Compaq Presario Recovery files

[Mark H]

Presario CQ-60 215DX

While playing with some Linux distros in a dual boot (Win/Linux) scenario, I wound up hosing the Vista install, and the backup image was corrupted.Original restore disks went missing. I was able to download and install Vista from an ISO with no problem until I tried to activate. Apparently, the ISO is a retail version, and I have an OEM version.
I tried to locate the HP recovery files, but HP no longer offers them on this model. Web search also is no help.

If anyone has, or knows where I can find these, I can provide the unit serial number via email or PM.

[Karlsweldt]

Should be a hidden partition on the hard drive, maybe 2 gigs to 6 gigs. This is the driver/recovery data. You may be able to access it if slaved in another system, and extract the data. But as to the COA info, that is on a tag on the bottom or back of the unit.
You should be able to get needed drivers from this site.. http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/prod ... ct=3860070

[Mark H]

Sorry, forgot to mention, during the attempted image restore, the recovery partition was deleted. What really messed me up, was the Linux partitions.When I deleted them, the recovery partition was also deleted.I know, you don't have to say it. .....

[Mr T]

The question I would ask is do you need M$ windows... I have been messing with Linux for a while and can do 99% of the things my windows systems do on Linux...

[Toby B.]

Possibly hunting flea-bay (aka ebay) you can locate recovery discs, but might run into the same sort of activation problems as the keycode will already have been used (I have not encountered a keycode screen on an HP/Compaq recovery before)

[Mark H]

Mr T -tried 2 distros (Ubuntu and Mint), both had serious video isues. Tried to restore and try again.Laptop is an extra, so not really needed, which is why I decided to experiment.

Toby- as long as the recovery disks are for the same model, I shouldn't have any issues.

[Toby B.]

Toby- as long as the recovery disks are for the same model, I shouldn't have any issues.

And had I not put that in there you might have gotten said discs and run into a problem, then getting huffy at me for suggesting it.. You are correct you shouldn't have any issues, but there is always the off chance, all I was getting at.

[Mark H]

No, no would not have gotten huffy, I understand the risk. After all, it's my fault for not verifying the backup in the first place.

[evasive]

http://restore.solutions/en/HPCompaqCQ6 ... ecoveryiso

official one:
http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/docu ... task=#N103

[Mark H]

Evasive, the "Official One" no longer has DVDs available. I went with the other one. Should complete downloading sometime next week.....D*mn downloaders.......

Tried a few other sites, and had so many popups I had to run scans to look for nasties.

Let ya know if it works.