restoring packard bell laptop from recovery disks but 2nd disk is corrupted

[tercou1]

Hi

I had started to restore my laptop to it's factory settings using the three recovery disks that I had made. The first disk worked perfectly but the second did not (it keeps freezing near the end of the process)... I was not aware of the partition until it was too late but I can't use that now because the first disk has wiped everything from the HD (or can I??)... I hope you can help

Thanks

T

[Your I.T. Guy]

If you have the original Windows key (usually a sticker on the side or the back of the box) you can use a standard Windows disc to perform a clean install. Just make sure it is the same version ie. if you have a Windows 7 Home Premium key don't install Win 7 Pro (it won't accept the key). You will then need to go to the manufacturer's website to download the device drivers.

[soybean]

Welcome to both of you.

... you can use a standard Windows disc to perform a clean install.

Well, it seems he/she does not have a "standard Window disc".  They said:

I had started to restore my laptop to it's factory settings using the three recovery disks that I had made.

I had started to restore my laptop to it's factory settings ...

Why?  What happened that lead to you to restoring it?  What make and model is it?

[tercou1]

Thanks for the replies... it is a packard bell Easynote Tj74 windows 7..... The reason I'm doing a factory setting restore is because when I turn on the laptop it would allow me to enter a password and when windows started it would just freeze/lockup and would not allow me to do anything... so i (thought) was left with no option but to try and restore it to it's factory settings... I had made the disks when I bought the laptop approx 8 months ago...

[patio]

Check the Manuf. site for info on a Factory Restore from the hidden restore partition...

P.S. Whenever making restore CD's no matter what app is used you should always use the "verify image" tool...

[soybean]

I was not aware of the partition until it was too late but I can't use that now because the first disk has wiped everything from the HD

If that's correct, meaning the restore partition has, indeed, been erased, contact Packard Bell about getting a system disc.  You may need to pay a small fee but it will be much less expensive than buying Windows at retail. 

[patio]

This doesn't sound accurate as no restore CD is supposed to wipe the Recovery partition...only the C: partition...

[tercou1]

by messing around with different combinations of buttons I held "ALT" and pressed "F10" a number of times on start up and this allowed me to access the hidden partition  so it is currently being restored Thanks to everybody for there replies...

[Your I.T. Guy]

I understood that tercou1 was using recovery discs but Windows 7 discs aren't that hard to come by (especially if you are running Windows 7 Home Premium), i would ask friends or family if anyone has one, if you can get your hands on one it's a relatively easy fix.

[patio]

Re-read the last Post...he's solved it.

[simplyTechy100]

Uh oh... I think you need to either use a Windows CD (Anyways, are you using Vista or 7?) (What edition?) (What service pack?), buy a new pair of disks (the disk 2 will not come corrupted, also disk 1 and disk 3 will not come corrupted.), or buy a new Windows Vista/7 laptop with either Windows Vista SP2 of your version, or Windows 7 SP1 or higher of your version (SP1 is based on how much security you need, SP2 has medium security and SP3 has high security. Vista list: SP1 has no updates, SP2 has low-medium security, and SP3 has high security.) XP/2000/ME/98/98SE/95/NT/3.11/3.1 are in other forums. 3.1, 3.11, NT, 95, 98, 98SE, ME, and 2000 have bad security against viruses. (3.1 and 3.11 have no viruses written for them).

[patio]

See my Post directly above yours...
I've removed your other inane comments after the fact.