Let's see if I got this right. When the guy re-partitioned my hard drive (he did this, I remember), then what I need to do is put a cd rom thing in my cd drive and copy recovery files and make my own recovery discs?

Is that right?

Now. and I don't know if this matters but my lightscribe dvd rom thing doesn't work. My cd rom thing works fine.

So How do I find these recovery files, where are they? and I gather I do the drag and drop to the cd rom thing?

Or am I completely off the loop here.
I think it's easier to go and buy a router and laptop and replace this old workhorse but I really want to keep it.

Stupid me, I thought if I reformatted it it would be like it came from the factory.

But I'm not crazy. I once remember that we did this some years ago. We did a default thing by pressing one of the F keys and it did something to the system and it made my computer like it just came from the factory.

It re-set everything to a default stage (or something like that).

Am I crazy here?

Melody

does your cd rom burn cds?
or only play them??? that is the question..

didn't the light scribe stop working when the motherboard or hard drive was changed?
*maybe the drivers got removed or scrambled - you can go to whoever makes them (the brand name)and get the updated drivers for it and it might start working again.*
be sure to go to the manufactures website only and not some other site as some of those are questionable.

ahh they have an Automatic Product Detection here - looks like you need to use IE or certain versions of Firefox .
[use one of the following browsers:
Internet Explorer (IE) 6.0, 7.0, or 8.0
Firefox 3.5.x or 3.6.x
Google Chrome 4.x, 5.x, 6.x or 7.x]
http://h20270.www2.hp.com/EDIAGS/GMN...mpatError.aspx

that link might be just what you need to get the light scribe going again..

and the out of warranty info /help page -
http://h71036.www7.hp.com/hho/cache/...0-225-121.html

If you can't burn a cd at all - you'll have to order the recovery disks.
but another complication might be the different motherboard..??

Too bad that computer guy didn't make the recovery disks for you...

that info I posted in the last post tells about the recovery process- and w/the link to HP

I have no idea if my cd rom thingee burns anything. Years ago I did burn a dvd using the lightscribe thing.

When the guy re-partitioned the hard drive, (and because I rarely do dvds) I had no way of knowing if the stupid dvd rom thingee worked.

Only when I could not play Avatar (or any of my other dvds), well, that's when I found out. I dowloaded all the correct codecs and nothing helped. I went back to the guy and he told me to bring it in and he'd fix it but at my age and with my arthritis I'm not lugging this monster out of my house anymore.

He said 'your lightscribe dvd rom is no longer functioning" I had figured this out.

But the cd rom thingee works fine.

But everything else, well, forget it. Someday I'll get a router, and my own laptop and I'll just save up.

I don't want to have this big monster as my second computer. I have no place to put it.

And I do THANK YOU for answering all my questions. You and Allengamer have helped me tremendously.

I'll post a new video when I get my new computer.

Take care thanks very much my dear Jo.

Mel

Jo.

Just found this on my computer when I was poking around the Help and Support option.

Automated System Recovery overviewYou should create Automated System Recovery (ASR) sets on a regular basis as part of an overall plan for system recovery in case of system failure. ASR should be a last resort for system recovery, used only after you have exhausted other options, such as Safe Mode Boot and Last Known Good. For more information about other recovery options, see Repair overview.

ASR is a two-part system of recovery: ASR backup and ASR restore. The backup portion is accomplished through the ASR Wizard located in Backup. The wizard backs up the system state, system services, and all disks associated with the operating system components. It also creates a file containing information about the backup, the disk configurations (including basic and dynamic volumes) and how to accomplish a restore.

You can access the restore portion by pressing F2 when prompted in the text-mode portion of setup. ASR will read the disk configurations from the file that it creates and restore all of the disk signatures, volumes and partitions on, at a minimum, the disks required to start the computer. (It will attempt to restore all of the disk configurations, but under some circumstances, it might not be able to.) ASR then installs a simple installation of Windows and automatically starts a restoration using the backup created by the ASR wizard.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Now here is where I get my confusion. This ASR, this is done BEFORE one re-formats the hard drive. Or does one do this BEFORE and because they are doing the ASR, it's reformats the hard drive and literally makes your computer like new. I wish I knew more than I do but this is very confusing.

this is really over my head but if you could please just say:

Melody, these are where your back up files are" then say: "melody, this is how you do ASR"

If this is possible, then when I get the new computer, I'll just move this big one over a few feet onto the dining room table (pull out an old monitor ) and I'll play with this one. If I know what I'm doing, then I know what I'm doing, but if not, I'll just chalk it up to not knowing what I'm doing. But I really want to learn this back up thing.

If you can do this and if it doesn't take too much typing on your part, I just need it made simple. I can't get over how you people KNOW so much about backing up files, flash drives, etc. etc.

I just got a new Vitamix and of course I screwed up my first attempt.

lol
Melody

I've never done a HP recovery so all I know is what the website tells about it.

But that ASR part is saying "You should create Automated System Recovery (ASR) sets on a regular basis as part of an overall plan for system recovery in case of system failure."
It's like a backup for the whole system it sounds like.
But you would need a working cd burner to do it unless there is an option to send files to that partition on the hard drive or a flash drive.

I would try that ASR Wizard located in Backup and see where it sends the files. usually it will have a default set so just let it go to that location & click OK. give it a try, then you'll know you have a backup there - at the very least it will or will not work then you'll know..


sometimes I read over the info on the websites a few times so I'm sure to understand what they are saying - or I print out the steps needed -just makes it easier.

Thanks Jo for all your help. Much appreciated.

Now I am going to make you laugh. An online sprouting friend of mine actually GAVE me a Vitamix. I have been trying to learn how to use it.

Tonight I tried making Banana Ice cream for Alan.

Just watch and you won't be able to stop laughing. I know, because I tried watching this over and over and I still can't stop laughing.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IdauKnDjm0M

Melody

what a mess -the strawberry one.
did you try the vitamix website for recipes?
http://www.vitamix.com/recipes/

Of course I did. That's how I learned Banana Cream Ice Cream. It's all about learning to use variable speeds, timing, etc.

I have LOTS to learn

OH, JUST GOT THE COMPUTER FROM STAPLES.

Thank you so much for ALL your great help.

You are a doll!!!!

Melody