My BF got a hewlett packard computer with xp installed on it. It has no xp cd. It has no book with numbers. It says there is a partition with xp installed on it. Is there any way to back this os up in case he ever needs a reformat? What if the files get corrupted? I know that is has system restore, he has it activated, but this just does not seem right? Am i missing something...perhaps they should send the disk after registration, or something?????

THAT SYSTEM SHOULDA COME WITH AN HP RESTORE DISK. HOWEVER, xp is excellent at repairing itself, and is essentially crash proof. while on the net, xp can go to microsoft and get its own fixes when needed. i wouldn't worry about it

I also have an HP that came with XP Home pre-installed. System restore and HP system recovery are two different things. The recovery instructions are: >Turn on computer >When the initial blue HP screen appears, press the F10 key >A recovery menu will appear>Click on NEXT >Then click on YES >Your system will now go through the product recovery I don't know if system restore is even really needed when you have the recovery program, but I'm not taking any chances, so it stays put.

I have an HP 7935 and it too has the Recovery Files on a partition on the disk instead of coming with a "restore disk"...The HP site says that in the event of something that were to destroy the partition (highly, highly unlikely) a restore disk will be mailed if technical support cannot recover from the partition. Not to worry. writerranger

Thank you all you knowledgeable people. It does seem as if you can't do anything you want to on your own computer, though, doesn't it? I would have felt better if the disk(s) had come with the system. I guess that is what you get with a "good deal". TY

Soooo, another question: Does anyone know how to back up these files...the XP files and the HP driver files, so he can make a restore disk of his own from the mysterious partitions? There are just too many virus's out there. There are over 100 posts on a computer he had before this one (bought at a second hand store) that was suspected of having a boot virus. What a mess that one was.