win 98 drivers lost in download

[qzqhk2]

HI; Over the weekend I was doing a windows updata on a friends computer. When I selected driver
update and tried to download it,it paused for a few minutes and ask me to put the windows 98se
cd in the drive.Not knowing at the time the cd were missing I had to cansel the download. Then
the computer locked up,I shut down,rebooted, and when the windows 98 screen came up the
windows 98 setup wizzard displayed and wanted to know the "window product key". I have to assume
that some of the drivers are missing or it needs the system o.s. cd to finish the download.
being I dont have the original cd's what recourse to I have. The computer came with two cd's which
are marked "compaq quick restore" hoping the o.s. was on the cd, i put it in the drive.The first panel
states that this restore cd will reformate the harddrive if i proceed any further and I shoud backup
any files to be kept,thru ms-dos i downloaded some files. I'am scared to run the restore cd.
Thanks for any help..... Don

Computer=Compaq Presario #7360,AMD 500meg processer,312mb-ram,Windows 98SE O.S.,IE6

[GX1_Man]

That restore CD will definitely format the hard drive and you WILL losre all files, so back them up if you want to proceed. Because of the format of the restore CD, you will not be able to get what you want from it easily if it can be done at all.

If you are being asked for a Windows product key, you probably have Spyware, Adware, virii or such. That is NOT normal Windows behavior!!!! Make sure your system is clean immediately if you do not plan on reformatting:

http://www.computerhope.com/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.cgi?num=1134123580

[Backdated]

The CDs that you have are probably "restore disks" and they should revert the machine to it's original condition. The loader will format and write an image to the c: drive but more importantly, it may also destructively create extra partitions.
Therefore, any backups must be kept "off system" until you know what the restore set actually does.