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Thread ID: 107350 2010-02-13 01:38:00 windows reinstall trounle smithinator (15240) Press F1
Post ID Timestamp Content User
857953 2010-02-13 09:38:00 Looks like the Arche web site is useless to get specs anyway. Sweep (90)
857954 2010-02-13 09:40:00 I dont think any laptop comes with a full version of windows. There's either a restore cd/dvd or a restore partition (which will let you create a restore cd or dvd) Speedy Gonzales (78)
857955 2010-02-13 09:45:00 well it did come with a product key if that means anything im not sure but it doesnt really matter what it is if its not working lol smithinator (15240)
857956 2010-02-13 09:46:00 Has the CD that came with the laptop got a holograph on it?

There may be a key combination that will allow you to boot off a hidden partition.

I had a so called dead HP desktop a while back with no disks. It would not boot normally but with the right keys pressed it put the unit back to factory.
I used the COA on the case and my ex wife is still using it.
Sweep (90)
857957 2010-02-13 09:52:00 As mentioned earlier on,you need to check to see if the DVD actually will boot in another PC, other wise formatting the drive wont do anything except leave you with a blank drive and a DVD that cant be booted from.

Does the DVD look Something like this (www.mydigitallife.info) - if so its a genuine DVD, If not then it could be a bad burnt DVD from archie.

IF the DVD does read OK in another PC, you may have to copy the DVD and try that one. On the odd occasion , some drives wont read certain DVD's.

Look to see if it does have a recovery partition, easiest way, is usually when you first start the Laptop, for the first few seconds, down the bottom of the screen it may flash press F10 (for example) to load recovery. In fact try pressing F10 on startup, as its the usual key to boot into a recovery partition.

Also if it does have a recovery partition, Linux will have seen it.
wainuitech (129)
857958 2010-02-13 09:56:00 Also if it does have a recovery partition, Linux will have seen it.

Linux could see a file called recovery so the OP said and was wondering if he could click on it.
Sweep (90)
857959 2010-02-13 20:12:00 MSI that makes more sense, you could try f3 to enter recovery. Otherwise you just need to check that disc in another pc radium (8645)
857960 2010-02-13 21:09:00 i cant believe i missed this on this disk it says external recovery media so it looks like its not actually a full version of windows also the disk looks nothing like the one in the picture and it says at the top "for distribution only with a new MSI PC"

i was in ubuntu looking at the recovery partition titled WinRE and inside it is recoverymanager.exe, multipack.exe and imagex.exe plus 8 random looking files is this the recovery thing you mentioned also i looked and there is no recovery option when the laptop starts up

also will running the recovery disk in my win 7 PC be OK because it is my only working computer at this stage so i dont want it to stop working
smithinator (15240)
857961 2010-02-13 21:17:00 Try restarting several times and press successive F keys as it reboots, to find your recovery partition :) feersumendjinn (64)
857962 2010-02-13 21:28:00 i cant keep doing that because every time i do nothing will happen then it will freeze and i have to pull the plug (which i hate doing) then the laptop wont even start for a few hours then it will work fine right up until the freezing. but on the boot screen there is only three options del for bios then two others i cant remember but they definitely aren't recovery smithinator (15240)
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