XP Restore on a Packard Bell
Thread Starter
XP Restore on a Packard Bell
Recently bought, for a friend, a PB 6050- Pentium 2.5, 512RAM,80 G H/D, Win XP Home. Enquired of the dealer where the restore CDs were and was informed that the restore was on the H/D with a built-in restore function. Should I prefer a separate CD it could be burned from the machine itself. Two major errors here - 1. believing a Dixons salesman (I know, I know!!!!!) and 2. believing that the Packard Bell 12 months on site warranty was worth anything!!
As with two previous XP machines, I set it up as dual boot XP and W98. This one did not like the process and went into dead screen mode. Eventually finaigled it back into life with two partitions but only the XP drive working. No problem!! just use the built-in restore function - guess what? ... Right! it doesn't work. The process halts on a Dos screen with a pulsing cursor and no response to any input. Tried to make the recovery CDs - same result. E-mails to Packard Bell are all ignored (apparently this is absolutely standard) and enquiries at Dixons (good joke!) get a "go to this Helpline" reply - said Helpline costing £1GBP per minute and with all the usefulness of a chocolate fireguard - again, apparently, absolutely standard.
So, to the query. Does anyone know how to access the 'hidden' partition containing the recovery files? I can see it and it is a FAT 32 (presumably W98) folder. XP, being NTFS, can't access it and the much vaunted restore function obviously doesn't. Any suggestions welcome
Two suggestions...
1. DON'T BUY ANYTHING FROM THE PSG GROUP!!
2. If the above is too late and you have a similar machine, make your recovery CDs (and TEST them) NOW !!!
As with two previous XP machines, I set it up as dual boot XP and W98. This one did not like the process and went into dead screen mode. Eventually finaigled it back into life with two partitions but only the XP drive working. No problem!! just use the built-in restore function - guess what? ... Right! it doesn't work. The process halts on a Dos screen with a pulsing cursor and no response to any input. Tried to make the recovery CDs - same result. E-mails to Packard Bell are all ignored (apparently this is absolutely standard) and enquiries at Dixons (good joke!) get a "go to this Helpline" reply - said Helpline costing £1GBP per minute and with all the usefulness of a chocolate fireguard - again, apparently, absolutely standard.
So, to the query. Does anyone know how to access the 'hidden' partition containing the recovery files? I can see it and it is a FAT 32 (presumably W98) folder. XP, being NTFS, can't access it and the much vaunted restore function obviously doesn't. Any suggestions welcome
Two suggestions...
1. DON'T BUY ANYTHING FROM THE PSG GROUP!!
2. If the above is too late and you have a similar machine, make your recovery CDs (and TEST them) NOW !!!
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Sounds like a bit of a mess, CJ, and I'm not sure there's much comfort to be had since the dual-boot set-up you tried to install may have invalidated the warranty.
Having said that, you should have been able to perform the built-in Full System Restore if the hardware was still intact. So I would be inclined to confront the Dixons/PSG organisation, if necessary with the help of the Trading Standards Officer or the Office of Fair Trading.
Try rattling a few sabres; you might get somewhere.
As for accessing a hidden partition, what about a Recovery floppy disk created on another machine?
BTW, when you created the dual boot setups on the earlier machines, did you have XP before 98? I think it would normally be better (or even essential) to install 98 first and then the NT system (be it NT4, 2000 or XP).
Hope that you get a satisfactory solution.
Having said that, you should have been able to perform the built-in Full System Restore if the hardware was still intact. So I would be inclined to confront the Dixons/PSG organisation, if necessary with the help of the Trading Standards Officer or the Office of Fair Trading.
Try rattling a few sabres; you might get somewhere.
As for accessing a hidden partition, what about a Recovery floppy disk created on another machine?
BTW, when you created the dual boot setups on the earlier machines, did you have XP before 98? I think it would normally be better (or even essential) to install 98 first and then the NT system (be it NT4, 2000 or XP).
Hope that you get a satisfactory solution.
Official PPRuNe Chaplain
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Dual boot XP and W98? Won't that goof up the NTLDR?
I set up a dual boot from a W98 machine when I got hold of W2000, since 2000 didn't have all the drivers for my peripherals. No problem, till something went wrong and I had to reinstall W98. That killed the W2000.
I never got it to work right again, till I did a complete reinstall. But I had the CDs...
Still lost loads of stuff on the machine.
I set up a dual boot from a W98 machine when I got hold of W2000, since 2000 didn't have all the drivers for my peripherals. No problem, till something went wrong and I had to reinstall W98. That killed the W2000.
I never got it to work right again, till I did a complete reinstall. But I had the CDs...
Still lost loads of stuff on the machine.
Ecce Homo! Loquitur...
Call PB on 0870 513 3332 with the PC serial number, explain the problem, and they'll send you a set of back up CDs - for around £30-40. Probably worth paying just to have them in future though....
When you have recovered the machine, go to the PB website and download the Bootdisk Creator for the appropriate model, it will back up everything required for a full recvery to a CD-R, assuming it has a burner of course.
When you have recovered the machine, go to the PB website and download the Bootdisk Creator for the appropriate model, it will back up everything required for a full recvery to a CD-R, assuming it has a burner of course.
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My sister had the same problem with her Tiny computer. Boyfriend wanted to play games that would only work with w98. Problem was to create a dual boot system w98 needs to go on first and use a FAT32 file system. Course this reformated the HD and resulted in the image file for the XP recovery being lost. These computers really don't seem to be set up with a bit of creativity on the part of the user in mind.
No way to recover XP and roughly at the same time Tiny went bust.
PC now has w98 and a XP coaster.
I must have been lucky because when I bought my computers they both came with full copies of Windows.
I think when this cranky old thing needs to be replaced I'm going to my local shop and will spec a full copy of the os.
No way to recover XP and roughly at the same time Tiny went bust.
PC now has w98 and a XP coaster.
I must have been lucky because when I bought my computers they both came with full copies of Windows.
I think when this cranky old thing needs to be replaced I'm going to my local shop and will spec a full copy of the os.
Ecce Homo! Loquitur...
The other option is just to borrow an XP CD and load from scratch. The serial number on the sticker on the back of the machine should work fine, and all the drivers should be down-loadable from somewhere. Still safer to buy the appropriate back up CDs though....
Thread Starter
Many thanks one and all!!
I'm afraid that sheer bloody-mindedness won't let me pay PB yet more dosh to allow me to use something that I've already paid for. As for Dixons and their stable companions, 'nuff said. A visit to the PB unofficial website puts their concern for customers in total perspective.
However, a remedy has become available and will offer a degree of future-proofing if I'm silly enough to want to keep on using XP.
By the way, Fobs, the warranty, which I may have invalidated, wasn't worth the paper it was printed on - just an invitation to phone a £1 per minute "Help" line. I should have known better.
Now then, W98 plus Drive Image or Goback - that'll do nicely!!
PS - the Dual Boot setup(triple, quadruple or however many you like) was courtesy of Partition Commander - and jolly good it is, too!!
I'm afraid that sheer bloody-mindedness won't let me pay PB yet more dosh to allow me to use something that I've already paid for. As for Dixons and their stable companions, 'nuff said. A visit to the PB unofficial website puts their concern for customers in total perspective.
However, a remedy has become available and will offer a degree of future-proofing if I'm silly enough to want to keep on using XP.
By the way, Fobs, the warranty, which I may have invalidated, wasn't worth the paper it was printed on - just an invitation to phone a £1 per minute "Help" line. I should have known better.
Now then, W98 plus Drive Image or Goback - that'll do nicely!!
PS - the Dual Boot setup(triple, quadruple or however many you like) was courtesy of Partition Commander - and jolly good it is, too!!
The Oracle
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Cornish Jack,
If you want a dual boot machine you need to install Win98 first and then followed by WinXP in order to make WinXP happy.
Take Care,
Richard
P.S. I would start the installs over again.
If you want a dual boot machine you need to install Win98 first and then followed by WinXP in order to make WinXP happy.
Take Care,
Richard
P.S. I would start the installs over again.
Thread Starter
Thanks Richard.
I leave the mechanics of dual, triple, quadruple and more (up to 100, I believe) boot systems to Partition Commander. Apart from the Packard Bell machine, (apparently noted for their oddball approach to both software and hardware,) the multiple boot setup has worked flawlessly. The combination of PB and MS XP and its idiotic installation arrangements direct me ever more happily towards Linux.
I leave the mechanics of dual, triple, quadruple and more (up to 100, I believe) boot systems to Partition Commander. Apart from the Packard Bell machine, (apparently noted for their oddball approach to both software and hardware,) the multiple boot setup has worked flawlessly. The combination of PB and MS XP and its idiotic installation arrangements direct me ever more happily towards Linux.
The Oracle
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Cornish Jack,
If you were going to install without the help of a third party program, then Win98 first and WinXP last would apply.
I have not personally used Partition Commander, but it sounds like it is a little more flexible than the M$ way of dual booting.
With your Packard Bell hardware, I would do a little research inside the case and get the details on all the hardware on the inside. Then go get the latest drivers for it. (Do NOT use PB's drivers.)
My guess is there is a problem with their drivers. Use the drivers from the Chipset Maker as in, if you have an ASUS GeForce Vid Card, go to nVidia for the drivers not ASUS, etc.
Take Care,
Richard
If you were going to install without the help of a third party program, then Win98 first and WinXP last would apply.
I have not personally used Partition Commander, but it sounds like it is a little more flexible than the M$ way of dual booting.
With your Packard Bell hardware, I would do a little research inside the case and get the details on all the hardware on the inside. Then go get the latest drivers for it. (Do NOT use PB's drivers.)
My guess is there is a problem with their drivers. Use the drivers from the Chipset Maker as in, if you have an ASUS GeForce Vid Card, go to nVidia for the drivers not ASUS, etc.
Take Care,
Richard
