Restore disk error???PLEASE HELP?

Question

Ok I have a Compaq Persario desktop PC and it runs windows xp. I have the factory restore disks. The problem is a friend of mine had her computer to mess up so I loaned her my disks and it wouldn't read them. It says "Please contact Compaq technical support" and now it doesn't work on mine either. Are these disks locked or something? Is there anyway of making them useful again? I know it was a stupid move on my part but at the time I had no idea how important these disks are. Any advice is appreciated. Oh and I did call Compaq since my computer is not still under warranty they want help unless I pay them like $100 per year for the support. Thanks

The disks are not scratched and I did have to pay someone recently to restore my computer after a bad virus attack.

Answer 1

Make sure your booting your computer with the correct disc first--you might have tried starting from the second disk instead of the first. Also, you can call Compaq back and ask for the price of getting new recovery discs--it might cost about $40 but you'll be able to fix the problem yourself.

Answer 2

It would help very much to know what that error said. Without a little more information on what the error is it is very hard to assess how to fix it so that the disk works. Also try booting in safe mode and then choose the option that says boot from disk and your disk should work. I think that option may be uncheck in Bios. To Boot in Safe mode you have to follow the prompt at the top of your screen before windows actually boots up. Normaly it is F8 or F2 or sometimes its delete. If you have your book for the computer it will tell you what keys you have to push to get into the BIOS. You must do this before the windows screen appears though.
Good luck. Also about your waranty I would call Compaq back and tell them due to the fact your computer is STILL under waranty You will not allow them to bully or sucker you into paying an outragouse price like that for what you were told was free of charge. Many companies are trying this tactic to get people to pay for there "normaly bad" service anyway. Look over that waranty and call them back and tell them "I was told by another tech that this was in fact a free service while my waranty is STILL in effect and I would like some assistance according to my Waranty." Then tell them "If you are unwilling to assist me in this maner then Please let me speak to your boss at this time" Then when you get the next person tell them your computer is still new and your having a problem and if there unwilling to assist you then you will have no choice but to return the computer and get a refund of your money and go to a more reputable company for your computing needs. I hate it when companies try this crap "DONT TAKE IT" IT IS YOUR WARANTY. I wish you luck my friend.

Answer 3

I don't work on any Compaqs, but I do work on Dells and such. Most every XP system out there today that uses a restore CD is going to use optical media that cannot be written to, so your friend's computer should not have been able to mess it up.

Sounds to me like something separate might be up with your system. If everything is running OK, then you don't need to pay anyone $100 for something you don't need.

Oh yeah, you can't take any of those special restore CDs between brands of systems, in general, because they check the system BIOS to see what brand of system it is.

Answer 4

Your restor disk will only work on the exact same model of computer, if her computer is different it wont work, she needs to contact the manufacuter and try to get the restor disk for her spacific computer.