Re-installing XP. Thwarted within seconds.
Thread Starter
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 307
Likes: 0
From: South East England
Re-installing XP. Thwarted within seconds.
I have been attempting to re-install XP for a friend on her HP Evo N1050v laptop.
Thus far the machine has only offered me the Recovery Console option and, in desperation, I have attempted to take that road. This requires me to use the administrator password. I did the original installation a couple of years ago and, to the best of my recollection, didn't create such a password. Incidentally, just pressing 'Enter' doesn't work in this instance. In an attempt to solve the problem, I went into the BIOS and created a new password. That doesn't work either.
Any ideas how I could get past this problem, Gentlemen, please?
N o t a
PS My favoured course of action would be to recommend a trip to the local supermarket with £300 in her purse. However, she works on a farm and isn't exactly well off, so I'd like to complete the job if possible.
Thus far the machine has only offered me the Recovery Console option and, in desperation, I have attempted to take that road. This requires me to use the administrator password. I did the original installation a couple of years ago and, to the best of my recollection, didn't create such a password. Incidentally, just pressing 'Enter' doesn't work in this instance. In an attempt to solve the problem, I went into the BIOS and created a new password. That doesn't work either.
Any ideas how I could get past this problem, Gentlemen, please?
N o t a
PS My favoured course of action would be to recommend a trip to the local supermarket with £300 in her purse. However, she works on a farm and isn't exactly well off, so I'd like to complete the job if possible.
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 798
Likes: 0
From: The Land of Beer and Chocolate
Are you "installing" from a recovery partition, from recovery CD, or from Windows CD?
If from Windows CD then you should have the option to reinstall AFTER the option where you press "R" for recovery console no matter what.
Oh, the Admin password is nothing to do with the bios password. All you did was add a password to prevent someone from tinkering with the bios
If from Windows CD then you should have the option to reinstall AFTER the option where you press "R" for recovery console no matter what.
Oh, the Admin password is nothing to do with the bios password. All you did was add a password to prevent someone from tinkering with the bios
Thread Starter
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 307
Likes: 0
From: South East England
Thanks, HB. That was quick!
I'm attempting an install with a Windows CD, full licence,etc.
After the preamble, I get:
1: C\WINDOWS
Which Windows installation would you like to log onto?
So, having entered '1' it then asks for the password which is where the fun begins, or possibly ends, depending on which way you look at things.
It's somewhat bizarre that I can't get straight into the 'Format' option.
I've even contemplated removing the HDD, hanging it on the end of the appropriate lead, and formatting it that way but given that it isn't my machine, I'm unwilling to delve.
Ta.
N o t a
ETA I don't get the option to press 'R'. The process just goes straight into the procedure outlined above.
I'm attempting an install with a Windows CD, full licence,etc.
After the preamble, I get:
1: C\WINDOWS
Which Windows installation would you like to log onto?
So, having entered '1' it then asks for the password which is where the fun begins, or possibly ends, depending on which way you look at things.
It's somewhat bizarre that I can't get straight into the 'Format' option.
I've even contemplated removing the HDD, hanging it on the end of the appropriate lead, and formatting it that way but given that it isn't my machine, I'm unwilling to delve.
Ta.
N o t a
ETA I don't get the option to press 'R'. The process just goes straight into the procedure outlined above.
Last edited by None of the above; 29th January 2011 at 12:54. Reason: Ambiguity
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 3,663
Likes: 0
From: Earth
I'm attempting an install with a Windows CD, full licence,etc.
After the preamble, I get:
1: C\WINDOWS
Which Windows installation would you like to log onto?
After the preamble, I get:
1: C\WINDOWS
Which Windows installation would you like to log onto?
I've never, ever been given a command prompt when doing a basic windows reinstall from a CD.
Sounds like a CD of dodgy origins.....
Thread Starter
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 307
Likes: 0
From: South East England
Sounds like a CD of dodgy origins..... 
She was given the machine some time ago but with no disks, (it didn't have a recovery partition) so when a re-installation was required she needed a Windows disk.
I've been through the procedure a time or two previously on this machine and I can't for the life of me remember what happened then.
N o t a
More bang for your buck
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 3,513
Likes: 1
From: land of the clanger
There appears to be an administrators password that can be set or cleared in the bios, it's in the security section. Mean while here's a download for the service manual:
http://www.elhvb.com/mobokive/edwin/...ebook%20PC.pdf
The other place to trawl through is : Compaq Evo N1020v - Tech Support Forum
http://www.elhvb.com/mobokive/edwin/...ebook%20PC.pdf
The other place to trawl through is : Compaq Evo N1020v - Tech Support Forum
Thread Starter
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 307
Likes: 0
From: South East England
Thanks gg.
The first page of the manual I looked at, was how to remove the HDD. If all else fails I might pursue that option. Although it is an old machine, I don't really want to start taking it apart, although HDD removal seems to be one of the less intrusive procedures.
Thanks again,
N o t a
The first page of the manual I looked at, was how to remove the HDD. If all else fails I might pursue that option. Although it is an old machine, I don't really want to start taking it apart, although HDD removal seems to be one of the less intrusive procedures.
Thanks again,
N o t a
More bang for your buck
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 3,513
Likes: 1
From: land of the clanger
Are you sure that you are booting from the CD? 1: C\WINDOWS sounds as though it's reading a corrupt/altered master boot record on the hard drive. Try restricting the boot device to the DVD reader only in the bios and take it from there, I presume you've checked the CD works ok in another M/C.
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 779
Likes: 0
From: Sunny Sussex
That's exactly what I wouldd do. Boot up, press F8 to enter bios, set cd drive to be the first boot device, pop the disk in, save the bios changes & exit. The machine will reboot off the disk & off you go.
Thread Starter
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 307
Likes: 0
From: South East England
Yes, I'm definitely booting from the CD drive. Just checked it once again in the BIOS.
I've just used my own XP disk and proceedings halt at the same spot. That's after the files have loaded.
Just a few minutes before, I removed the HDD, connected it to an adapter and tried to format it by connecting it to another machine. That road was denied to me as I couldn't get the host machine to see the other drive.
Your efforts are appreciated, Gentlemen.
N o t a
I've just used my own XP disk and proceedings halt at the same spot. That's after the files have loaded.
Just a few minutes before, I removed the HDD, connected it to an adapter and tried to format it by connecting it to another machine. That road was denied to me as I couldn't get the host machine to see the other drive.
Your efforts are appreciated, Gentlemen.
N o t a
Thread Starter
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 307
Likes: 0
From: South East England
Yes, sorry mixture. Last response was somewhat hurried.
I've tried to use both my own XP disk* and the owner's.
Just for some clarification, the machine will boot up but it is as slow as a snail on crutches, so I thought I'd start from scratch.
N o t a
*Both are genuine Windows XP disks complete with gold hologram finish.
I've tried to use both my own XP disk* and the owner's.
Just for some clarification, the machine will boot up but it is as slow as a snail on crutches, so I thought I'd start from scratch.
N o t a
*Both are genuine Windows XP disks complete with gold hologram finish.
Thread Starter
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 307
Likes: 0
From: South East England
OK Gents, I think there's some progress.
I noticed, just before the repair option appeared, that there was the briefest of appearances of the screen inviting fresh installation or repair.
I booted from the CD once more and just managed to stop proceedings at the correct spot. The machine is now about 40% of the way through copying files.
I can't emphasise how brief was the appearance of the options screen.
Thanks again, chaps.
N o t a
I noticed, just before the repair option appeared, that there was the briefest of appearances of the screen inviting fresh installation or repair.
I booted from the CD once more and just managed to stop proceedings at the correct spot. The machine is now about 40% of the way through copying files.
I can't emphasise how brief was the appearance of the options screen.
Thanks again, chaps.
N o t a
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 798
Likes: 0
From: The Land of Beer and Chocolate
OK Gents, I think there's some progress.
I noticed, just before the repair option appeared, that there was the briefest of appearances of the screen inviting fresh installation or repair.
I booted from the CD once more and just managed to stop proceedings at the correct spot. The machine is now about 40% of the way through copying files.
I can't emphasise how brief was the appearance of the options screen.
Thanks again, chaps.
I noticed, just before the repair option appeared, that there was the briefest of appearances of the screen inviting fresh installation or repair.
I booted from the CD once more and just managed to stop proceedings at the correct spot. The machine is now about 40% of the way through copying files.
I can't emphasise how brief was the appearance of the options screen.
Thanks again, chaps.
Psychophysiological entity
Joined: Jun 2001
Aviation Qualifications: ATPL
Posts: 3,383
Likes: 169
From: Walton on the Naze Essex.
I use XP to format for the very reason suggested for Linux type boots.
I've had quite a lot of problems formatting the C drive with Vista and W7. ~ XP does the job.
I then format it fully, using the intended OS.
Having several logical drives is so handy. BUT, HP's backup disc that one creates for a new machine, ZAPS THE
PARTITIONS.
Still have not had a reply from HP on this issue, despite executive customer relations inviting me to send in my thoughts.
I've had quite a lot of problems formatting the C drive with Vista and W7. ~ XP does the job.
I then format it fully, using the intended OS.
Having several logical drives is so handy. BUT, HP's backup disc that one creates for a new machine, ZAPS THE
PARTITIONS. Still have not had a reply from HP on this issue, despite executive customer relations inviting me to send in my thoughts.
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 1,517
Likes: 0
From: Wayne Manor
Thread Starter
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 307
Likes: 0
From: South East England
Thanks once again chaps.
On the final leg of installation now. As may be obvious, the large number of updates has slowed progress. I'm not sure about the processor speed, but I have a recollection that lack of RAM is behind the somewhat constipated nature of the machine. It's a couple of years since I last did a re-install on it and I'm pretty sure I told the owner that back then. I think I'll drop another hint that she should give serious consideration to replacing it. The more I think about it, the more convinced I am that I investigated the possibility of installing more RAM but found that it was out of the question.
Before anyone else says it, my memory is somewhat lacking as well
N o t a
On the final leg of installation now. As may be obvious, the large number of updates has slowed progress. I'm not sure about the processor speed, but I have a recollection that lack of RAM is behind the somewhat constipated nature of the machine. It's a couple of years since I last did a re-install on it and I'm pretty sure I told the owner that back then. I think I'll drop another hint that she should give serious consideration to replacing it. The more I think about it, the more convinced I am that I investigated the possibility of installing more RAM but found that it was out of the question.
Before anyone else says it, my memory is somewhat lacking as well
N o t a
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 1,517
Likes: 0
From: Wayne Manor
