Trying to Factory Restore HP PC

[DaveMMR]

I've spent the better part of the weekend trying to factory restore a clients computer and have been hitting ridiculous roadblocks. Hoping someone can hit me with some ideas I haven't tried yet.

Background:  My client has an HP p2-1310 (specs here if pertinent.) The OS partition got destroyed somehow and is unreadable - the hard drive is pretty much hosed (do not know exactly how it happened.) However, I was able to clone the drive layout to a new hard drive, including what appears to be a healthy recovery partition.

Here are the problems:

• Of course they never prepared any recovery discs.
• Hitting F11 (or choosing from menu) to access recovery partition just gives me a blank, light-blue screen and after a few seconds it turns off. This happens on both drives so I'm wondering if there's some corruption with the partition I'm unaware of.
• I tried to access recovery partition through a temp Windows 7 installation (how to turnoff secure boot settings in bios) but apparently I need the HP Recovery Manager which, of course, is not something I can download (I tried.)
• I booted into Ubuntu through a thumb drive, attempted to change the recovery partition to active/boot but that didn't help.

I'm getting closer and closer to having to order a recovery disk from HP but it's around $30 (the owners are on a budget and they still need to pay me for time and new drive) and I'll have to wait for them to be delivered (they'd like it back sooner rather than later.) 

Figured I'd post this and see if anyone else has any ideas/solutions/suggestions/thoughts that I haven't thought of.

[HaRuMaN]

this:

[yotsuya]

Dave, I might have some HP restore disks here. Let me look and get back to you.

[DaveMMR]

this:

Trust me, I wish.  That computer's a piece of crap and I do not like HP at all (Assuming no abuse, that hard drive died way too quickly and the hoops that need to be jumped through just to replace them are ridiculous.)

Dave, I might have some HP restore disks here. Let me look and get back to you.

Thanks!!!  Let me know. 

[yotsuya]

Trust me, I wish.  That computer's a piece of crap and I do not like HP at all (Assuming no abuse, that hard drive died way too quickly and the hoops that need to be jumped through just to replace them are ridiculous.)

Dave, I might have some HP restore disks here. Let me look and get back to you.

Thanks!!!  Let me know.

Yeah, I hate the fact that it's like pulling teeth trying to get Restore media. Whenever someone asks me to look at their computer, my first response is to tell them to bring me all the disks it came with. 9/10 times, it didn't come with any.

You need Windows 7, right?

[DaveMMR]

It actually came with Windows 8 (so, yeah, my next step after restoring is to give them a start menu.)

[HaRuMaN]

Throw the latest Ubuntu on there and really blow their mind.

[DaveMMR]

Nobody wants to use a Linux-based OS on their office PC when Windows 8 is stumping them.  Believe me, I tried to sell them on it - I would have been done days ago.

[yotsuya]

Dave-

I'm only finding HP restore media for XP and Vista. Sorry.

[DaveMMR]

No worries. Thanks for looking!

[JDFan]

HAve you tried downloading the windows 8 iso directly from Microsoft using their product key code ?

There is an article with the link needed HERE ( http://news.softpedia.com/news/Download-Windows-8-1-ISOs-393112.shtml )

It will allow you to download the windows iso to burn to disk (you might need to use another system that has a working windows install as it might check for files on the system since it was originally designed as part of the upgrade process - but you could use any system with windows to start the process and download the media for future use to get the iso and then burn it to disk and use that disk to install on the broken system with the new HDD. (not positive it will work but would think it should.

[Malenko]

i was going to suggest digitalriver .  If they want all the bloatware that came with the PC, HP is the only choice. You could always install windows without a key so the PC is usable till the recovery discs arrive.



whomp whomp

[JDFan]

Just read another article and it states :

The Windows 8 and Windows 8.1 Setup Tools

If you have a valid Windows 8 or 8.1 product key (it used to work for all keys, but now there seem to be some restrictions), you can produce an iso file using the Windows 8 Setup Tool. Download and execute the file Windows8-Setup.exe from Microsoft, enter your product key, and have the tool download the Windows 8 or 8.1 setup files. The tool will then be able to compile an iso file or bootable USB stick from the download. This procedure however has some restrictions, as it will determine the language and bit edition of the download from the system on which it is executed, and doesn't allow to change these parameters.

So be sure the system you use to download is the same 32 or 64 bit install as you want for their system.

[Le Chuck]

download tinyxp and tell them it's W8.2

[DaveMMR]

JDFan, that probably should have been my first step and I'm actually downloading an ISO now. (The one I had didn't work but it's possible it may have been a different version or whatever the reason, it should be 64 bit.)  I was thinking there was software that came with it they needed but after reading the specs, it was probably just bloatware that's completely needless.

And yeah, I may do that Malenko if they're really pressed for time.

[JDFan]

JDFan, that probably should have been my first step and I'm actually downloading an ISO now. (The one I had didn't work but it's possible it may have been a different version or whatever the reason, it should be 64 bit.)  I was thinking there was software that came with it they needed but after reading the specs, it was probably just bloatware that's completely needless.

And yeah, I may do that Malenko if they're really pressed for time.

LOL - yeah downloading directly from MS is usually way down on the list of things to try 
Glad to hear that it seems to be working (hopefully the iso will work correctly after it downloads ) -- was also going to add that there are generic key codes that would probably work for the download (they are used to install trial versions and then you have to change the key to activate after the trial period (120 days IIRC)

[DaveMMR]

JDFan, that probably should have been my first step and I'm actually downloading an ISO now. (The one I had didn't work but it's possible it may have been a different version or whatever the reason, it should be 64 bit.)  I was thinking there was software that came with it they needed but after reading the specs, it was probably just bloatware that's completely needless.

And yeah, I may do that Malenko if they're really pressed for time.

LOL - yeah downloading directly from MS is usually way down on the list of things to try 
Glad to hear that it seems to be working (hopefully the iso will work correctly after it downloads ) -- was also going to add that there are generic key codes that would probably work for the download (they are used to install trial versions and then you have to change the key to activate after the trial period (120 days IIRC)

Actually, the ISO I had was directly from Microsoft.  It was the one I got when I bought it back when it was a $35 upgrade. I downloaded another that was an OEM, ran home really quick (because I'm anxious to get rid of that stupid box) and it seemed to be installing quite nicely (key is embedded in bios).  I did have to delete all the partitions but it's all good.  I will make new recovery discs for them.

I don't know why I don't try things twice. Uggh!

Thanks everyone for your help!!

[Le Chuck]

Because I was clearly the most helpful one I'll take credit and say "you're welcome". 

You're welcome. 

[DaveMMR]

Because I was clearly the most helpful one I'll take credit and say "you're welcome". 

You're welcome. 

Heh, don't think I didn't consider your suggestion for a second, btw. I know you were joking but at one point I was going to throw XP on there and call it a day. And they probably would have been cool with it.