I think I know what you mean but that's about my only option besides placing XP on a new HDD. As far as a model goes, what difference would it make using a clean HDD that matches the specs of the one that came out of it vs the one that was in it. Mind you now, I made the recovery disk myself. If it doesn't work right for some reason then I would try and get one from the manufacturer or install XP. Maybe I'm nor using the right wording. This disk I made that has a certain procedure to use backs up the basic essentials. I'm not saying it doesn't put some crap on there you don't need but that can be uninstalled and things that a person does need can be placed on it, Office for example.