I need to clean install my XP

[gamerx365]

My stupid friend put a virus on my step dads computer. Upon running a bad virus clean and a bunch of other stuff, everything useful is gone, including network settings. They are completely dumb for not coming to me. But anyway, he got a new computer and he's giving this one away. He wants this formatted I guess but the HP Recover data is gone. Is there anyway to get it back, or what? I would prefer not to burn a CD but if its the only option I will get on the new computer to do it.

Thanx.

And I would like advice very quickly please, I have a christmas party in a couple hours and the computer is my cousins christmas gift for tomorrow.

[patio]

Clean Install of XP...

[gamerx365]

It keeps mentioning XP CD... Is this the actual CD to install XP? I'm relatively sure we don't have one of those. The computers came with it preloaded and all the recovery stuff comes on a seperate partition anymore...

[patio]

You need to borrow an XP CD if the Recovery partition is gone...
It has to match the installed version.

Or order 1 from HP...obviously this won't happen in time for Christmas.

[gamerx365]

Yeah this probably isn't going to work then is what you're saying. Because there's no way anyone around here has a XP Professional disc just laying around, and even if they did I live too far away to pick it up and they wouldn't know what it is anyway. And everyone around here probably has HP so their recovery stuff is on a partition as well...

[dahlarbear]

He wants this formatted I guess but the HP Recover data is gone. Is there anyway to get it back, or what? I would prefer not to burn a CD but if its the only option I will get on the new computer to do it.

The proper restore/recovery procedures for that computer model should be on the HP website support pages.

Not sure what "HP Recover data is gone" means.  Normally it is on a separate (possibly hidden) partition.  If deleted, has the space been reallocated to a new partition?

If the partition was deleted, but the space has not been reallocated to a new partition, you might try partition recovery software.  You'd be pretty much on your own, but with some luck and a heavy investment of time; you might pull it off.  There's a learning curve, so we're talking days or weeks here.

See http://www.cgsecurity.org/wiki/TestDisk.

The practical solution would be to either order the restore/recovery discs from HP or find a suitable Windows XP setup CD.