reformatting

I have got a HP PC and now I need to reformat everything (?) since I cannot resolve problems with Windows Updating.

I am wondering whether to use the 3 DVD s I have made according to the instructions (I think they are called Recovery Disks).

You see, there is a drive on the Computer called HP_ Recovery and I wonder whether I should use that instead -or are they the same thing and do they work in conjunction with each other?

The HP_Recovery drive holds about 11 Gigs of data so I thought it should be equipped to handle the reformatting on its own but I definitely need to know how it is going to work before I go down this road.

thanks

 

The process you are contemplating will restore the computer to how it was when new. Anything you have added or stored on the drive is destroyed in the process.

Step by step instructions can be found HERE but first you need to copy any personal files to CD/DVD, an external drive, or to another computer, for which (if XP) you could use the Files and Settings Transfer Wizard or, (if Vista or Win 7) the Windows Easy Transfer Wizard. If you use a wizard you need to make sure it is including all locations where you may have stored your personal files, address books and emails. Otherwise you could simply use copy and paste.

The other consideration is any software you have installed. This will also be destroyed so make sure you have the means to reinstall it afterwards.

 

thanks.
I have done reformatting before but it is this HP system I need to understand.There doesn't seem to be a help section because I am getting an error message when I open their program .

Also ,since I have already created the one permitted set of DVD s that are part of the process apparently I can't look in that section again for explanations.

Again I have to sign in with personal details to join in their community forum discussions to ask a question there and I am reluctant to post correct information like that online.

I may have to do that but I thought I would post here first as these HP machines are surely extremely common (it's a Pavillion Desktop running Windows 7)

 

Not sure what you mean by this. Do you mean you get an error when you press F11? If so, what does it say? If not that can you be more specific?

Providing the recovery partition is undamaged the process itself is self explanatory - you really won't need any help with it. But as I said, it is vital you first do what I advised in my first post or you will lose everything currently on your computer.

I'm only around briefly today, and am not that familiar with HP comps anyway, so if you need further advice I'm sure others will be able to help.

 

thanks againiI have attached a screenshot of what happens when I open HP Support Assistant.
I know the process should be fairly simple but ,since it is irreversible, I am taking my time before pressing the last button (even though I have been without a correctly functioning Windows Live Mail program for the past 10 days or more....I am working around it but a reinstallation of Windows is looming very large now.)

 

Hi

To answer your original questions, the recovery partition on the hard drive, and the recovery disk set you made, contain the SAME information. You can use either to restore the computer to factory defaults, though the recovery partition is probably easier and maybe faster than using the DVDs.

The recovery partition is used by pressing a key when the computer first boots up. The screen will briefly display "Press <this key> for restore/recovery, etc." basically. It doesn't give you long to press the key. Anyway, once you access that, it will allow the computer to be restored to factory settings.

 

Well that is not what I asked you to do. You cannot restore your computer from there, you need to read the link I gave you and follow what it says, starting with pressing F11 as the comp boots up but before Windows loads.

If that is all that is wrong a reinstallation of Windows should be the very last resort. What exactly is the problem with Windows Live Mail?

 

Windows Update is also not working (the PC seems fine otherwise)

I have contacted the PC WORLD tech support and we tried System Restore back to the time the problem started (01/04) but that hasn't helped.

I am also in correspondance with A Microsoft technician in China with whom I manage to exchange emails once every 2 days and whom has lately been trying to *run In-Place Upgrade to resolve the issue* after unsuccessfully trying to install the Windows Update manually (vcredist_x64.exe and vcredist_x86.exe ).

I hope she is trying to run something step short of a reinstall but she thinks I have have a normal Windows DVD whereas I seem to have that on one of the drives inside the computer (in addition to the 3 DVD s that I burnt (from the computer) for this kind of an eventuality.

I agree and would only do a reformat as a last resort but I cannot really access my ( very large) backlog of emails except on an individual basis via the searchbox next to the Windows logo along with use of FreeFileOpener.

I have all my files backed up , though , and am ready to go with a reformat at any time really.....

 

If you would like help resolving your problem with WLM then please explain EXACTLY what happens when you attempt to access your emails. It is not possible to help without such information.

 

thanks .
Well I have pretty much given up at this stage but the programme doesn't even open now.
I did try to uninstall WLM(as well as repair it) followed by reinstall but the install kept failing and now I can't even remove WLM from the Control Box (Programs).
I am really just giving the tech person from Microsoft another day or 2 to come up with an alternative before I do a reformat (I don't want to but it is not a disaster)