HP Omnibook

[handyandyuk]

My Omnibook 4150 just died.:( Now I've got to the stage of replacing the hard drive, I need to re install Win Me on it, but when I stick in the disk and CD and let it get on with it, it gets to 'copying files needed to install' then does a reboot and we're back to the start again.:mad:
Given that I got it 2nd hand and don't have the HP Recovery CD (no longer available) anyone got any useful ideas?

Andy

[What_does_this_button_do?]

What I would do would be to boot from a Win98/WinMe floppy and then run setup from the command prompt rather than the auto-start CD.

Haven't got a boot floppy? click here then (http://www.putergeek.com/downloads/#winme_full)

B

[pilot-lite]

Not too sure about WinME but XP will copy some files then reboot to start the installation proper.

You could try waiting until the reboot, and then going into the BIOS and disabling the boot from CD option. This should allow the installation files that have just been copied to the hard drive to do their thing.

Might be worth a try....


pilot-lite

[handyandyuk]

My thought too... but tried that (and many, many other things) andsame thing happens.:mad:

HP haven't been much help; they suggest using the recovery CD.... which they no longer provide. Helpful, eh?

Luckily I've found a chap who has a recovery CD, so I'll wait and see what transpires...:D

[What_does_this_button_do?]

Silly question time.......

When it copies all files it needs to your PC does it say "rebooting in 15 seconds" or does it just re-boot?

B

[handyandyuk]

nowt silly in asking...

it wind the CD drive up to speed then the hard drive light goes out, the CD spins down and it reboots.

Re installing my desktop PC with Me it went past the 'copying files' stage then carried brought up that installation screen.... 'doing this and that... 23 minutes remaining, etc'

[pilot-lite]

I had an old Toshiba laptop on which the CD-ROM died, followed not long afterwards by some almighty crash which meant a full format and re-install was needed. Tosh no longer stocked the CD-ROM and specialist obsolete laptop spares places wanted silly money for a second hand replacement.

The solution?

I bought from the States a little adapter which lets you use the 2.5" hard drive from a laptop in your desktop. Install Win98 as it was then onto your hard drive, pop it back in the laptop and voila, one working laptop.

If you fancy giving that a bash I'd be happy to pop the adapter in the post for you to give it a try. Send a private message if your interested.

pilot-lite