New Compaq missing WinXP CD?

[alm4rr]

Hi

An organization I work with from time to time purchased a new compaq system (don't look at me )
from costco - but there was no XP os install CD in the box. of course it was presinstalled, so it was already on there.. but no CD!


costco said they didnt know about it, and just to bring the box and everything REpacked into the store.... well the Exec said "heck no" and nothing has happened since....



Anyone else buy a Compaq system from costco and have this problem? Do you think MS can help out at all?

Thx

 

[bacillus]

I suspect you'll find that there is a hidden restore partition on the hard drive. It seems that most big OEMs are now not giving you the XP CD but instead they supply you with the hidden restore partition. It's a question of cost I suppose!

 

[alm4rr]

Thx for the quick reply

Is there anyway to burn the data to a bootable CD from this partition?
Lose the drive = lose the partition!!


Also, is it a boot function? How would I access this partition (is it hidden)?
Thx

 

[patsfan33]

I believe rebooting and holding down the F10 key will restore the OS and all originalsoftware(including the pre-installed bloatware). Dell and HP have a similiar lack of XP CD, although you do get a license for XP.

 

[Sunbird]

Well, you can use any XP CD the organisation has already, and just type in the authentication number from the license sticker stuck on the case if you go the hard-drive-went-and-this-is-a-new-one route.

 

[Zepper]

M$ frowns on OEMs providing a CD (other than a restore-type CD, which I think you can buy from Compaq if you want one) with machines any more. That's another reason I have nothing to do with XP. You should be able to copy the restore partition to a CD. And you can DL a set of boot floppies from M$ to use to help with a restore.
.bh.

 

[sonoma1993]

last year my grandpa bought a new hp computer, it didnt come with a restore cd, but i was checking his computer out, on there it had a program that burn the restore cd for you. so yeah we had to make him his restore cd from the hp restore software, once we made the restore cd, i guess we couldnt make any more of them the way hp had it setup. so check on your computer, maybe compaq wants you to make your own restore cd from the software preinstall on there.

 

[PingSpike]

This is an utterly retarded practice. Its one of the reasons I still cling to windows 2K.

 

[bacillus]

Originally posted by: PingSpike
This is an utterly retarded practice. Its one of the reasons I still cling to windows 2K.

I don't think it has anything to do with which version of Windows you're using but instead is more to do with costs for the OEM supplier.

 

[piasabird]

I have seen a few people complain the the hidden restore partition is useless and will not work. When a hard drive gives up you cant access some stupid partition anyway. I guess you are stuck if that happens.

 

[Jeff7]

Originally posted by: bacillus

Originally posted by: PingSpike
This is an utterly retarded practice. Its one of the reasons I still cling to windows 2K.

I don't think it has anything to do with which version of Windows you're using but instead is more to do with costs for the OEM supplier.

Yeah, this has been done for awhile. I worked on someone's PC that had the horrible Windows Millenium Edition on it. We searched a long time for a restore disc or a WinME CD. Nope. I finally found the order form. All the other software said (CD) after the listing. WinMe said (installed), but said nothing of a CD. And that was what they said from the start, but I was in disbelief that a PC would ship without an OS disc. It still astonishes me.
It has a happy ending - they are now proud owners of a real copy of WinXP Home. We did a little trade though. I just don't know what I can do with a WinME license. Maybe call an exorcist?

 

[Sunbird]

Originally posted by: Sunbird
Well, you can use any XP CD the organisation has already, and just type in the authentication number from the license sticker stuck on the case if you go the hard-drive-went-and-this-is-a-new-one route.

No your not stuck, just do what I already said, and use any old XP CD just with the right code

 

[PingSpike]

Originally posted by: bacillus

Originally posted by: PingSpike
This is an utterly retarded practice. Its one of the reasons I still cling to windows 2K.

I don't think it has anything to do with which version of Windows you're using but instead is more to do with costs for the OEM supplier.

I don't buy the costs arguement myself. What does a CD cost? 50 cents? You're already paying for the OEM license, so there should only be the cost of the physical media to save on...which cannot amount to much of anything.

 

[bendixG15]

Dumb question .........Duh
Why don't you Call Compaq customer service and talk to them ?????

 

[Zepper]

Just any old XP CD won't work either, it will have to be an OEM CD to work with an OEM Product Key. Besides, just any old XP CD won't have any custom drivers slipstreamed...
.bh.

 

[alm4rr]

Originally posted by: bendixG15
Dumb question .........Duh
Why don't you Call Compaq customer service and talk to them ?????

I told her to, but she apparently has been frustrated by costco and stopped doing anything about it



Thanks for the info fellas - next time I'm there, I'll dbl check the computer and see if there's anything on there