system disk?

[way.spacedout]

so i should either buy a new one or have windows done for me.. can i save/backup my photoshops, itunes n all of that? because i have alot on there that i cant get back.

[macdad-]

so i should either buy a new one or have windows done for me.. can i save/backup my photoshops, itunes n all of that? because i have alot on there that i cant get back.

you can backup all your personal data to a need drive...there's no limit on what you can save(not reguarding file size) but you could buy a new Windows, but if you wanted it done for you then i suggest not going to the same guy who "fixed" it.

[way.spacedout]

Oh ok. oh yeah, theres no way im going back to that guy. if i get the cd, is it pretty easy to install? i might be able to do it myself

[way.spacedout]

Ok my friend said he has a windows xp pro cd, please tell me thatll work! 

[patio]

spacedout ...
Before you go any further which will be past the point of no return decide the following:

What data do you need from the existing install ? ?
How do you want to backup/save that data ? ?
Are you planning on adding another drive or no ? ?
Do you understand that putting XPPro on there you will need to buy a liscense to get legit ? ?

I'd consider first a backup strategy for your data...
Then i'd look into getting a Restore CD from the manuf. w/Media Center for your machine so you aren't looking at buying a liscense you already have.
Then i would just do a clean install and start fresh.

Hopefully this doesn't confuse the issue...

[JJ 3000]

You could call emachines and ask them for a restore disk.
If you are lucky, they will send you one.

you could use a Linux live disk like  http://www.ubuntu.com/getubuntu/download  to rescue the data from your hard drive.

[way.spacedout]

Patio- i didnt know i had to have a license for xpPro.. i want my pix, music, photoshops, n some different kinds of software that i have on there.. JJ how do i get that to work on my hard drive, i dont have another computer to download it to..

[JJ 3000]

How are you posting your messages?

[way.spacedout]

My cell phone. i was thinking though, i might be able to use my sisters computer for it. will it still do the cd through dial up? if not i might be able to use my friends dsl.. how do i use the cd?

[BC_Programmer]

Tell him that you were advised that the Hardware Abstraction Layer (HAL for short) that was on your hard drive is refusing to recognize the new board.

Except that isn't the case... the drive is simply unbootable...

'boot from cd: disk boot failure, insert system disk and press enter'

Depending on the OS, version (Home or Pro) you'll need to disc for your particular version.

Boot from the CD and run a "repair". this will also solve any basic boot issue caused by the board change- so that you may install chipset drivers for your new board, if necessary.

Note that a Pro Disc will not work to repair Home and a Home disc will not work to repair Pro.

This would be a good first try since it will not delete any of your data if done properly:

XP repair install instructions

[Broni]

BC
Repair won't work here, because we're dealing here with Media Edition version.
She'd have to have exact CD (Media Editon + certain SP).
The problem with that crappy version is, you can't slipstream any SP into the CD, even, if you have Media Edition CD.

[BC_Programmer]

Oops

thought "Media Center" was part of the name of the computer 

[Broni]

That's one of XP versions delivered in 2005. For what reason, I have no clue.

[patio]

spacedout ...

The priority here should be to get your data back...your drive does NOT need to be bootable to do this.
The most foolproof method of doing this is removing your drive and hooking it up as a slave drive in another working desktop machine with a burner. The burner is needed so you can burn your data to CD/DVD after it's been retrieved...
Slave Drive Procedure Here.

Once this is done you are going to have to contact the manuf. for a Media Center Restore CD...this is what the machine has a liscense for...you would simply do a clean install from that CD
As i stated above Media Center PC's rarely shipped with a CD so they are a bit harder to find.
The only other option at this point would be to buy a copy of XP for that machine.

Hope this helps...

[way.spacedout]

Ok, thanks for the links n videos guys. my friend is going to help me also so maybe i wont screw it up ha. but it might be another week or so before i can, ill keep you posted.