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Windows XP with no CD

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by been there

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This is a technical issue and I am curios if there is a solution. I have a HP Pavilion 2GHZ with DVD/CD-RW and a 60 Gig HD. The company has installed the OS in a different partition (for safety). I have read that there is other program tools available on the WinXP CD. There is my dilemma, I don?t have a CD, and none was included with my system. I am now worried that in the future if my HD dies, I?m up a creek without a paddle. Is it possible to make a backup of the installed OS? When I go to myD drive I only find files that are less than 1-5k so the files must be hidden. Any solutions outside of buying a CD?

I?ve tried the HP web sight and made phone calls to support. They were the least to say how. I am writing this from work so I don?t have the serial number for support services. I would think that because I registered the warranty on line and gave them my Email address and password that should have been sufficient. I did send a letter of complaint to the CEO. I don?t know whataction they will take to my question, as it?s early yet. Any solutions would be helpful. Thanks

45 replies

by nyflyer

I had the same problem and contacted tech support. Since I was still in warranty they sent me recovery cd's just in case that happens but if you are out of warranty they will charge you for them

by djent

Welcome to the wonderful world of microsoft. All large OEMS like HP are bound by an aggreement with MS to deliver a preinstall and recovery image. If you want a CD that is installable and has unpacked files and directories you will have to buy a retail copy of XP. Feeling screwed about now? See first line.

by dee

In case you shoudn't get one - last time I've seen a colleague of mine having a zip file downloaded via Kazaa with a complete version. I think it was a corporate version, but it self-extracted the files it contained, then he was able to install it on another HDD.....

Greetings,

Dee

by stevej

I often use norton ghost to image hard drives at home as well as for use in the field. ghost will write an image to cd and at least you can bring your system up to where it was when you imaged in case of disaster.

Ghost comes with system works pro for around 100 bucks.

by dee

In case you shoudn't get one - last time I've seen a colleague of mine having a zip file downloaded via Kazaa with a complete version. I think it was a corporate version, but it self-extracted the files it contained, then he was able to install it on another HDD.....

Greetings,

Dee

by tomsal

Actually I deal with Dell and Gateway for work related orders quite frequently and they provide the OS CD (as well they should).

To say that all large OEMS don't do this is simply not true.

I think its dumb myself, when I asked BestBuy why anCo-workers HP didn't have an OS Cd they said the reason was, get this, "Because users were losing the CD too much and if you don't have a CD you can't lose it!"....I nearly died laughing.

But as late as last week Gateway and Dell are still shipping units with the OS on CD.

PS. Personally, I avoid retail PCs like the plague -- if you are skilled in IT and I assume you are if you like websites like this...build your own system. You'll get higher quality for reasonable price, higher performance per dollar and you can get OEM versions of the OS for a song (with the CD..lol).

Unless its free or marked down like 75% or more, I'll never buy a retail box for my personal use at home.

by djent

I was talking about a retail version of XP, not an image. All OEM restore disks are images per MS OEM aggreements. If Dell or other OEMs are shipping full versions MS would castrate them.

by hal 9000

That it doesn't matter about which OEM disk you use provided you have the COA with the product key any OEM Windows XP disk will work provided you keep home and pro seperate if you lose or get the disks mixed up all you need to do is grab any CD of the right varity and install it with the key on the COA it will install as the disks are no different. And honestly you could not accidently use a home version on a Pro installation unless you where blind or didn't look at the front of the CD. The same applies to the Corporate Vrsions as well they all use the same CD's with different keys for different companies. So there really shouldn't be a problem with a business losing a indivule CD. And a home is not likely to lose the CD's either as in most instances there is only the one or maybe two computers and most owners keep their CD's in a safe place. So actually this reason doesn't wash it is nothing more than an excuse to justify saving a few dollars in not shipping the Original CD's in the first place and in every instance these machines come with the books and a COA. So should they not supply the books either as they might get lost? The COA is stuck on the chassis of the computer so it shouldn't go astray.

by dcosgrove

Your on the right track tomsal, but also, it has little or nothing to do with MS. The OEM has the option of how to buy the license and ditribute it. HP does happen to be one of the most "active" in the modification process. In short, they buy bulk licenses and create a system to install the OS and drivers onto the computer, as this modifies the OS, MS no longer supports the software. MS has no real say on what happens after the licenses are purchased, just that HP has the right to distibutethat many copies. Just bear in mind, when you see all the little icons like the "Dell" logo on the splash screen etc., the software has been modified. There are many reasons this is done, some companies pay to have links placed in the favorites folder, companies like Dell and HP wish to ensure that all drivers are installed from the disk, and HP, for some reason, want's to ensure that there restore disk can only be used on the system they were intended for.

by thechas

There are several reasons that most retail PCs come with no CD.

1. It's part of the licensing agreement that the OEM signed with Microsoft in exchange for a lower price for the OS.

2. Microsoft is always looking for ways to enforce OEM software limitations.
Per the OEM EULA, any Microsoft software that came with your PC can ONLY be installed on THAT PC.
With no CD, you cannot attempt to install software on another PC.

This has actually been Microsoft's stance since Windows 95, if notbefore.

This is also why most web based retailers require you to purchase hardware with your OEM version of many software programs.

This is also how Microsoft severely reduced the number of copies of Windows offered for sale on E-Bay.

3. It's cheaper for the OEM.
Not only the cost of buying the software, but the cost of inventory and packaging is reduced.

As to your specific concern, most OEMs have hard drive trade-in programs. Should your hard drive fail within their support period (2 to 5 years beyond the warranty) they will exchange hard drives at a 'nominal' cost.
Of course, their cost is usually more than you can buy a new drive for yourself.

Basically, beyond the Microsoft issues, HP and other OEMs are betting that you will replace the computer long before the drive actually fails.

Chas

by tomsal

While the reasons TheChas stated make very good sense from the retailer perspective, I as the educated consumer feel that there is no good excuse for not shipping media with my brand new system (pretending that I would ACTUALLY buy for myself, a system from a retailer that is...people educated in PC technology know about the weak hardware and proprietary junk that is Dell, Compaq, Gateway, HP, etc. etc. --- btw, this is desktops only I'm talking...Dell and Compaq actually make some decent servers...anyway there is a reason you can get brand new desktops for $600 - they are using cheap parts!!!).

What about the reasons FOR having a CD....

1) I'm your customer, I gave you money for a product. Where's my CD.

2) I'm your customer, I gave you money for a product. Too expensive for you? I don't care...alter your price to cover the expensive and play the "market game" and see if people buy. Where's my CD.

3) I'm your customer, I gave you money for a product. Your afraid of me installing an OEM product on another computer --- am I your kid or a grown educated adult responsible for my own actions? Where's my cd.

4) I'm your customer, I gave you money for a product. My HDD crashed big time, or I want to install a brand new bigger HDD replacing the one it came with, or I have a new wiz bang peripheral that needs drivers -- unfortunately the .CAB files are corrupted somehow...Where's my cd.

Nope. I disagree with all/any reasons for not providing OS media with a retail system. Keep it , I'm building my own.

by hal 9000

A small system builder is forced to supply an OS with any computer that they build, not only do they have to supply the CD / Books but also install it as well. But as far as OEM Software is concerned we can just sell the software and expect the buyer to install. This is a mistake as more often than not it results in a service call to fix up the mess they have made but M$ claims that by installing the Software they know and accept the EULA. On the other hand the big manfactures don't have to supply the install disks and this has been going on from at the very least Win 95 and there you did need the CD/floppies as they had the various drivers on them and not in the computer. With XP the I386 file should be coppied to the hard drive so at thevery least you have all the drivers available from these companies. However I've never seen this but admittedly I haven't worked on many prebuilt systems from these companies as I prefer to work with better quality parts and not the cheep stuff thatcomes with these mass produced computers that are built to a price and to hell with quality. Dell also has a habit of throwing bits of hardware at amy problems rather than fix the thing properly in the first place {well at least over here thats how they work}. But on the other hand at a Partners Briefing last month we where told that we could sell any OEM stuff with any sale even as little as a mouse but in the same breath ewe where instructed to install the OS and make sure that you have fixedthe COA to the chassis. How you do this when selling a mouse is beyond me but I must be stupid or something. But 1 good piece of advice that did come from M$ was to put the activation/product Key on your invoice so you could always reinstall the OS if the need ever arose and the COA had gone missing. If this happens you guessed it, it means a new copy of the OS.

by thechas

I fully agree that other than cost and profit control, there is NO reason not to provide a set of installation, or at least recovery CDs.

I was not trying to defend HP, only to explain why the CDs did not come with the PC.

I have even come across independent re-sellers who COULD not include a copy of the Windows CD per their license agreement with Microsoft!
They had 1 CD for installing Windows on 100 systems!

I to avoid mass-market PCs.

I am very happy dealing with my local independent PC dealer, and building my own systems.

I know I do not build them as cheaply as the mass-marketers. But, I know what hardware is in there, and control the software options and setup.

That alone is worth a few $100 extra.

Chas

by dcosgrove

Most people look strictly at the price tag. Gateway couldn't sell a 499.00 computer system if they had to pay 100 dollars for the software. The consumer has to realize what they are buying and why it is so cheap. If they don't bother to find these thigs out in advance whos fault is that? As far as all the "I'm your customer" comments the asswer is yes you are, and if you read about what you bought, you would see that we have provided you with exactly what you paid for. You are pretending you are an educated customer. I had a customer who went and bought a zip drive, installed and used it for a couple years and gave it away. I was doing an end of warranty service call and noticed the entry in device mngr. the odd thing was, it kept comming back when I removed it. She had a Compaq with a little door on the front, behind which lived an internal zip drive. In three years, she never realized the door opened. Do you think she knew if the computer came with operating system disks?

by been there

Found out that my hard drive has a designated program in Win xp for making one set of CDs (9-11 CDs)and you can only use it once. That info was finally recieved from HP so that solves the delema

by thechas

I almost don't believe what you posted.

A number of years ago, my brother bought an Acer 486 system with Windows 3.1 on it.

Part of setting up the system was to make your 30+ floppy installation disk set.

Now, you need to provide a set of blank CD's, and take the time to burn them to have your installation disk set.

Sure makes me want to avoid the mass-market PCs.

Chas

by hal 9000

However recorded CD's simply don't have the life expencey of the original pressed CD. So unless you make copies of what you record {& keep them in a really safe place}on the one and only accasion then you will find yourself in a whole pile of trouble if something goes wrong with 1 of the CD's that you make and that doesn't take into account something going wrong while your making the original set in the first place.

by thechas

I haven't checked lately, but one of my local PC shops was calling a mouse-pad qualifying hardware for purchasing OEM software!

I have not checked how liberal the policy is at some of the web sites I purchase PC supplies from.
I may just have tosee how small a bit of hardware they will sell me with an OEM copy of Windows.

Chas

by hal 9000

At the last M$ Partners Meeting in Feburary we where told that with any sale we couls sell OEM product but at the same meeting M$ put up a graph that showed that XP hadn't reached the same market peneration in Au that 98 had previously but if you added XP Home + XP Pro + 98SE that added up to about the market peneration that 98 had previously. M$ wants to increase their market share but at the expence of exactly what I don't know and it may be different in the US as we where told that most PC'swhere built by the big companies like Dell, HP and the like while in AU most PC's where built by the smaller constructors. I know it sounds incorrect but it is exactly what they or at least the AU Marketing Manager did say. But at the same time we where told that any OEM OS sold had to be installed so theres a bit of a condriction there anyway.

by hal 9000

Any OEM product not just OS's so MS must be feeling the pinch a bit to allow this to happen. But their wholesallers still insist on only supplying OEM product with mojor hardware purchases or you have to buy a box of the OEM Stuff.

by tomsal

I like newegg.com for my system building needs, and for a long time now I've bought from them. You just need to buy SOMETHING ELSE to qualify as "hardware" to get an OEM copy.

(That's one of the big holes in the policy -- many, if not all computer shops do it this way)

You can buy a floppy diskette from some places and that will qualify you for the OEM hardware.

It just so happens that when I system build I usually get everything in one shot -- so I legitimately did purchase a mobo, case, HDDs, DVD, etc. etc. but I know people who got their OEMs for just buying a $4.50 case fan. ;)

by been there

This is a partial response from HP. I hope this will help others with the same question/problem and the solution. :) Please note that HP Pavilion PCs shipping with Windows XP do not include a set of recovery CDs as they use a new recovery process. HP Pavilion PCs shipping with Windows XP use a hidden partition on the hard drive to store the recovery information. The use of a hidden partition provides a convenient process that eliminates the need to use a System Recovery CD. For recovery information, please visit the following HP Web sites: * Application Recovery: Go to this Web site to restore original software programs and drivers: www.hp.com/cposupport/personal_computing/support_doc/bph07142
* Full System Recovery: Go to this Web site to restore the HP Pavilion to its original state:
www.hp.com/cposupport/personal_computing/support_doc/bph07145
However, there are some scenarios where customers may still want or need physical Recovery CDs.
A Recovery CD set can be ordered for the following three reasons:
- The computer's hard drive has failed.
- The computer's hard drive has been upgraded.
- The computer's hard drive has been re-formatted or re-partitioned. In such cases, you may order a Recovery CD set. To order the recovery set, please call our Customer Care Center at 208-323-2551. The following PC information will be needed to qualify
your system:
* System ID: * PC Serial number:
* Model number: * Product number:
This information can be found using the following two options. Option 1:
You can find this information on your system by pressing the CTRL + ALT + S keys on your keyboard. This will bring up the HP Pavilion Support Information screen. Option 2:
The Product Name and Model number can also be located on the back of the PC on a white sticker.
It is important to us that we answer your question.

by hal 9000

A hidden partition to recover from but how do you access it if the thing won't start in the first place and the HDD is working but the OS has become corrupted?

by tomsal

So I need to go out of my way contacting HP for CD's to come in the mail if I have hardware failure.

What happens the controller goes on my HDD? What happens if I just wanted the freedom to configure my system with the upgrades I want whenever I felt like and always had the OS CD there to allow that to be as smooth, carefree and simple as possible?

The whole point is simply: No CD - limited options (no matter how you slice it, hidden partition, its beamed from a UFO to your HDD, etc. etc.) CD - freedom.

by dcosgrove

What we're talking about here are OEM restore CDs, an HP restore CD will only work with very specific models and mut have identical hardware and software build numbers which are tatooed in the bios. Even if the original system that the disk came with had the bios altered and lost the tatoo, that restore cd would not function. You are referring to hologramed CDs marked OEM which are virtually identical from one to another, but dont come with systems such as these excepting maybe Gateway, my Dell also has a restore CD. Though you can use a hologramed OEM CD with the OEM COA from an HP, you may be surprised to find out that HP won't provide you any missing drivers. Also realize that XP is relatively new, there are only several build available to comumers and one version including SP1, there are at least 8 different versions of WIN98 install disk and the COA numbers are not interchangable between all versions.

by hal 9000

I was talking about OEM CD's and not recovery sets that are produced by the big OEM makers like Dell, HP and the like. The OEM stuff that we buy while being alterable [like putting your companies name/logo on a splash screen} thats about all its limited to and then only with a preinstall CD that comes wirh every 3 OEM CD's that you buy. All the rest of the OEM CD's are shrink wraped and do have a book a COA and some other junk although I personally haven't looked to hard I just slit the shrink wrap and remove the CD and COA to install the OS and stick the COA on the chassis this goes for my own copies as well but I suspose I should really open them and have a look sometime when I get the time.

by tomsal

...not only do you know your hardware better, I bet the systems you build are dollar for dollar -- blow the mass market PCs out of the water with quality and performance.

I know you weren't trying to defend HP -- you made a good post however, speaking from the vendor side, and thus I was talking through you to THEM.

(Man I hope they DO NOT kill it for us DIY system builders)

by tomsal

I've ordered about $100,000 in desktop systems in the past 18 months...trust me on this on (btw, I'm not trying to sound arrogant -- just know what I'm talking about) I know a recovery DISC and I know a full blown OS. All the computers came with thefull blown OS OEM CD of XP on it. The key is OEM, and no recovery cds are NOT the same as an OEM.

If you take a store bought Retail XP cd, and then I compare it with my online bought OEM XP cd -- bit for bit its not missing any code *EXCEPT* I did notice on some OEM versions of software they might have some "cutesy" stuff missing (ie. there was an OEM version of a paint program I had, and it was missing some sample graphics that the retail had) also the OEM comes with no packaging, no manual. That's why its cheaper.

However, OEM is "tied to the hardware its sold with" so to speak.

But that policy is lets just say , "holier" than the pope. ;)

by tomsal

I AM an educated customer, I kind of resent your implication that I am not. However don't worry, I'm not about to start a bickering match like some people do on these things.
;)

Besides that I see your other point and you are partially right, if the customer is a moron and does no research (like actually reads what a CD ROM *IS* before they try and buy a computer that has one) then it is somewhat their fault.

However, I still say what you say provides NO EXCUSE for lack of OS media.

My opinion remains.

If the manufacturer can support the costs, that's THEIR problem - don't sell it for $499 if you can't afford to sell at $499 its that simple. Why does the rules of marketing apply to everything in the world but suddenly they shouldn't apply to selling PCs.

by dcosgrove

Sorry, I did not mean to imply that YOU are an uneducated comsumer. I was saying that you can't assume most people are. The root of my point is that you are LOOKING at it from the point of an educated consumer (implying that you are one by the way). Believe me, most people don't know and of them, most don't care. We COULD debate fair marketing practices, but the bottom line is if people will buy it, it will be sold. This starts with the weasle at the computer show selling systems with "software installed for test purposes only" to powerful IBM servers. Consumers create the market, retailers feed it, manufacturers provide what they can sell. Imagine Dell comming out with a strong stand against OEM software and inadequate installationmaterial. Who would really care if Gateway had a home essentials PC for 300.00 (after compuserve rebate) and a really neat cow on the commercials??

by mrafrohead

And I'm not talking about those crap recovery disks. I mean a full fledged install disk. OEM at the very least.

You paid for the OS, you should get what comes with it.

I don't know about you guys, but I can say this. The second I get a new computer, first thing I do is tear it open and see what I'm working with. Then I start to repartition the disks according to how I like it. If I were to lose my OS disks because of some hidden partition and then had to wait another week before the manufacturer would send me a disk, I'd just return the POS and get something else.

But then again, I wouldn't be in that boat, because I build my machines. Prefabs suck. You get what you pay for... But even at 499.00 you should still get the damned cd's that cost .10 each.

This would be a situation where downloading a disk would not be a bad thing. As you DID pay for a license when you purchased the computer. You should then have the disk to go with it.

So when you want to reconfigure your machine you can do it. I personally format my boxes about every two to three months. If I didn't have my CD's. I'd be you know what.

Another thing though, in reference to above about the HP disks. Well I have an HP computer that was just purchased through my company, and for kicks and giggles, I tried to install the recovery disk of XP on a Dell laptop. And it worked surprisingly enough. Granted, it's formatted now as I think XP sucks, but I just needed to try it to see if it worked. And it did.

My last question is, I saw a reference to not having to format your machine in the life of the box. That's just BS. The machines referenced use MS os's. Those run like crap after longer than 6 months with no format. If that's a valid point by a PC manufacturer, it's time to reconsider who you are purchasing through.

Mrafrohead

by hal 9000

You pays youur monies and get what yous pays for don't you. I can remember a case back in the Win 95 days where someone bought an IBM 486 reformatted the drive then had to wait for a few weeks to get an istall set of floppies the time taken was not so much for IBM to send the disks but for him to pay for the disks have IBM get the money and when cleared then send the disks. At the time if I had done something like that I would have been hung up by my balls by MS and taken to the cleaners but the big companies have a lot more clout than us small builders.

by ving

Add another drive, even temporarily, and copy the OS and other compressed software to that drive. This will create a restore drive which is just as good as restore CDs.

by hal 9000

Why should you pay extra for something you should get by default and how do you do that in a Lap Top?

by hal 9000

The Big OEM's or for that matter all OEM's have to provide technical support for the product including the MS component so MS doesn't mind some minor changes around the edges it just makes it easer for them not to offer any advice or if they have tothen thay can charge for the advice as in every case with OEM software the owner is instructed to return to the builder for backup service.

by dcosgrove

Absolutely, my point was that it is like buying a Callaway Corvette. Chevy is not responsible for what happens in the chop shop and would not warranty such an altered vehical. However, it is OK for Chevy to sell such a good customer corvettes at areduced rate and perhaps in different condition than the version they distribute and warranty. I have my own problems with MS, but blaming evrything on them only clouds the real issues. I see so many posts with "look what MS did to me now" when intruth, it in no way reflects on MS.

by hal 9000

My far share of complaints about MS but almost always its the customers fault for installing something that corrupts the OS or doing the same thing by removing what they consider as an unnecessary floder/file. MS has its problems but no where as many as what most people seem to think and from experience its always MS fault even when the owner screws it up they never take responsibily for their own mistakes.

However as a OEM supplier I have found MS technical support less than helpfull last week I had to ring them about I problem I was having with a retail upgrade of XP Pro that wouldn't accept SP1 without trashing the OS completly. AS the owner was a business and 40 Kms away I first rang MS for any help that they could offer and they insisted that I sit in front of the computer so they could fault find. Anyway I went down there with a spare HDD and installed XP on this drive then rang up MS Technical support line and was told to install SP1 and then ring back, this I did only to betold that there was an 80 minute delay and could I ring back in 1 hour? When I rang back eventually I got through and reported what was happening only to be told that I would have to reload the computer again because the Virus Scanner had caused theproblem, eventually the susposed teck got the idea that there was no VS as it was only XP Pro & SP1 so he insisted that I try a safe boot and when I did this I told him that it had stopped at the AGP device so he suggested to try a restore to last known working system which didn't work whan he found this out his reply was something to the effect that I had a problem and GOOD LUCK. Thats one of my issuses with MS and there arew others but over all they are few in comparision to how much product they have on the market.

by admin

If the CD Disk doesn't count in the licensing, and we all know that we can never own the software anyway, why does anyone get uptight about the millions of copies posted for anonymous DL ? I mean, really, when you call them they make it clear that the license is seperate and all the cd counts as is "media" why is it a big deal at all to get a disk? If your media fails, any copy of the original install media (including that of a friends) will work with your original OEM key and it's all legally licensed still. You just need to get the key off your machine right away and keep it with your reciept.

It's not the media with MS, nor is it the registration key either actually (although I would still use this if I was you) that matters. It's the EULA which should of came with your pre-installed PC. You should also have a reciept that shows the OS purchased with it.

by hal 9000

Be a COA sticker on the box and that has the product key, but you should keep a copy of this alfanumeric string just in case the numbers/letters rub off or something else happens to these alledged unremovable items. It is a good idea to keep them some where you will be able to find them again quickly too and in a place where they can not be misplaced or made impossible to reach like on the computers Hard Drive.

by admin

You get a key and a license so who cares about the media. It's just media.

It's kind of funny when people can't get a grasp on the first time they just spent xx,xxx.xx dollars on licensing and get one cd. They want disks, even thought they are nearly meaningless and worth perhaps less than a blank disk. (hey, at least you can record on a blank one!)

by hal 9000

The only problem comes about if you want to instal something that was not installed by default or worse still the system crashes and you {the normal consumer} has taken no steps to backup/download a reinstall copy. When this happens they don't want to pay for the data to be recovered or the OS reinstalled and if they can't beg/borrow/steal an original copy from somewhere then theres a very real problem. That my only concern about the Big end of town selling volume licence OS/Software.

by been there

Just to let everyone know:
I received a couple of calls from HP and they were willing to send me a set of Backup CDs.
Originally trying to contact them there was quite a lot involved, and that led to frustration. I finally sent an Email to their Web sight and complained because even though I had registered my computer on line, the Techs couldn't find it.
They sent me the CDs by Two day mail and it was free. ;) Kudos to HP

by hal 9000

On line you registered with MS not HP so I can believe that they had no record of your computer but out of interest read my following posting it revels M$ Official line on what should be supplied with any new/secondhand computers that are sold by anyone.

by hal 9000

I recieved this today in an Enforcment Alert from Microsoft and I'll quote the revelant bit directly from the page it goes " Sold without Documentation, licence agreements or original disks and manuals". The company in question was fined in the Federal Court of Australia $296,000.00 AU + Legals for Microsoft. If you do nt recieve the above you have a case to report it to Microsofts Anti-Piracy hotline which should be available in your local phone Book. Now I realise that the Big manfactures don't supply the MS Disks they should however supply a set of Rescue Disks to comply with MS EULA and if you don't get what listed in the above and can't get it from the seller or manfacturer just try ringing MS Anti-Piracy Hotline and just see how fastyou get this stuff as even companies as big as IBM, HP, Compag ect simply don't have the finicial clout to take on Microsoft in a Court Action. So here is something to think about. The same also applies to any preloaded software you should get at the very least the books, licence agreement and other documentation you have a case against the seller or maker of the equiptment if you don't recieve these things.

However most of the big makers will try to fob you off with the excuse that this costs extra and you got the computer at a reduced price because it didn't have these things but they are required by their Volume Licence Agreement with MS to supply these things.

by judeb

You can replace any reference to HP or Dell with Fujitsu. I've been loading my new laptop with all my MS software. When I tried to install my FrontPage 97 (no problem) and then FP 2000 upgrade, it demanded my XP Professional CD. I didn't get one. I tried copying the I386 (Fujitsu's suggestion) to a cd. All the FrontPage installation kept saying was "that's the wrong cd". And of course it never told me what file it was looking for. I had to carry the laptop in to a Fujitsu engineer who encountered the same problem on my machine. On a clean machine, he had no problem installing the upgrade. He decided that in the process of loading all the other software files must have been deleted that FP wants. Could be. He popped in an XP cd in my drive and the upgrade continued without more problems. So FP got the files it needed. What about future installs? That was a four hour drive, round trip.

He told me how the "rescue" disks work. Mine is using DISE. It restores either your user image orthe original factory image. If you haven't made your own image, the factory image will completely clear your hard drive and replace it with the factory image losing everything you've done. If you did make a user image and had no idea that sometime in your laptop's life you inadvertantly removed files that were not needed until now, you are SOL.

Does anyone know how to "backup" windows files while you are running windows? This doesn't seem to be a solution either. As you all know, the DOS copy command aborts on the first "in-use" file it encounters.

The engineer is looking in to getting me an XP cd but was not hopeful.

My 2 cents.
Jude

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