I very much understood what I was doing when I did it -- that I'd lose all of my data, files, customizations, updates, etc. I wanted this. Somebody deleted any important file out of c:/Windows files so I needed to restore Windows to its originality. I didn't really have any files on that laptop -- I use this one.
The laptop came with Windows XP. It has a sticker on the laptop that says "Designed for Windows XP." I used XP until I used the recovery disk. I am using the disk that laptop came with -- it's the same brand and same model of laptop.
I ran the recovery disk and it seemed to be working just fine. I agreed to delete all of my files, to continue and when it finished it said it was "Starting Windows 98." The reason that confuses me is because I originally had XP. I restarted and it said "Invalid System Disk" over and over. I came on here and learned to boot the HDD. I did so. I went through the recovery disk again. Now it says "Starting Windows 98" and something like "The following file is missing or corrupted C:/windows/command.com <return> A>" or something like that. So I entered in "C:\", I entered "fdisk /mbr (or whatever this website suggested," and something direct about copying the A drive to the C drive (the disk to the hdd). To no avail. It just says the same thing over and over.
Sometimes when I restart a message keeps replaying that says something about Realtek -- if I restart it goes back to the command.com error message.
I have no idea why the recovery disk didn't work, why it's starting Windows 98 and how, if there is any way, to fix the command.com file.
I'm not completely ignorant as to how a computer operates, how Windows works, what DOS is, etc. I just don't know what to do from here -- I'm trying to avoid a pricey repair.
