reformatting compaq computer

[OhYouSuck]

i am trying to reformat my g/fs compaq and well it's not cooperating. i've called compaq and the genius i spoke with was all "well maybe the recovery disks are corrupted." i have reformatted (using the "manufacturers menu) 2-3 times now, and everytime, when it finishes, i hit "R" to do a recovery (as it is my only option) and then it always goes to an error similar to the following:

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[EEE]

get a suitable boot disk from someplace like bootdisk.com that has fdisk, format, and cd drivers on it. boot from the floppy then fdisk and format. then do a clean os install with the cd.

 

[KMcCoy33]

I think that would be a good idea to go ahead and try to format the drive first if you haven't already tried that. What operating system are you trying to put back on it?

 

[OhYouSuck]

it had XP and I am trying to put XP back on it. im not exactly sure what I should download from this site, nor am i really sure how I would go about using it. ill look more into i suppose.

 

[KMcCoy33]

Older Compaqs have given me some trouble with reinstalling XP. If you have, or can get, a system CD (not the restore CD), you should probably boot up off it. After you get the system installed, just load the drivers for your network card if it didn't find it automatically. Then go to Compaqs site and just kind of search through all the drivers for your computer to find what Windows didn't during the install. The most complicated driver with Compaqs is usually the sound card cause most had a combo sound/video/modem type card. If you have had XP on it previously, then I am assuming you have the product code for it. If it came with XP and the restore CD isn't working, PM me and I will see if you can download an XP CD image from me to use for a clean install.