HP Recovery download/install in progress (I hope) - spinning circle instead of cursor normal?

[polygony]

Just checking, as it's been like this for over an hour; I was following HP's instructions and thought I'd 'got' it from the MS Store (once I tried using Internet Explorer), and thought the process must have started, but no dialogue boxes.  The blue spinning circle was the first thing that happened, and it's replaced the cursor.  I can still move it with the touchpad, but it has no effect as a cursor, so I've no way to investigate what's going on.  I haven't been able to find out what size of download to expect, but the USB stick hasn't done any blinking yet (its red light came on the moment I plugged it in, but has remained steady.  (My internet signal isn't bad for a rural one, is via ethernet cable from the router, and the websites loaded quickly.

If it's not normal, any harm in simply ending the session and starting again?

[WAWood · Accepted solution]

@polygony 

Are you trying to create HP Recovery Media using the Cloud Recovery tool?  That requires a 32GB USB stick, and since I've not used it myself, I don't know how big the files are that get downloaded, but since they demand a stick that large, the total size must be around 30GB.  This much data could take a LONG TIME to download, depending critically on the speed of your Internet connection, even if you are connected via Ethernet to your router.

I don't know how the MS Store is involved in this, other than to download an application and install it on your PC, and that should take only a few minutes. The blue spinning circle tends to indicate an app installation in progress but I am surprised the circle has stayed in place this long.

As far as I know, unlike the HP built-in Recover Manager function, you can do the HP Cloud operation as many times as you want.

If you are locked without a working cursor, your only option would be to force stop and try again.

[polygony]

Thank you so much for your help, WaWood (question answered in a trice!).

Yes, that's exactly what I was trying to do (in Safe Mode with Networking (as normal mode is a blue screen).  I was following the instructions 'Using the HP Cloud Recovery Tool', which says in Step 2, 'Download and install the HP Recovery Tool', "Go to the Microsoft Store and search for HP Cloud Recovery Tool".  With Edge not working in Safe Mode and Chrome blocking the download, I used Internet Explorer, presumably the simplest one for this, and it did work well and quickly.and found the HP Recovery Tool.  I clicked Get as iin HP's instructions, but no more dialogue boxes, prompts etc appeared after that (except I think one from I don't know where,  asking for the OK before downloading), and I couldn't tell if Get had worked and tried twice more.  I found 3 copies of the Exe file in Downloads, but 'open' didn't work for any.

Before the spinning circle I'd then tried Step 3, Run the Recovery Tool, which said to insert the USB, then type recovery tool in the Windows search box and click on HP Recovery Tool, but no HP items found (and none of those in the Start menu are available in Safe Mode).

I was using the touchpad because both USB ports are needed for the USB drive, and the ethernet to USB adaptor I managed to source yesterday.  (The wifi signal is good with the laptop near the router, but the laptop's firmly stuck in airplane mode; another known issue of the 2004 Windows update that I got for good measure, not even yielding to the registry fix).

It's looking as if the next step is to try MS's recovery tool.  I looked into it a while ago, and asked in an MS forum if it worked in Safe Mode.  It does, and an MS person provided lots of info including the downside of having to get the HP drivers separately.  But I'd guess that if I do that as early as possible, the MS software will then act accordingly.  (And what's one more task?  Especially if you used nothing but MsDos for15 years!).

[polygony]

Oh, and thank you for telling me that the Cloud Recovery can be used more than once!  It was nice to know that when I realised I'd made a mistake that caused the abnormal behaviour (inserting the USB drive one step too late).  I'll now have to wait till tomorrow morning to start again, but maybe it's just as well, as strong gale force winds have kicked in here in NW Ireland, where they often cause power and internet outages.  (And meanwhile, my remaining hair will be safe!).