Compaq Evo N400c notebook help needed

[sadava]

I have the compaq note book which kept coming up with disk read error or no disk. Have replaced hard disk and trying to load OS but cannot get computer to boot is there anything i can do apart from throw it out with the rubbish.
PS I know very little about computers so any replies I would be grateful if they were not in technical terms(sorry).
It is now saying please insert windows automated recovery disk. I have the original Operating system but not an automated recovery any help very gratefully accepted.

[curtiss]

If the computer is a Compaq, and you don't have the recovery disk that came with the laptop, you're kind of in a bind.

As long as you have not formatted the hard drive, I think you can get a replacement recovery disc fairly easily. If you have formatted the hard drive, you'll have to pay a hefty price to get the recovery disc.

Either way, the best thing to do is to call Compaq and see what they say.

[sadava]

okay many thanks for your time and advice.

[webdevHC]

Hello,

Hope you got your problem fixed. If not, I have the capability to reinstall it for your and create a recovery CD afterward. Since we are here at the htmlcenter, I can even install it as a Web server for you. Or I can just send you a couple of old recovery installs from my N400C I am selling on eBay this week, and maybe one of them will work. Not sure if I can do this, but you can e-mail me at htmlctrbg01@planetbg.tv, and I will look for your e-mail so I can help.

[taosaur]

I have the same machine and do have the restore disc, but I formatted the hard drive and installed Linux Ubuntu OS. I'm trying to reinstall Windows and have only the Compaq restore disc, and keep getting an error at the reformatting phase, #1826 Free Space Not Found, after which the screen reverts to c-prompt. Any advice? Will the restore disc not work after a format?

[curtiss]

Originally Posted by taosaur

I have the same machine and do have the restore disc, but I formatted the hard drive and installed Linux Ubuntu OS. I'm trying to reinstall Windows and have only the Compaq restore disc, and keep getting an error at the reformatting phase, #1826 Free Space Not Found, after which the screen reverts to c-prompt. Any advice? Will the restore disc not work after a format?

The restore disc that came with your computer will not work if you completely format the drive.

The way a standard Compaq restore disc works is this:
When the computer is initially set up, the hard drive is divided into 2 partitions. One of those partitions is your main drive. The other partition is somehow hidden from plain view, and contains all of the restore information for your computer. The restore disc that comes with your computer is really basically only a key used to unlock that hidden partition and restore the contents of your computer. If you completely format the hard drive, you end up deleting that hidden partition, and you lose all of your restore information.

However, if you contact Compaq (or possibly the guy who replied above you), you should be able to get a complete restore disc for about $40 (IIRC) which contains all of the information that would have originally been on your hidden partition.

How do I know all of this? I made the mistake of formatting a Compaq hard drive in order to downgrade the OS (it was running Windows ME, which I despised, and wanted to downgrade to Win98). I formatted the drive, installed Win98SE, and found that Compaq has a lot of proprietary hardware for which it's nigh impossible to find drivers. I then popped the restore disc in, and found that it wouldn't do a darn thing for me. I called Compaq to explain my situation, and they basically explained what I just explained to you.

[taosaur]

;_; Thanks for the info curtiss. I guess I can try installing the Windows XP home that came with my desktop PC; worst case scenario, I just reinstall Ubuntu.

[Deadeye]

over a year