HD wiped - recovery disk fails

[confused]

My hard disk has been completely wiped using Killdisk - fine!
BUT the Recovery CD supplied with my computer doesn't work - it seems to be
looking for a hidden partition containing XP which of course is no longer
there.
So now, although I have a licence for XP Home edition, I don't have any disk
to reinstall it.

My original hardware supplier just offers to sell me a new Recovery CD -
which I doubt will work anyway... (These are the guys who advised me to use
Killdisk)

I've bought a new laptop and was just cleaning it off before giving the old
computer away, but I'd rather be able to reinstall XP first.
Any way I can download XP using my original product key?
Or do I just give the PC away and leave it up to whoever gets it to buy a
new copy of XP?

and does anyone know the point of a recovery disk that doesn't contain what
you need in the event of a hard disk wipeout?

 

[Richard in AZ]

My hard disk has been completely wiped using Killdisk - fine!
BUT the Recovery CD supplied with my computer doesn't work - it seems to be looking for a hidden
partition containing XP which of course is no longer there.
So now, although I have a licence for XP Home edition, I don't have any disk to reinstall it.

My original hardware supplier just offers to sell me a new Recovery CD - which I doubt will work
anyway... (These are the guys who advised me to use Killdisk)

I've bought a new laptop and was just cleaning it off before giving the old computer away, but I'd
rather be able to reinstall XP first.
Any way I can download XP using my original product key?
Or do I just give the PC away and leave it up to whoever gets it to buy a new copy of XP?

and does anyone know the point of a recovery disk that doesn't contain what you need in the event
of a hard disk wipeout?

You don't give the brand and model number of the computer, but a reputable vendor would supply a
recover disk that should work on a brand new hard drive. It should therefore also work with a
"wiped" drive.
Did the Wipe actually remove the hidden partition?
Did the Wipe remove the partition? You may have to partition the drive again.
What is the make and model # of the hard drive? The hard drive vendor should have software to
reconfigure the hard drive to a factory state.

 

[Richard in AZ]

My hard disk has been completely wiped using Killdisk - fine!
BUT the Recovery CD supplied with my computer doesn't work - it seems to be looking for a hidden
partition containing XP which of course is no longer there.
So now, although I have a licence for XP Home edition, I don't have any disk to reinstall it.

My original hardware supplier just offers to sell me a new Recovery CD - which I doubt will work
anyway... (These are the guys who advised me to use Killdisk)

I've bought a new laptop and was just cleaning it off before giving the old computer away, but I'd
rather be able to reinstall XP first.
Any way I can download XP using my original product key?
Or do I just give the PC away and leave it up to whoever gets it to buy a new copy of XP?

and does anyone know the point of a recovery disk that doesn't contain what you need in the event
of a hard disk wipeout?

Second comment: If you provide the computer with a new copy of XP, you are also going to have to
provide a copy of all the drivers. They would normally be included in a recovery disk set.

 

[M.I.5¾]

My hard disk has been completely wiped using Killdisk - fine!
BUT the Recovery CD supplied with my computer doesn't work - it seems to
be looking for a hidden partition containing XP which of course is no
longer there.
So now, although I have a licence for XP Home edition, I don't have any
disk to reinstall it.

My original hardware supplier just offers to sell me a new Recovery CD -
which I doubt will work anyway... (These are the guys who advised me to
use Killdisk)

I've bought a new laptop and was just cleaning it off before giving the
old computer away, but I'd rather be able to reinstall XP first.
Any way I can download XP using my original product key?
Or do I just give the PC away and leave it up to whoever gets it to buy a
new copy of XP?

and does anyone know the point of a recovery disk that doesn't contain
what you need in the event of a hard disk wipeout?

I know it's too late for you, but I hope you will learn a valuable lesson
from this experience and make sure that in future, you have a proper backup
of your PC such that you can recover from such a disaster.

Provided you have or can find the drivers for the PC, you can reinstall XP
using a retail edition. However, you may find that the manufacturer
provided recovery disk will be cheaper and should be provided with all the
drivers required.

What moron advised you to use killdisk in the first place? If it was the
manufacturer, then I would say that they have the responsibility of putting
you back in business and owe you a free recovery CD. You don't say who they
are, so I cannot offer any opinion as to likely success.

 

[confused]

hi
It's an E-machines 420, bought in December 2003 from PC World with XP Home
Edition pre-installed. E-machines seems to be an own-brand of the Dixons
stores (this is in the UK). The PCWorld Techguys just told me to buy a new
recovery CD - but it wouldn't cost much more to buy XP again on ebay!

Yes the Wipe removed the partition, Killdisk writes zeroes everywhere.
I've used the recovery disk to boot from CD, run Fdisk and Format OK without
any error messages so I guess the hard disk is usable. I don't know what
type it is.

I've looked on the recovery disk using my new laptop, and apart from the
boot programs it just has a big program called 222.gho
This seems to be the Symantec ghost program, and when I run it on the PC it
is looking for a file in the R: drive which it cannot find.

any other ideas - or should i just try the Techguys again?

 

[Patrick Keenan]

hi
It's an E-machines 420, bought in December 2003 from PC World with XP Home
Edition pre-installed. E-machines seems to be an own-brand of the Dixons
stores (this is in the UK). The PCWorld Techguys just told me to buy a
new recovery CD - but it wouldn't cost much more to buy XP again on ebay!

That can actually be risky. There are lots of occasions where people buy
copies online that can't be activated.

I would personally not buy a copy of XP this way.

Yes the Wipe removed the partition, Killdisk writes zeroes everywhere.
I've used the recovery disk to boot from CD, run Fdisk and Format OK
without any error messages so I guess the hard disk is usable. I don't
know what type it is.

The type is printed on the disk label.

I've looked on the recovery disk using my new laptop, and apart from the
boot programs it just has a big program called 222.gho

So the recovery used a Ghost image.

You should call the e-machines support and ask how this is used.

HTH
-pk

 

[Patrick Keenan]

hi
It's an E-machines 420, bought in December 2003 from PC World with XP Home
Edition pre-installed. E-machines seems to be an own-brand of the Dixons
stores (this is in the UK). The PCWorld Techguys just told me to buy a
new recovery CD - but it wouldn't cost much more to buy XP again on ebay!

Yes the Wipe removed the partition, Killdisk writes zeroes everywhere.
I've used the recovery disk to boot from CD, run Fdisk and Format OK
without any error messages so I guess the hard disk is usable. I don't
know what type it is.

I've looked on the recovery disk using my new laptop, and apart from the
boot programs it just has a big program called 222.gho
This seems to be the Symantec ghost program, and when I run it on the PC
it is looking for a file in the R: drive which it cannot find.

any other ideas - or should i just try the Techguys again?

Have you actually booted the system from that recovery CD? If so, what
happens?

-pk