hp pavilian troubles

[groovepapa]

I've got an HP Pavilion giving me problems with the hard-drive. first, I tried to just use the recovery CD to format and restore the HD to factory-form. but it said the HD had problems, or the CD had problems and so it didn't work very well. kept saying "Invalid System Disk". so I yoinked the HD, hooked it up to my other computer, ran a thorough scandisk on it and fixed the errors there. tried again and still went bad. so, I formatted again and tried to install w2k from my w2k cd....but I get the "NTDLR" file missing error. any ideas?

 

[Parser]

Get a new comp.

Don't mind me I'm just a little bit bitter as I've just upgraded to a self-built computer from an HP.

Did your HP come with windows 2K or did you install ityourself afterwards? What model of HP do you have? I know those HP recovery disks are pretty tempermental and they only work with the motherboard that came with your system but if its defective just go back to whereever you bought it and ask for a new one.

 

[CivicSiRider]

I would also have to agree and say get another computer. I used to have a pavilion and it always had trouble. I was going to upgrade it but got no where with there tech support. One tech told me one thing and another told me the opposite. So I decided to build my own like the other guy here.

 

[fishingeek]

Another former HP user here. I have since built my own rig. What model do you have? I was able to do a clean install of ME on that computer and it went fine. I was also able to use the restore disk many times with out a hitch. I did have a harddrive go bad on me and HP even sent a tech to my place to install it for free. I would suggest using Fdisk and retry the resore disk.

 

[groovepapa]

hmm....okay, revision.....*I* don't have a HP Pavilion...my friend has one and has asked me to fix it. =) so I don't think there's really the possibility of just switching computers on him...although I agree that HP computers pretty much suck. I bought a gateway and I love it so far...very easy to upgrade and get into. Fdisk? is this a tool or do you just mean formatting the disk? I've done that and then run the restore....still had problems with Invalid System Disk message. I'm sick of HP's.

Also, does anyone know how to get into an HP's BIOS? There's no "Press F8 to enter Setup" or anything...just the big blue screen. Anyone know what to press to get into it? Thanks again...

 

[Starvenger]

I used to sell HP's, which means that I worked on HP's. Alot. They suck, just like allmost every big-name pre-bulit CPU manufacturer. Sorry. I would say call HP and flip out.
As for the bios IIRC It's like F1 or F2. Try hitting tab and see if you can catch the hit xxxx to enter BIOS message, allthought It won't do you much good. The BIOS's have allmost no options.

 

[evergreen96]

All OEM company sucks. Remember that phase from Armagaddon.

"Sitting on $3 billion worth of equipment done by the lowest bidder" or something like that

HP product are engineered so that if you want to upgrade, you can w/ lots of pain and fustration so it just better to build your own pc. That why almost e-v-1 here has a customized system.

PS HP doesn't really build PCs that just slap there HP logo on it

 

[Gruhaminmuffin]

as a CSR for HP Pavilions I agree we suck.

But an Fdisk, Fdisk /mbr, and a format & recovery should fix that problem

 

[bigbootydaddy]

just see who manufactures it and RMA.

 

[JRez]

groove,

I wouldn't be bragging about Gateway ;-). HP's aren't bad machines, but they can be tricky to upgrade due to case layout. I had a CTO HP before, and with the exception of the AGP Voltage not being adjusted to 3.3V @ the factory, it was a solid machine (Athlon Classic 700). Straight out of retail is a whole different ball game... buying a RETAIL HP is like buying a GM car... the day the system was built will generally tell you whether you've got a lemon or not ;-)

 

[bluegi]

i had two pavillians before which i don't use anymore. They are the worst PCs i ever owned. Do yourself a big favor any build a PC