Hi all,
I have a HP compaq Presario 2500 notebook with the
defualt OS is Windows XP Pro. Due to some reasons, I have
to change the OS to Windows 2000 Server. But after
changing the OS, many of the hardware controller cannot
function properly and it causes problems to the
resolution of LCD, network card... etc. I am now trying
to find a way to do the system recovery to the defualt OS
(Windows XP) BUT i don't want to lose my current OS and
the software and data inside. How can i do that?? I heard
from my friend that by using the system recovery disc, it
will format my hard disc first and then follow by
installing the defualt OS. Is this true??

Please HELP.

Regards,
Yifan

If all you have is a restore CD-Rom then most likely all you can do is
re-image the drive. But ask the pc vendor to confirm.

--
Regards,

Dave Patrick ....Please no email replies - reply in newsgroup.
Microsoft MVP [Windows NT/2000 Operating Systems]

"yifan" wrote:
> Hi all,
> I have a HP compaq Presario 2500 notebook with the
> defualt OS is Windows XP Pro. Due to some reasons, I have
> to change the OS to Windows 2000 Server. But after
> changing the OS, many of the hardware controller cannot
> function properly and it causes problems to the
> resolution of LCD, network card... etc. I am now trying
> to find a way to do the system recovery to the defualt OS
> (Windows XP) BUT i don't want to lose my current OS and
> the software and data inside. How can i do that?? I heard
> from my friend that by using the system recovery disc, it
> will format my hard disc first and then follow by
> installing the defualt OS. Is this true??
>
> Please HELP.
>
> Regards,
> Yifan

On Tue, 23 Sep 2003 20:39:05 -0700, yifan wrote:

> BUT i don't want to lose my current OS and
>the software and data inside. How can i do that?? I heard
>from my friend that by using the system recovery disc, it
>will format my hard disc first and then follow by
>installing the defualt OS. Is this true??
>
>Please HELP.
>
>Regards,
>Yifan

Get Partition Magic, create a second partition, and install XP on that. You
will have to use Custom Install so that XP doesn't automatically install on
C: (which is where your current OS resides.) You should also first defragment
and pack the drive, so that all the files are at one end of it (thus leaving
free space for the new partition.)

When you reboot, you _should_ get a choice of OS's to start. If you don't,
ask about how to install a boot manager.

Next time you get a new machine, partition your drive(s) _immediately_. Make
at least three partitions. It's a Very Bad Idea to have a large drive as one
humungous partition. Micos**t thinks that's the way to go, but they're wrong.
They're wrong about a lot of things - to make their OS usable, you have to
reset many defaults, and add or replace a bunch of software. Bah!



--
Best Wishes,
Wolf Kirchmeir, Blind River ON
"Not that brains are everything --
you'll also need a skull to put them in." (Nancy Franklin, 1997)
<just one w and plain ca for correct address>