Recovery Partition Problem

Hey foks. I'm using an HP Pavillion a810n desktop pc with XP SP2. I would like to reformat this computer, and preferrably would like to use the HP recovery partition on my HDD to do so. At the POST screen it gives me the option to start up System Recovery by pressing F10, however if I tap on F10 it does not load the recovery utility, instead it gives me startup options menu (safe mode, safe mode w/command prompt, debugging mode, etc...). I can see the recovery partition in windows (it's around 6 or 7 GB), I can also see it when I boot the computer with Parted Magic. I just can't get it to load. I have used Super FDisk, and it tells me that the partition is active. So knowing that, shouldn't it load even without pressing F10? I have used the HP recovery utility on an identical computer, and F10 started it up just fine, so I know it's not something I'm doing wrong, however I don't know the whole history of the computer I'm working with now, so I'm not sure if anything has been changed around. Any ideas? Thanks.

 

Try pressing other alternatives like, F11, F12, F9 see what happens, because the comp might not have exactly the same setup as the other one you have used, and to get the recovery partition might be enabled by using another F setup !

Good Luck Rusty !

 

I've tried them all.... Also, it says F10 for System Recovery at the POST screen.

 

This post isn't exactly clear what happened but it makes it sound like there is a possibility in there somewhere. For what it is worth http://forums11.itrc.hp.com/service...447626+1263935459115+28353475&threadId=897550

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My own thought what about clearing CMOS by unplugging and removing the battery for a minute or two?