Recovery CDs

[Cowgirl]

My sister's computer needs an overhaul, but they don't have their system recovery CD. Can I use our computer's CD on her computer? What has to be compatible?

 

[somdcelt]

If the machine is few years old there maybe a factory image on the machine all you have to do is access that recovery image and select it Example on Toshibas you reboot and hold down the 0 Key it will take you to recovery process follow the directions and bingo factory reset on some Dells machines its CTRL F11 Restore

If you use your recovery disks it will install your drivers and your OS they may not match , then there is the serial number for the OS

Check on line for factory restore for your machine most machines now dont come with disks they require you to make them when you get your machine

 

[RPMDAD]

Cowgirl, if you can, copy any data you can off of the hard drive before doing a factory reset if you can do the factory reset you will lose all your data and any programs installed on the hard drive after receiving the computer.

 

[MMDad]

My sister's computer needs an overhaul, but they don't have their system recovery CD. Can I use our computer's CD on her computer? What has to be compatible?

I thought this was about those CD's they advertise on Sirius: "Do you drink too much?"

 

[Cowgirl]

If the machine is few years old there maybe a factory image on the machine all you have to do is access that recovery image and select it Example on Toshibas you reboot and hold down the 0 Key it will take you to recovery process follow the directions and bingo factory reset on some Dells machines its CTRL F11 Restore

If you use your recovery disks it will install your drivers and your OS they may not match , then there is the serial number for the OS

Check on line for factory restore for your machine most machines now dont come with disks they require you to make them when you get your machine

Hmm....my sister's computer is pretty old by computer standards. They usually take it every year and have a computer guy do it, but it's at least $100 and I was trying to save them a little money. I thought maybe as long as we both had XP it would be ok.

Cowgirl, if you can, copy any data you can off of the hard drive before doing a factory reset if you can do the factory reset you will lose all your data and any programs installed on the hard drive after receiving the computer.

Thanks, we know to save everything important. We just need the system restore CD Rom to do it.

 

[SJSWING]

You could always go the long way about doing it.....If you have a jump drive available.

First you would find all devices installed on the computer. Write down all device names, then go to proper manufacturers website. You would download the recent drivers for their hardware. Save those files to the jump drive.

Once you have all files downloaded, you could use your XP cd, but only the XP cd. You would load a fresh install of Windows XP on their system, completely erasing EVERYTHING on the hard drive. You would need their windows XP serial which should be found on the side of the computer tower.

After the fresh install, you would start loading the new device drivers onto the system via device manager. After all is installed, then connect to the internet to start the upgrading process for Windows XP. Depending on the installation disk that came with your computer, you might be all night downloading new service packs that Microsoft had come out with.

I would suggest taking it back to the person that normally does the service for them. He knows the system. Unless you feel like going through all of the hassle of what I mentioned.

Now this is by far not the easiest way, but would completely erase all info from the hard drive and allow the owners to start over "new".

 

[Cowgirl]

I would suggest taking it back to the person that normally does the service for them. He knows the system. Unless you feel like going through all of the hassle of what I mentioned.

Thanks. I think that's what she'll do. I don't want to be responsible for ruining her computer.