Between a Rock and a Hard-disc.

[Loose rivets]

My 'New' computer is running W7 pro okay, and the laptops have Vista. But the PC had been 'absorbed' into the entertainment center. This leaves me with the option of spending money on a cheapo, or using the slow but well made HP as the office computer again. The problem is that it has W7 RC on it, and firing it up, will I gather, annihilate the OS.

It was just a box for another day, now suddenly it's needed. Does it give any time to re-plan, or will it shut down as soon as it becomes sentient?

[jimtherev]

Gotta (legal) CD you can boot from? If so, reset the BIOS to boot from CD first, then go that route. You will then have the option to reformat the disk... I guess that data etc are safe elsewhere by now? (I'm guessing that you HP is too elderly to boot from USB?)

BTW, did you ever get all your WP files translated to Word / compatible? or are you still WP-ing?

[Bushfiva]

I believe it boots to a black desktop, reboot every 2 hours without saving work, warning that the copy isn't legit. Just enough time to go to a newer or older OS.

[tailstrikecharles]

boot up and go to bios configuration first
- set the system clock to some time in the past (but not a day BEFORE the last day you used it)

Reboot and allow to come up (but dont have it connected to the internet)

copy off or transfer the files you need

reboot from a reinstall cd of something current..

reformat the pc.

sorted!


-- Or you can download and burn: Puppy Linux, and boot from that. Within a minute, you can be browsing the web, internet...the works from the pc

[Loose rivets]

WP still my main W-processor. Just couldn't make the change to Word 10.

When I'm sending files out for editing etc., I either let WP change them to an old Word format, or put them into the Beta 2010...or indeed, into Open Office. Bit of a mess, but it achieves an end.

I have my data on drives D and E, so the one thing I can't do, is Restore from the original HP flavored XP. First thing it does is F-disk. :ugh::ugh: HP are losing a lot of sales due to their insistence on a barmy drive layout.

A guy here today insisted the OEM would work on this PC. We've been all through this on another thread, and I concluded I was lucky to get away with the home-build using that. Still they are selling it saying there's no difference.

The PC is a Pavillion 640n, so not too sluggish, but I've learned the screen I'm on - 1440 with 75 refresh - is all it will handle. Quite enough for day to day jobs. The PSU was one of the main reasons it wouldn't go to full Hi Def.
(I hung an old AT PSU across the power lines and it made the world of difference.)

Assuming it doesn't die when turned on - yep, I'll put the date back in the BIOS - I'll start where I left off before going back to the UK. Probably end up getting the soft. This HP is so quiet and had CD and DVD drives. But as Mr D noticed, the size of the PSU is non standard, so to every argument for upgrading, there's an argument against.

I do have a dual disc for the HP laptop. Upgrade from Vista. But not only is it HP specific, it seems to be committed to laptops. The 'Installation disc' spots the computer right away, but I'm not sure that the main OS disk will. They are both labeled HP. Haven't quite dared to press the button.

What is good about this machine is that I fitted a Seagate Barracuda, and it really breathed life into the performance. Seems a shame to sell this for $100 (if I'm lucky) but $300 for a full 7 Pro is just not on.