My Harddrive Failed

[Guest]

I have an HP desktop PC. The harddrive failed so we had to buy a new one.
HP didn't supply us with a windows XP recovery disc so we used the one from
my HP notebook PC.

We got windows to boot fine and everything but the space on the harddrive is
incorrect. It is a 160GB HDD but the properties for H: (I don't know it is
H: on this computer) say there is only 31.4 GB on the HDD.

The difference is a crazy number. 129 GB seems to be missing. What exactly
is the issue here? The Original Harddrive broke while under warranty but we
didn't contact HP until a few weeks later, and the warrenty had expired by
then. HP won't help here.

 

[Shenan Stanley]

I have an HP desktop PC. The harddrive failed so we had to buy a
new one. HP didn't supply us with a windows XP recovery disc so we
used the one from my HP notebook PC.

We got windows to boot fine and everything but the space on the
harddrive is incorrect. It is a 160GB HDD but the properties for
H: (I don't know it is H: on this computer) say there is only 31.4
GB on the HDD.

The difference is a crazy number. 129 GB seems to be missing.
What exactly is the issue here? The Original Harddrive broke while
under warranty but we didn't contact HP until a few weeks later,
and the warrenty had expired by then. HP won't help here.

HP supplied you with a METHOD of restoring the system to its 'as-purchased'
state.

That method may have been on said hard disk drive that died - but you can
contact them and find out (or at least look on the website, get the product
manual and/or instructions on how to restore the system...) if there are
other options for restoring back to the purchased state.

Your results tell me...

1) You probably have a ZIP drive and/or a media card reader connected
(internally or externally) to the system.
2) The CD you used to install is not a SP1 or SP2 level installation CD
and/or it is a restoartion/recovery CD and not an actual Windows XP CD...

Can you confirm any of this?

Also - what size was the drive that dies and what does the system BIOS see
when you look there?

 

[Matt]

Hi

Chances are the partition table is set up wrong, unfortunately there
isn't an easy way to repartition a hard drive.

The problem is most probably that the recovery disk you used was
specifically designed for your laptop and won't work correctly with your
desktop. OEM's not including recovery disks with their machines is
particularly bad practise on their behalf and generally bad news for you
as a customer. Recovery "Partitions" are a stupid idea as if your hard
drive fails they are completely useless as you can see in this case.

Even if the machine is out of warranty, HP should still be able to
provide you with a recovery disk. Contact their technical support again
and explain the situation. If they refuse, seek legal advice.

 

[philo]

I have an HP desktop PC. The harddrive failed so we had to buy a new one.
HP didn't supply us with a windows XP recovery disc so we used the one from
my HP notebook PC.

We got windows to boot fine and everything but the space on the harddrive is
incorrect. It is a 160GB HDD but the properties for H: (I don't know it is
H: on this computer) say there is only 31.4 GB on the HDD.

<snip>

First off, you cannot use a recovery CD from another machine...
You may not be able to activate your product.
It looks like it merely reconstructed your other machines (apparant) 31gig
installtion.

First thing I'd do is see if you can get a recovery disk from HP
for the right machine

 

[Guest]

1)Internal Memory Card Reader
2)Yeah, it's a black recovery disc

I am not sure what the BIOS said and I think the old Harddrive was 40gb, I
think.

 

[Guest]

HP charges for recovery discs. -_-
I am going to check if they offer .ISO files so I can just burn them.

 

[Shenan Stanley]

I have an HP desktop PC. The harddrive failed so we had to buy a
new one. HP didn't supply us with a windows XP recovery disc so we
used the one from my HP notebook PC.

We got windows to boot fine and everything but the space on the
harddrive is incorrect. It is a 160GB HDD but the properties for
H: (I don't know it is H: on this computer) say there is only 31.4
GB on the HDD.

The difference is a crazy number. 129 GB seems to be missing.
What exactly is the issue here? The Original Harddrive broke
while under warranty but we didn't contact HP until a few weeks
later, and the warrenty had expired by then. HP won't help here.

HP supplied you with a METHOD of restoring the system to its
'as-purchased' state.

That method may have been on said hard disk drive that died - but
you can contact them and find out (or at least look on the
website, get the product manual and/or instructions on how to
restore the system...) if there are other options for restoring
back to the purchased state.

Your results tell me...

1) You probably have a ZIP drive and/or a media card reader
connected (internally or externally) to the system.
2) The CD you used to install is not a SP1 or SP2 level
installation CD and/or it is a restoartion/recovery CD and not an
actual Windows XP CD...

Can you confirm any of this?

Also - what size was the drive that dies and what does the system
BIOS see when you look there?

1)Internal Memory Card Reader
2)Yeah, it's a black recovery disc

I am not sure what the BIOS said and I think the old Harddrive was
40gb, I think.

Okay - you would have to either have the correct restoration/recovery CD/DVD
for that computer OR - if installing Windows XP from a true installation
CD - you might have to unhook the media card reader (or disable it in the
BIOS, etc) until after the installation is completed to get the system
installed 'normally' - meaning the system drive is 'C:'...

Also - it is important you check what the system BIOS says about the drive
now - as if the hardware does not support a drive of that size - neither
will Windows XP without some other software or another hardware upgrade or -
maybe - a BIOS ROM flash upgrade.

It was just dumb luck the recovery/restore CD from the other system worked
on this system... (it didn't really - thus the 'dumb luck' part comes in.
heh) In most cases a restore CD such as that will not work on another
system - and if it does - the amount of hardware drivers missing would be
irritating to say the least. *grin*

 

[Shenan Stanley]

HP charges for recovery discs. -_-
I am going to check if they offer .ISO files so I can just burn
them.

Doubtful.

It's one of those things you learn in life.

Next time you purchase a computer - make sure it comes with actual
installation media... Not recovery/restore media... actual product
installation media. You're better off in the long run if you have that and
you make backups and store the originals elsewhere...

 

[Guest]

I just looked at the Disc used and it doesn't actually state it is a Recovery
disc.

it is just a black disc that says:
"Operating system CD
Microsoft Windows XP Home SP1a

English
Only for distribution withn an HP or
Compaq PC
Support for this CD provided by HP"

I don't really like their support.
Support provided by HP is normally "Pay us 200+ dollars so we can determine
the problem"

 

[philo]

HP charges for recovery discs. -_-
I am going to check if they offer .ISO files so I can just burn them.

I think that you should get the recovery disk even if you have to pay for
it...
(unless of course they charge more than a whole new XP cd)