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Compaq Evo N1000c

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by hereinoz 1 view

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I wonder if someone can assist on this one.

A client has bought a Compaq Evo N1000c Notebook, which has suffered severely from the ravages of an adolescent "IT expert", and the Operating System is relatively broken.

We are thinking of a full re-install, but the client did not get any of the Compaq installation disks with the notebook - don't ask - I didn't.

I have the thought in the back of my mind that some Compaqs will only allow a re-installation using the original installation disks, and if you try to install an off the shelf version of, say, XP Pro, the machine will refuse to do it. You are then stuck with a machine that has a formatted HDD, no installation disks, and no way to install an operating system.

Has anyone had any experience in installing a standard version of Windows on this particular model? I would be grateful of any input before I blow the system to shreds, and possibly come up looking like an idiot!

Cheers and thanks in advance,

Alan

3 replies

by jamesrl

Not on this specific model, but I do know that a former employer of mine often would choose to use the off the shelf OS disks on his Compaq laptop.

Have you checked to see if Compaq has installed the CAB files on a hidden partition? They went have done that in the past. On my HP desktop, you hit F10 and it boots from the hidden partion and starts either the software install or the system recovery. One warning - I did the HP system recover including a Quick format which I was lead to believe was destructive - what I wanted. Instead the hidden virus files remained on the system.

James

by hereinoz

Thanks James, I will check for the hidden partition. That could be the easy way out, and would have all the drivers as well.

I have been able to get the information out of a Compaq service agent that this particular machine will accept an "off the shelf" installation, but I would need to download all the drivers from the HP/Compaq website. It will be much easier if the stuff is all there on the HDD.

Let us hope it is.

Thanks again for the info. It is good to know, as Compaq notebooks are not really my strong point.

Thanks,

Alan

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