Restore Windows 2000 without cd's

[templar67]

Hello all,

This is a bit of a long story, but please bear with me. A few years ago my sister bought a used laptop and it ran Windows 2000 pro. The computer worked fine and the only problem I could see was that it didn't come with any recovery cd's (because it was used we were told). Anyways a couple of months ago I moved to Japan and took that same little lappy with me and just a few weeks I got some virus on it that rendered it completely useless. Normally I would just restore the settings but I didn't have the recovery cd's So, I relented and a bought a new one, making sure that it did come with them. The other day I got an idea and tried to use the recovery cd's I got with my new laptop on the old one hoping it would wipe it clean. But unfortunately after running the cd's, the laptop now can't even boot windows So (finally), I'm wondering if anyone has any idea's as to how I can fix this problem and somehow get an OS back on the old laptop without actally having the recovery cd's.

Thanks in advance for any advice

 

[Anon_F]

Have you thought of buying a copy of Windows!

 

[templar67]

Is that all I need to do? Say I can find a copy of windows 2000 pro, do I need to be able to get into windows to install it? Or will it just install from the CD when I boot the comp?

 

[Anon_F]

You could try to see if the laptop boots, but i sounds like you may need a 'real' OS to boot from.
It may be usefull to buy a copy of windows, that way you can recover at anytime.
If you get hold a copy of win 2k pro make sure you have a licence for it.

 

[templar67]

Yeah, I'm just trying to figure out how to do it... I went into edit, but I can't find any delete option. My first time using a forum, sorry.

 

[muckshifter]

Technically, the people who sold you the laptop in first place broke the license agreement with Microsoft, and broke copyright law ... you should have had all original CDs, or no OS & no CDs


Now, you are trying to do the same thing, I add it is unintentional of you to do anything illegal but you do not have a license for the original OS installed on the laptop, what you are trying is illegal in the eyes of MS non the less.

Feckit's "suggestion" is correct ... you need to buy a new "real" copy of the OS.

 

[muckshifter]

Yeah, I'm just trying to figure out how to do it... I went into edit, but I can't find any delete option. My first time using a forum, sorry.

Leave it, you will not be able to delete it as I have closed it ... no worrys.

 

[Anon_F]

OK, well without the recovery discs you need to get hold of a copy of windows.
Probably best to either buy a 'real' copy or buy a recovery disc.
Try here
And scroll down till you see your make of Laptop.

 

[templar67]

So, just to reiterate, if I buy a copy of Windows 2000 it will fix it? Also, just to make sure my first message was clear, at the moment, when I boot the old laptop, it will show the "Compaq" message, then it will say "we apologize for the inconvenience, but windows did not start successfully, a recent hardware or software change might have cause this......" and then lists a few options like start from safe mode (which doesn't work) and a few others which also don't work. And by "licence" you just mean make sure I buy it and get a licence key instead of just downloading it right?

 

[Anon_F]

So it's a Compaq. What make & Model?
Right they used to store part of the BIOS on a hard drive partition, which would meen you would need a Compaq recovery disk to enable you to sort it out quicker.

From the link on post 8

"Our Compaq Presario recovery CDs now ship with a free Utilities CD, which contains anti spyware, anti popup & anti virus programs. This is because; if your Presario has been attacked by a virus, or worse still; is infected with a virus which you cannot remove, the best course of action is often to re-install Windows from your Compaq Presario recovery CDs & then install quality anti virus & anti spyware programs" .

 

[templar67]

It's an "Armada m700". Also, just to make it even more complicated, my sister bought it at a flea market and the guy told her that he modified it a bit, so some of the hardware could be different from a stock model.....

 

[Anon_F]

It's an "Armada m700". Also, just to make it even more complicated, my sister bought it at a flea market and the guy told her that he modified it a bit, so some of the hardware could be different from a stock model.....

The words i'm looking for rhyme with clucking bell!
So you may well be up a creek without a paddle!
Did you look at the link i posted?

 

[templar67]

I did, but they don't have my model. It's beginning sound like I am kinda screwed on this one. It's a junky computer anyways, but I thought if somehow I could get it running again, it'd be nice to have just for e-mails and what not.

 

[muckshifter]

It's an "Armada m700". Also, just to make it even more complicated, my sister bought it at a flea market and the guy told her that he modified it a bit, so some of the hardware could be different from a stock model.....

Great, he probably sold the software to someone else ... both illegal activities by the seller.

Be aware your laptop is OLD, if you do get a new OS installed, I would suggest something no newer than Win2000, you will need to find all the drivers also.

... have a play with Linux.

 

[JIM451]

Re:laptop Won't Boot-2000pro (copy)

System Device Drivers Downloaded Off 2000pro (copy) Are Not
Compatible W\old Laptop.try Going To Device Management And
Start By Disabling (power Management) Etc.then Reboot in Normal
Mode.trial And Error 'til You Find The Right One.however It Is Most Likely (power Management).in These Cases You Will Have To Do A Lot
Of Manually Load Support Programs For That Particular Laptop.
buying a new copy of windows will not solve this problem.the only copy
that will solve this is the factory installed copy for this particular laptop.
the first mistake was deleting the os without backing up pertinent files.