

It is a media center desktop pc. With windows vista home premium.

"Pegasus [MVP]" wrote:


"LOLL" wrote in message
...
My dvd drive burned out during system recovery. The position I am in now
is
the hard drive has been wiped clean during the system recovery and I have
been unable to find an identical internal dvd drive replace the defective
unit.
So I have bought a new external dvd drive, but how can I install the
driver
for this dvd drive if windows is not loaded on the PC.
Am I in a catch 22 situation where I cant install windows without a dvd
driver but I need windows installed to use the new dvd driver.

Is this a laptop or a desktop PC?


.

LOLL wrote:
It is a media center desktop pc. With windows vista home premium.

Interesting. Up until now, everyone thought you were running Windows XP!

"Pegasus [MVP]" wrote:


"LOLL" wrote in message
...
My dvd drive burned out during system recovery. The position I am
in now is
the hard drive has been wiped clean during the system recovery and
I have been unable to find an identical internal dvd drive replace
the defective unit.
So I have bought a new external dvd drive, but how can I install the
driver
for this dvd drive if windows is not loaded on the PC.
Am I in a catch 22 situation where I cant install windows without
a dvd driver but I need windows installed to use the new dvd driver.

Is this a laptop or a desktop PC?


.

That's a good point.

"Bob" wrote:

System Recovery does not uninstall Windows.

"LOLL" wrote in message
...
My dvd drive burned out during system recovery. The position I am in now
is
the hard drive has been wiped clean during the system recovery and I have
been unable to find an identical internal dvd drive replace the defective
unit.
So I have bought a new external dvd drive, but how can I install the
driver
for this dvd drive if windows is not loaded on the PC.
Am I in a catch 22 situation where I cant install windows without a dvd
driver but I need windows installed to use the new dvd driver.

.