Hello, I'm new to the Forum and joined because of this problem. I have an older HP Pavilion running XP Home edition SP2. I was having alot of problems with speed, too many junk files, etc., so I decided to do a system recovery to restore the computer to fresh, out of the box conditions. I did this and proceeded to re-install programs and do Windows update. Windows update would not work. After not finding a solution I decided to do the System Recovery again. This time it worked and I was able to do the Windows update. Started having certain hardware problem. Scanner would not initialize although listed in Device Manager as working and software installed. Windows update started to install SP2 but stalled about 1/2 way through. Sysinfo lists XP SP2 as operating system. Should I uninstall SP2?

Also started getting error messages indicating problems with Digital Product ID when trying to open various apps. I decided to do a full, re-format system recovery but wanted the Recovery Disks from HP. After much going back and forth with HP I finally got the Recovery Disks on DVD. When I tried to do the Recovery I got the message that the files and DVD are not recognized by the computer. I checked the BIOS. Both BIOS and Windows recognize the DVD writer but I cannot find an option in BIOS to make the drive the primary boot drive, only the original CD drive that came originally with the computer. HP say they do not have the Recovery Disks on cd. Does anyone have any ideas? I want the disks as backup because I think the Recovery files on the hard drive might be corrupted.

Hi and welcome to PCHF!

Have you tried running the Recovery DVD from Windows instead of booting from it? Other than that, if your BIOS can read the DVD Drive, then it should be able to boot from it. I'll mark this as [Open] too so that the Tech Team and other members know to check this out and give some input if they have some advice to add on to mine.

Regards,
Adam

Please post your system specs.
Click on User CP
Slide down to Edit Options

You can click on the Belarc link in my signature.
Download/run the scan (it's FREE).
It will give you the specs on your computer.

Adam, thanks for the hint. Do I just put in the Disk and run it from explorer? Autorun isn't working.

Klatu Barad Nikto - I've always wanted to say that in some context - I have a Pavilion 523n running Windows XP with an AMD Athlon 2200+ 1.80 Ghz and 2GB of ram.

jeryo, please put your system specs where I indicated. Not on the posting.
That way you won't have to enter it for every thread you create.

Yes, try just runnign it from explorer.

Adam, thanks. Will try that and post back the results.

Gandolf, like I said in my first post, I'm new here and am not familiar with the ins and outs of the proper etiquette. I went to the User Control Panel, once I figured out what cp was. I entered the profile edit and did not see a place to enter the information. Could you advise where exactly computer information goes? Perhaps this can become a learning experience about the right and wrong to do things for others as well. We newbies do not always know these things from the beginning.