Cannot boot from recovery disk

[terpanther]

I have an HP TouchSmart that is six years old. It came with Windows 7, but was upgraded to Windows 10 when Microsoft  offered the free upgrade. I had ordered the recovery disks for this PC when I bought it and kept them in case I ever needed them. The PC started having issues lately and became unbootable. I'm not sure if it was a virus or what, but I tried everything possible from a recovery disk (going back to last known boot, repairing OS, etc.). The PC would not boot. I have backups of the data, so bought a new PC and loaded it up. I still want to keep this HP, so I was going to just build it from the recovery discs and keep it as a backup. It won't load. The system comes back with this message:  "System Recovery Media does not support this computer."  The disk drive in this computer is original. The only thing that was ever done to it was the upgrade to Windows 10. I don't care if it goes back to Windows 7 and I have to upgrade the OS, but I can't recover it.

Is this message because the PC was upgraded to Windows 10? I've read where people get this after replacing the hard drive, but the drive is original. If I purchase Windows 10 new, will it load onto this thing? How do I get all the software back that came with it if I do that when the recovery disks are useless?

[TheOldMan]

Well the good news is that Windows 10 install media can be downloaded with the Media Creation tool.

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10

Scroll down to the "Using the tool to create installation media" with a working PC and follow the directions.  When that is completed, try to boot to the install media.  Start with picking repair but it can aslo be used to reinstall Windows 10 if need be.  There could be a hardware failure that is causing the problem.  If that is the case, then once the hardware is fixed/repaired Windows 10 can be reinstalled and activated.  Assuming that the repair is not the motherboard replacement.

[terpanther]

I really appreciate you passing that link to me. Guess what? It worked! I got the old HP back up and running with a fresh install of Windows 10.  

What bothers me is that my reinstallation disks are basically coasters. And that really makes me ill since I purchased the HP for around a grand, then purchased the installation disks separately to have for just this reason. Now, although I have windows back up (and I appreciate your help very much!), I have no support from HP and all of the software that came with this PC is gone. Things like the TouchSmart software and whatever else came with the thing (I can't even remember now). The CD's can't be loaded unless you boot from them. And my PC is still OEM. Exactly why I bought a Dell when I went out to fix the original problem. 

Thanks again for your help.

[TheOldMan]

Here is a Software and Drivers page that might help with some of those items.

https://support.hp.com/us-en/drivers/selfservice/hp-touchsmart-610-1000-desktop-pc-series/5039931

A more complete model number may yield a better list of those items. 

As to the Recovery Disks not working, now that the PC can run, Here is a guide for that problem

https://support.hp.com/us-en/document/c01868346

Another choice is to order another set of Recovery media.  Computer Surgeons is one place to try.  I know that you said the set came from HP but it might be possible the wrong set was shipped, unless it was tested when the disk set  was new.

http://www.computersurgeons.com/

[terpanther · Accepted solution]

Thanks again for your help Dean. I think where I'm going to run into trouble is because the PC got upgraded from Windows 7 to Windows 10. There is no option to get a Windows 10 installation kit for my model and I think ordering another one for Windows 7 is going to give me the same results. The computer is an HP TouchSmart 610-1130f Desktop. Thanks for those links, because I can download the HP Support Assist and other software from one of those sites so that I can get updated drivers. As far as the other software that came with the PC, it's probably not worth messing with it. I'd have to somehow get the thing back to Windows 7 (assuming the recovery disks would even work) and then upgrade again to Windows 10.

I have the same issue with registering the PC too. Because it's Windows 10, I can't use the Windows Product Key to register the OS I just loaded. I'm goint to have to get a Windows 10 Product Key and register Windows so I can get updates to it. I guess I lost my free upgrade, lol!

The original came with some scaled down version of Office and some other junk on it. I have a full office suite anyway, so I can load that back along with all my documents, pictures and emails. That's good enough I suppose. I appreciate you taking the time on it!

[TheOldMan]

Just a note on the Windows 10 reinstall.  I am not sure what is meant by "I have the same issue with registering the PC too. Because it's Windows 10, I can't use the Windows Product Key to register the OS I just loaded. I'm goint to have to get a Windows 10 Product Key and register Windows so I can get updates to it. I guess I lost my free upgrade, lol!"

If that statement is referring to activation, then Windows 10 should be activated once it connects to the internet.  Since it had Windowas 10 installed and activated in th epast, it should be activated now.  M$ uses a digtial key that is calculated and linked to the PC and does not need to load a product key.  I suggest you check the Control Panel > Systen and Security > System  page to verify it is actvated

[terpanther]

It's definitely not activated. The computer was toasted and the install would not work without cleaning the drive, formatting it and the partiion had to be changed to GPT. There was no old operating system, so the install was new. If I go to Windows Activation, it asks me for a product key.

[TheOldMan]

I think I understand the situation.  Find the page I posted about

" I suggest you check the Control Panel > system and Security > System  page to verify it is activated"

Post a picture of that page please.  Windows 10 should be activated, assuming the previous Windows 10 was existing for a number of days.  There does not need to be an old version of the OS present.  Since it had Windowas 10 installed and activated in the past, it should be activated now.  M$ uses a digtial key that is calculated and linked to the PC and does not need to load a product key.  

[terpanther]

You are right again! The problem is I downloaded Windows 10 Pro and I had a Home Edition on the computer. Thanks for all your help!

[TheOldMan]

Oh.  Now that would explain it!!  So you can either get the same version as was installed before ( Windows 10 Home edition ) or buy the upgrade to Pro.

Glad that is sorted out!