Windows Question about Windows Media Center

I've purchased a MCE Laptop (HP) from the computer store and I just came to realize I have no recovery CD's for the OS itself. I did some reading up and checked up on the Laptops "Recover" partion and created the CD's but everytime I read through it's description it mentions restoring the Laptop to factory settings, then goes on to say the recover drive only houses the necessary drivers. It might sound like a dumb question but I need to know, can this recovery drive/recovery CD's it had me create restore the system fully (MCE OS and all) or am I expected to somehow install Windows XP Pro/MCE from CD's I can't get ahold of unless I purchase a product from Newegg or the likes that qualifies? It's worried me because my friend has the same Laptop that's become infected with Spyware (trying to help him clean it) and it's turning into a losing battle. A fresh install would better for him in the end (as it seems now) but he's using MCE 2005 which you just can''t go out by buy.

 

last time i delt with that it it restored the computer to the day it was bought.

 

Why don't you phone HP?

The CDs we made from my friend's HP desktop would reinstall Windows.

ch424

 

You could always use a program such as Norton Ghost which will take a .iso copy of the entire file system the second you click "back up" and then by using this custom install disc it will reinstall MCE as well as any other program on the laptop.
Though this won't work for your friend, because it will copy the spyware as well and then onto the new install on the laptop but its the best option for you...

 

it's not wise to ghost a system after you've activated, you enter the "login dump" problem where it appears to log you in then dumps you back at the login screen...

 

As Drastik suggests... Recovery CD's (or partitions) usually restore he system to the way it was when you took delivery of it - with the OS and all necessary drivers etc installed.

I got both a Recovery CD and a [genuine] Windows XP Pro CD with my laptop though.

You/your friend may not be too keen to pay US$110 for it... but you most certainly can buy MCE 2005 on its own?

 

the backup partition they use is something similar to a ghost file it just reloads everything.

 

I've just got a new laptop with XP pre-installed and it hasn't asked me to activate it on both of the times i have used the restore discs that rewrite the whole partition.

I have just spent all evening setting it up nicely and I want to get an image of how it is now, and get it onto a bootable disc that I can use to restore it.

can ghost do that, and would the login dump problem still be a problem do you think?

 

It is known that on OEM "restore disks" the acivation has been done at factory. On all the systems i've ghosted at home and for people who've i've done computers for, I've had to deal with the login dump problems.

So i've started to ghost prior to activation.

Mushky, it might be worth trying to see if it works.