Formatted HDD of packard bell machine

[worlad]

Hi, I've been playing around with a few linux os's on my first pc a packard bell. I now would like to give this machine to a member of my family,but I'd like my win/xp home reinstalled. The os was already installed so once wiped it I had no disc to reinstall. I had to phone Holland ,order and pay for four discs. I have the discs but the machine refuses to read them.I tried my xp pro only so far, but it was doing the business.Then I wiped the hdd again. Why won't it accept these discs? Has anyone any suggestions?(apart from throw it out the window)

 

[OdiN]

oh god...a packard bell. those things are made with spare toaster parts and rubber bands.

 

[corkyg]

Packard Bell went out of business before XP Home was released. It probably is not adequate to the task. Why not leave Linux on it and give it that way?

 

[xgsound]

This information is from memory, old, and not my personal experience. It was very common to hear complaints about the restore CDs from packard Bell. Thier inventory process to get the proper CDs was a nightmare, and always took numerous tries to get the right discs from them. Even then it appeared to be an accident.

That said, any retail or OEM OS should install, but who wants to pay $$ to fix a Packard Bell to give away? That is the quandry you are left with. Figure out a way to get it running and get that relative into the 21st century.


Jim

 

[worlad]

OdiN, 10 out 10 for making me laugh.

corkyg, I can't use Linux really, so I thought it would be too much for a child. Yes she can still e-mail and use the net so there's something in what you say.

xgsound, I used a tool called Master CD maker I think it's called a P/B invention and d/loaded whatever was on the HDD to four discs and they didn't work either. Anyhow many thanks for replies.

 

[timswim78]

What OS was originally on this machine? are you sure that it is a Packard Bell and not a Hewllett Packard?

 

[worlad]

Hi,
It's a Packard Bell. XP Home

 

[corkyg]

Apparently Packard Bell has been "born again" and is in Business. See about support from them.

PB

 

[timswim78]

Originally posted by: corkyg
Apparently Packard Bell has been "born again" and is in Business. See about support from them.

PB

Wow! Pretty interesting.

OK, the problem could be with how you formatted and partitioned the drive. You'll need to make sure that it is formatted in NTFS or FAT32 and that the partition (there may only be one) that you want to use to install Windows is the Primary partition and is active.

 

[worlad]

Pretty interesting indeed. I've tried so many times to get this thing to take these Master CDs.I downloaded a demo"data recovery" and it tells me Error reading sector # 0 or boot sector invalid. Any suggestions?.I've partioned 20 of a 40 GB MaxtorHD NTFS.

 

[daniel49]

Originally posted by: OdiN
oh god...a packard bell. those things are made with spare toaster parts and rubber bands.

I bought a packard bell in 1996 that is still running strong, However the compaq I bought 2-3 years later is dead and gone.
Only 2 oem machines I ever bought but say what you want the PB is like the energizer bunny just keeps going and going and going...

 

[Markbnj]

Apparently Packard Bell has been "born again" and is in Business. See about support from them.

Let's see... computers at all-time low commoditized prices... check; margins so small you need equipment from Los Alamos to detect them... check; long-dead PC maker with reputation for marginal quality available for a song and a sixpack.... check.

We're in business!

 

[worlad]

We live and learn, but apart from a good laugh, a little technical help would go a long way in guiding me in getting windows back on this machine.

 

[daniel49]

might also look here for some info

http://www.geocities.com/SiliconValley/Lakes/8774/

 

[dclive]

Originally posted by: worlad
Hi, I've been playing around with a few linux os's on my first pc a packard bell. I now would like to give this machine to a member of my family,but I'd like my win/xp home reinstalled. The os was already installed so once wiped it I had no disc to reinstall. I had to phone Holland ,order and pay for four discs. I have the discs but the machine refuses to read them.I tried my xp pro only so far, but it was doing the business.Then I wiped the hdd again. Why won't it accept these discs? Has anyone any suggestions?(apart from throw it out the window)

Purchase another copy of XP Home, or else call PB and get them to help in supporting their product. If the CDs they sent don't work, there's not too much I can think of to do as long as the CD boot order is correct.