Arg – can’t find the bundle of discs that came with my netbook, and looking to completely reinstall back to factory fresh.
Is there an online resource of reinstall CDs where I can just download it and use the disc (i have the key on the PC)?

DrP

Is there not a recovery partition on the drive?
Some have

Done all that – issues still persist…..

Will just have to borrow one I suppose..

DrP

“borrow one” off piratebay.?

Done all that – issues still persist…..

There’s usually an option to do a full reinstall, e.g. I think HP call it a destructive recovery
If the issues you have persist after that sort of install – An XP disc won’t help

You can download an XP recovery disk for free here. That should sort out any problems you’re having with it.

luked2. brilliant. and correct.

luked2. brilliant. and correct.

yeah, as long as you don’t mind pratting around editing xconfig & the like to try & find a resolution settings etc.
ubuntu is often a right pain in the arse to set up for laptops

yeah, as long as you don’t mind pratting around editing xconfig & the like to try & find a resolution settings etc.
ubuntu is often a right pain in the arse to set up for laptops

Not anymore. If you’re hardware isn’t totally ancient, it will all autodetect and Just Work.

A lot of money is being spent on making Linux work well in the embedded world, especially by the SoC vendors, and the likes of Google and Nokia.

I wouldn’t like to be Microsoft right now – they’ll be able to carry on selling Windows to corporations (and make good money doubtless) but I think the low end will slowly but surely be taken away from them. It’s happening already with Windows Mobile.

Every bloody time.

DrP – to reinstall XP and for your key to work, you’ll need to match up the version correctly (there are loads of subtly different ones). This is compounded by the fact that MS are being awkward about activation of XP – last time I did a reinstall, I had to ring them and they wouldn’t help me unless I had an original disc. They suggested at one point that I buy Windows 7 (for a ten year old computer).

Your best bet is to have a look on the website for your computer, some manufacturers offer replacement recovery discs for a nominal fee.

If it’s a regular OEM disc, I can probably build an ISO for you. If it’s branded in some way though (ie, if it says “HP” or some such on your sticker), it probably won’t work.

It’s a pain in the arse (and the Linux fanboys will be lapping this up no doubt), but it’s no wonder people pirate software when they make it so awkward to do things legitimately.

Am in exactly the same boat as the ”OP”.

Cougar, – how much ”could” a nominal amount be say from dell for an Xp disc would you say?

thanks.

cougar- i’ve never had a problem doing XP pro reinstalls at work on a variety of brands of PCs, all using an HP branded XP disc. i ring up to get the activation key and never have trouble using the automated response- maybe i’m just lucky so far.

an OEM disk will work even if the original was branded. HP branded software just checks the BIOS to make sure it’s an HP machine, it is possible to cheat this too but I’ve never done it. You can download an OEM ISO off the web but just make sure you have the correct version, pro or home.
You will then have a fine old time of it getting all the drivers in unless you can get the proper restore disk for that model. As has been mentiuoned it should have a recovery partition that you can use to do a factory restore. If you’ve done this and you still have issues I suspect it is knackered or you have been economical with the truth or your intentions 🙂

onceinalifetime > Have a look on Dell’s website? I think last time I was looking it was about £15, but I’ve slept since then.

xherbivorex > re: multi-vendor reinstalls, is that reusing the OEM key on the box? I’m not wholly sure exactly what the criteria is but sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t. Maybe different vendors have different streams or maybe there’s ‘batches’ of disc-and-key sets?

re: activation key, have you done it recently? I’ve never had a problem historically, but when I rang them a couple of months ago they wouldn’t help me without an original disc. I think they’ve had a policy change.

HP branded software just checks the BIOS to make sure it’s an HP machine

Ack, yes, that rings a bell now you come to mention it.

yes mate, it’s reusing the key on the specific box i’m rebuilding.
and yes, did one less than a fortnight ago. old IBM thinkcentre, using HP disc. never even had to speak to anyone (as per); the key was accepted as it always has been.

or you have been economical with the truth or your intentions..

Ha – my gippo student days are far behind me!
The annoying thing is both me and my wife have the same netbooks (NC10), yet have both misplaced our bundled discs!

I’m going through the samsung system restore (full) again, yet it even crashed when trying to do that (an essential file is missing or something!)

Think I’ll have a hunt for another disc….!

DrP

I’ve got Samsung NC10 ‘System Recovery Media’ & ‘System Software Media’ discs I could copy if you’re stuck

Many thanks- Off to my folks next weekend and they’ve got an NC10 with the bundle, so again thanks, but prob easiest to wait until the weekend.

DrP