Thread: need help reinstalling Win XP Pro

When you first turn the pc on, do you see a prompt to "Press XXX to restore the system"? If so, that should return the pc to the state it was shipped. Also check the HP support site for help. http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/d...=10934&lang =en If you do not have a restore feature you will need an OEM version or XP Pro . . you can use your product key with that. This is a ...

If you have bad sectors on HDD, first thing you need to do is to replace failing HDD.

Good point!! . . I missed the bad sectors part . .

Thanks for the fast replies! At boot there are some prompts and one says something like recovery, not sure exactly. But, if I replace the HDD, don't I lose that hidden partition which I'm guessing may have drivers etc that I'll need? I have a full box of Win XP Pro, but someone had said I couldn't use it to restore a machine that came with an OEM version and then use the OEM ...

The drivers you can get from HP . . If you take the "Recovering during Startup" route it will first format the C drive then restore it to the state it was shiped. If there are disc errors, they should show up at that point. If you have to replace the Drive, you will loose the ability to restore. Yoiu can do a clean install using a OEM version that matches your sticker.

is there an outside source for an OEM HP version? HP isn't selling this disk anymore (missed by just a few weeks).

eBay?

do I have to have an HP OEM version, I guess is what I really need to ask. I have a full box Win XP pro, same as what this came with.... can I use that and then use the notebook's original product validation code?

You need an OEM version to match the Product Key on the sticker . . it does not have to be a HP one, but it does have to be an installation cd versus a restoration cd The Retail version will not accept your HP product key

do you think I could use an OEM from an old Dell computer (Win Xp Pro, but pre - Sp 1)?