Replaced our hard drive, getting "non-system disc error" msg on startup; Can anyone help...?

Question

My husband replaced his hard drive on a Compaq Presario 6000. Getting "non-system disc or disc error" on startup. WE NEED A WINDOWS XP SYSTEM DISC, to re-install it onto the hard drive to operate our PC. If we could download it and burn it onto a CD to install that would be best. Can anyone help?

Answer 1

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If your husband REPLACED the hard drive with a new one, then the old Windows XP is still on the old hard drive.
If that is the case
then he can install the old hard drive as master
then ALSO install the new hard drive as slave.
Then he can COPY from the old to the new.

To most efficiently perform the copy proceedure
after both hard drives are reinstalled:
RIGHT click START > left click EXPLORE
and the Explore window will open.
In the left pane you will see both of the drives and the folders for everything on the drives.

Then you use your mouse RIGHT CLICK / grab file to be copied over / drag to the new drive until it highlights over the Drive letter / let go mouse button / select COPY HERE.

When all of that is complete
then he can remove the old hard drive
and the new will automatically become master.

One more very important thing.
You'll need your XP product key. If you've lost it
you can read it from the hard drive with this FREE tool
http://www.majorgeeks.com/ProduKey_d4953.html

h2h

Answer 2

A System Restore disc should have been included when you purchased the PC.

However, if you bought the PC second-hand without one, or if it's more than 6 years old, then you might be out of luck if you need XP. You have to have the product key from your old version of Windows in order for it to reactivate on its own. If you use someone else's XP disc and their product key, it won't activate since that key has already been used on another PC.

Usually there are two discs included with an HP/Compaq workstation - a restore disc and a Windows disc. The restore disc reloads an image of how the PC was setup when it was sold retail. The Windows disc is custom-made so that it recognizes your computer (looking at the BIOS) so that you don't have to enter a key or activate it.

Answer 3

If you don't have the system restore disks that came with the laptop, or you didn't get any, you need to order them from Hewlitt Packard. It's alot cheaper (and legal) than buying a new copy of WinXP. Unless you are a college student. Many colleges sell software to students at greatly reduced prices. My copy of WinXP was $15.

I don't know if this is legal or not, but you technically could install WinXP from a borrowed copy and then change the CD key to your own after installation.

Answer 4

Take this opportunity to grab the FREE download of http://pclinuxos.com with it's 5500 games, applications.

Let it format the hard drive, and install, as it will run upto 50X faster with concurrent multi-processing, multi-tasking, with multi-users, on multiple desktops!

Immune to the "114,000 Microsoft Virus Definitions" just like the Mac, only, faster.

Free forums on the website. http://pclinuxos.com

Answer 5

while it gives you that blunders, it means that it is not recognizing your installation of living house windows. that still means you are able to not get admission to risk-free mode or equipment fix through fact those are portion of living house windows. probable your not undemanding rigidity is broken and could desire alternative. no count if it incredibly is below guarantee, touch the producer. If not, you will could pay somebody interior sight to swap it. with a bit of luck you subsidized up any significant documents in the past this got here about.

Answer 6

I don't think you'll find anywhere that you can legally download a copy of Windows. Your best bet is to find someone who will lend you a copy.