My second disk for Restore Plus! does not work

[LilttleSamurai]

I got a virus on my desktop computer (HP Compaq 6005) and need to restore it but I had lost the disk my computer came with. I asked hp if they could send me out a replacement and they sent me four different CDs to restore. They are numbered from 1 to 3 and then there is a purple one that says WinDVD on it. The first CD worked fine however once it's finished with the first CD it ask me to put in a Windows 7 Home Basic  CD I assume it the CD numbered 2 but it keeps ejecting the CD; I've even tried using the other CDs and exiting out of the wizard but that just restarts the computer. What do I do?

[Paul_Tikkanen]

Hi:

Please look at your disks.

One should be labeled with the operating system name on it.

That would be the one you need to insert when prompted, no matter what # it is.

The WIN DVD software disk you would install after your OS is restored.

Paul

[LilttleSamurai]

None of the disks given to me say Window 7 Home Basic. I've tried all of them and none of them work.

[Paul_Tikkanen]

Hi:

I suggest you contact HP support, as your PC should still be under warranty if it has the 3 year business desktop warranty, and see what they say about the problem.

I have an 8200 Elite, and got a set of 4 restore disks + the Win DVD disk, and one of the restore disks is labeled Operating System - Windows 7 Professional.

Paul

[ktatlow1]

I'm having the same problem with a HP dc7800 Convertible Minitower.  

The customer infected himself with malware.  

He tried restoring Vista Business Edition 32-bit with the included HP Restore Plus DVD Kit disk 1 (484073-B23, "start with this DVD for restore") and disk 2 (486467-B22, "Operating System DVD/Multiple Language Pack for use with Vista 32-bit HP or Compaq PC.")  

Disk 1 boots OK and runs a while, then asks for the "Windows Vista 32-bit SP1 Business Edition" DVD.

When I put in disk 2, it reads it for about 15 seconds, then ejects it, asking again for the same "Windows Vista ..." disk again.

The disk 2 is fully readable on other computers, so I don't think it is a media defect.

Machine out of warranty.  This doesn't seem like a warranty issue to me anyway.

Anybody have any suggestions?

(P.S., I also tried making the HP recovery partition active and booting from that, but that boot fails with "BOOTMGR not found."  I wish the customer had called me before trying to fix this himself; I would have done an F11 system recovery instead of trying to restore from DVDs.)

[Paul_Tikkanen]

Hi:

I guess you can make a Vista DVD and charge him extra for your time and labor. 

Here's how...

If you're up to a slight but rewarding challenge you can make your own if you can read your 25 character Vista product key on the PC.

Just download the 3 files you need at the link below, and read all of the instructions to create a bootable DVD installation disk using imageburn.

Disregard the part of the text under the first screen shot about "extract the files to the Vista folder."

The files were already extracted to that folder when you ran the X14.exe file by reading the text on top of the first screen shot.

The other thing I noticed is on the 4th screen shot, where it shows Developer ID Microsoft Corporation. I had to type Microsoft Corporation in myself, and then the other codes automatically populated.

When I went to compile the ISO file, ImageBurn gave a message that about a WIM file and ISO, and if I wanted to burn it in a different format.

I selected No, make the ISO file.

It was not that hard to do. I burned both the 64 bit disk and the 32 bit disk in case I ever need them.

I tested both of them an my hp dc7100 CMT desktop PC, they worked perfectly.

When you enter the product key, it knows what version of Vista you have.

http://en.community.dell.com/support-forums/software-os/w/microsoft_os/3317.2-3-microsoft-windows-v....

After you successfully install Vista, you can then install the drivers from your PC's support and driver page.

Paul

[ktatlow1]

Thanks for the great suggestion, Paul!  But it did not work for me.  When I try to boot from the DVD, I get the error msg "Couldn't find BOOTMGR."  I tried twice creating the ISO and burning.

I'll try to anticipate some questions:

- I am familiar with Imgburn and creating DVDs from ISO images (from my Linux work.)

- The DVD was written and verified on a WinXP system with a flawless record of DVD burning reliability.

- I did tell Imgburn to use etfsboot as the boot image.

- The ISO I composed with Imgburn is 3139567616 bytes in size.

- I tried burning once with Imgburn, and second time used FreeISOBurner.

So I'm still looking for help getting Vista reinstalled on this dc7800.

If there are any HP employees here who can answer, I'm also interested in why the recovery kit DVDs that came with the system don't work.  These are HP-branded media with an HP machine (see Kit Numbers in my post above.)  Either these are the wrong DVDs for the dc7800 (but note disk 1 is specifically labeled "dc7800",) or the media is damaged (but I find it fully readable on other machines,) or the recovery DVDs were defective as shipped.  Is any other explanation possible?  

My customer is mad at me because I recommended this machine to him originally; he expected the recovery disks to work.  He did not know the F11-on-boot system recovery option was available because it was hidden by the factory default BIOS setting, so it was natural for him to try the recovery disks first.

Thanks again, Paul!

[Paul_Tikkanen]

Hi:

You're the first person I gave this method to that couldn't get it to work.

When you used image burn you did what I did regarding ignoring image burns recommendation to burn the wim file in another format than an ISO?

You typed in Microsoft Corporation?

It appears like you got the whole file downloaded.

Try the Windows USB installation tool instead of a DVD.. You need a 4 GB or larger flash drive.

http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_7-windows_programs/install-windows-vista-fr...

It's gotta work.

I and many others, have done this with no problems.

BTW, I have a dc7800 and my recovery disks worked with no issues at all.

If you absolutely no way can get that ISO to install,

Call HP at 1-800-334-5144, and order another set. Tell 'em the ones they sent were no good and they will probably send a set for free.

If your customer prefers the 64 bit set, just ask them for that.  They'll send it.  I got one.

Paul

[ktatlow1]

Thanks, Paul!  I made a bootable USB flash drive using the Win 7 USB/DVD Download Tool you cited above, but it also fails with the "missing BOOTMGR" msg, so I must have built the ISO incorrectly, I guess.

I called the 800 number to order a new set of recovery disks, but they could not manage to authorize either of the credit card numbers I gave them ("It happens sometimes.")  So they gave me the phone number of local HP dealer to try to order the disks.  The local dealer says he doesn't know how to order the disks.  He said the replacement disks will fail the same way as my disks anyway, so I guess he's seen this problem before too.

So, more questions:

- Paul, you have a set of recovery disks that you have proven will work on a dc7800.  Do they have the same kit numbers as mine?  484073-B23 and 486467-B22?

- Is there a way to order these recovery disks from HP online, or can they only be ordered from the 800 number?  Or can I buy copies directly from you?

- Are the ISO images for those recovery disks downloadable online anyplace?  Or can you post them online?

- Paul, you have a working Vista install USB drive that you built using the procedure you cited (downloading the  3 files from Digital River, composing them to ISO using Imgburn) the same procedure I did twice and failed.  Can you upload that ISO to the web somewhere so I can download it and try it?  Or can I buy the USB drive from you and have it shipped to me?

I apologize for bringing you so much trouble.  Thanks for the help!

[Paul_Tikkanen]

You know that same thing happened to me.

So I called back the next day, and went thru the process to order the disks again.

The second time my credit card stuff went thru as expected (so the issue must be on their end for the both of us), and I got an order confirmation.

You cannot order them online.

You can order them from this other vendor online but you'll pay 3 x more for them.

http://www.computersurgeons.com/SearchProducts.aspx

You must be missing a step in the process of making the ISO file.

Let me try to recall what I did...

1. I created a folder  to download all 3 files into the same folder.

2. After the files were downloaded, I ran the X14 exe file and it ran and brought up the Vista installation dialog window.

3. I closed that window and in the folder with the 3 files there was now a Vista folder that was created when I ran that X14 file as there should be.

4. I launched Imageburn and I selected the search for the file folder option.

5. I selected the Vista folder, then went to the advanced tab and checked Make the Image Bootable.

6. Then I typed in Microsoft Corporation where it showed in the screen shot (that was not there until I typed it in).

7. Then I clicked on that Boot Image window just above the window where I typed in Microsoft Corporation.

8. The window opened and I selected etfs boot.

9. I then selected on the left side of the image burn window on the bottom left to build the image.

10. Image burn then gave it a file name, and it either gave me the file name first, or it gave me a message stating in substance that the wim file should be created in a different format and did I want to continue with the new format or burn it as an ISO file.

11.  I selected burn as an ISO file. 

12. The process completed successfully in a minute or so.

13. I then used CD Burner XP to burn the ISO image to a DVD and it worked just fine for me.

I would love to be able to post the image but I have no means to post a 3 GB file.

So, try making it again, and if it doesn't work, send me a Private Message and we will go from there.

Try burning the ISO with CD Burner XP, where right on the menu is a choice to Burn ISO Image.

Paul