My sister-in-law's computer is a mess. She had been having problems for months, but never opened her mouth and told me until it was a complete mess. By the time I got to it I couldn't access anything; I'd click on stuff and it would never come up. The one thing I did find out is that her browser homepage had been changed. Looks like she may have been hijacked, and may have viruses running all over it. But I can't access her Norton to find out. I click and click and can't get it to come up. She bought the restore disks from HP and tried to use them, but screwed it up. After the first disk was done and she didn't get an immediate prompt to put in disk two, so she put disk one in again, then put in disk two on her own and got an error message (un-something boot drive). I'm wondering if I can reformat her hard drive using the restore disks, or if she should just hand over her computer and disks to a computer repair shop. I wouldn't mind trying a reformat, if it's possible; if it's not possible then I'm all for the repair shop. Any advice?

Forgot to mention ... she gets prompted to restart in safe mode, but when she tries it won't do it. Like I said, her computer is so messed up. :( I wish she would have waited for me to get over this flu and let me do the restore. Sigh ...

Try this procedure quoted from instruction sheet that came with HP restore CD set: Using the System Recovery Program 1. If your PC works, you can back up all data files that you want to save onto removable media (for example, a CD or DVD). 2. Insert the System Recovery disc 1 into the appropriate CD or DVD drive. 3. Turn the PC off: Note: If the PC works: Click Start on the taskbar, click Turn Off Computer, and then click Turn Off. Or If the PC is not responding: Press and hold the On bulton for approximately 5 seconds until the PC turns off. 4. Disconnect all devices that are connected to the PC except the monitor, the keyboard, and the mouse. 5. Disconnect or remove all external drives. 6. Press the power (On) button to start the PC. The PC starts the recovery from the first disc, and prompts you to select Standard Recovery, Full System Recovery, or quit the recovery program. 7. Press R to start a Standard Recovery, or F to select the Full System Recovery. NOTE: If you have manually deleted the recovery image from your hard disk drive, the Standard Recovery option cannot be used. If you pressed R, click Next to continue with the standard recovery. Or If you pressed F, press Y to confirm that you wont to start the Full System Recovery. When the Welcome screen appears, click OK to continue. When the recovery program finishes with the disc, the drive tray elects. 8. Remove the disc and, if you received more than one recovery disc, insert the next disc in the same tray, close it, and then click OK. NOTE: If you hove o PC with two drive trays, they may both open. Close them both before clicking OK. 9. Repeat the previous step far each numbered recovery disc you received. 10. After the last numbered disc is ejected, remove it, and click Restart to restart your PC. NOTE: If the message “Please Insert Login Advanced Installation Disc Number 1 and Restart” is displayed at the end of a Full System Recovery, remove the recovery disc from the drive tray, and restart the PC. You do not need to insert the referenced disc. After your PC restarts, a series of Windows® startup screens appears. a. If your PC supports multiple languages, you are prompted for a build ID (this ID number is included with the recovery discs). Type the build ID number exactly as it appears, and then click OK. If you are prompted to insert the Supplemental Recovery disc, continue with step b. If you are not prompted to insert the Supplemental Recovery disc, skip to step 11. b. Insert the Supplemental Recovery disc in the same drive you hove been using, close the tray, and click OK. Your PC automatically restarts a number of times before displaying the Recovery Complete message. 11. Click OK to turn your PC off. Continue the recovery by completing the procedure described in the next section. Performing the Post-recovery Procedure 1. Restart your PC, and when the Windows welcome screen appears, click Next. 2. Answer the questions in the Windows setup screens, and click Finish in the last screen to display the Windows desktop. 3. Turn your PC off, reconnect oIl devices that were originally connected to your PC, and restart your PC. 4. Reinstall software that originally came in the box with your PC and any additional software you may have purchased. Some of the software shipped in the box may already be installed by the recovery program. 5. If yau performed a backup before the recovery, copy the data files you saved from the backup medic to your hard disk drive. 6. Complete the initial configuration af your PC as described in the documentation provided with your PC. 7. After configuring your Internet connection, connect to the Internet and use Windows Update to obtoin all the critical updates for Windows. This helps to protect your PC from viruses and spywore. 8. Open the virus-scanning soft-wore that came with the PC, and use the Update feature to download all available updates for the antvirus software. 9. If your PC came with spyware detection and removal software (select models only): use its Update feature to download all available updates. ============================ I wouldn't mind trying a reformat, if it's possible; if it's not possible then I'm all for the repair shop. As an FYI, ythe repair shop will do exactly what I have given you ... at cost! Let us know if this helps Good luck :-) i_XpUser

Thank you, XPUser!!! I'll print out these instructions and give it a try. I'll post how it went as soon as I get a chance to go over to her house and do it. Rhonda :)

You're welcome, Rhoda. Good Luck! Oh by the way I assume your sister-in-law has the eleven HP Restore CD set. My neighbor ordered one and received the next day 11 CDs plus 1 supplement CD directly from HP. i_XpUser

XPUser, Yesterday was my sister-in-law's first day off since I posted here, so she finally had time to try the restore disks again. She followed your instructions to the letter and got the restore disks to work. Yay! I'm going over tonight to make sure she's got her antivirus reinstalled, and that she installs a good firewall and anti-spam program before she goes back online. Thank you so much for your help!! Your instructions were right on the mark. :) Rhonda