Where are my CD's?!

[Roy Smith]

Hi,

"dparks" <daveparks_00@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:4e4f3cf9.0307011139.fe20c27@posting.google.com...
| I just picked up a new HP Media Center 854n, and while everything ran
| fine right out of the box, I'd like the ability to re-install the
| software I just paid for should anything ever get hosed on my new
| system. So where are the software CD's or even system restore CD?


You do have that ability. Microsoft's licensing agreement specifies that
the PC maker provide a way to restore the system either through restore
CD's, or through a hidden partition on the hard drive. HP has chosen to go
the hidden partition route of providing the system restore software for
their line of PCs. You can get to the restore software by repeatedly
pressing F10 when the PC is first turned on.

NOTICE!!!!

Beware of installing any boot loaders, software to allow you to have
multiple operating systems on your PC, as they will overwrite the MBR
(Master Boot Record) and trash the built-in system restore capabilities of
your PC.

[GMAN]

In article <vg5vednvtsmqc4@corp.supernews.com>, "Roy Smith" <rasmith1959@charter.net> wrote:Hi,"dparks" <daveparks_00@hotmail.com> wrote in messagenews:4e4f3cf9.0307011139.fe20c27@posting.google.com...| I just picked up a new HP Media Center 854n, and while everything ran| fine right out of the box, I'd like the ability to re-install the| software I just paid for should anything ever get hosed on my new| system. So where are the software CD's or even system restore CD?You do have that ability. Microsoft's licensing agreement specifies thatthe PC maker provide a way to restore the system either through restoreCD's, or through a hidden partition on the hard drive. HP has chosen to gothe hidden partition route of providing the system restore software fortheir line of PCs. You can get to the restore software by repeatedlypressing F10 when the PC is first turned on.NOTICE!!!!Beware of installing any boot loaders, software to allow you to havemultiple operating systems on your PC, as they will overwrite the MBR(Master Boot Record) and trash the built-in system restore capabilities ofyour PC.
Cheap bastards!!! What would it have cost them to include them. All of 50
cents?

[Ben Myers]

Glen,

Yes, cheap! And par for the course in the 21st century. It's not just HP that
cuts corners here. All of them do it: IBM, Dell, Gateway, eMachines, etc.

If they save 50 cents across a million computers, that's a cool $500,000 cost
saving. Wow! Now figure that maybe 1000 people figure out that they can get a
CD set for free. Maybe it costs $25 (time of people spent on the phone,
sticking labels on mailers, postage) to process and mail out the CDs, so the
savings are down to only $475,000.

Now if, just if, we can get a million people to phone up and request the CDs to
which they are entitled, it would then cost HP $25,000,000. Oops! There go the
savings. Spread the word, not just to owners of HP boxes, but any owner of any
name-brand computer to request the operating system CDs... Ben Myers

On Fri, 04 Jul 2003 01:30:36 GMT, glenzabr@xmission.com (GMAN) wrote:
In article <vg5vednvtsmqc4@corp.supernews.com>, "Roy Smith" <rasmith1959@charter.net> wrote:Hi,"dparks" <daveparks_00@hotmail.com> wrote in messagenews:4e4f3cf9.0307011139.fe20c27@posting.google.com...| I just picked up a new HP Media Center 854n, and while everything ran| fine right out of the box, I'd like the ability to re-install the| software I just paid for should anything ever get hosed on my new| system. So where are the software CD's or even system restore CD?You do have that ability. Microsoft's licensing agreement specifies thatthe PC maker provide a way to restore the system either through restoreCD's, or through a hidden partition on the hard drive. HP has chosen to gothe hidden partition route of providing the system restore software fortheir line of PCs. You can get to the restore software by repeatedlypressing F10 when the PC is first turned on.NOTICE!!!!Beware of installing any boot loaders, software to allow you to havemultiple operating systems on your PC, as they will overwrite the MBR(Master Boot Record) and trash the built-in system restore capabilities ofyour PC.Cheap bastards!!! What would it have cost them to include them. All of 50cents?

[Anna]

ben_myers_spam_me_not@charter.net (Ben Myers) wrote in message news:<3f04f33b.4528452@news.charter.net>...
What would it have cost them to include them. All of 50cents?

Does anyone know how this works in the UK? I would like some backup
CD's. I have had too many hard drives fail to place much reliance on
only pre-installed software, especially as my new machine seems a bit
unstable.

Do I ring the helpline number? Is there an email address where you
can contact HP in the UK? [Yes I have been to the website but I can't
find an email address.]

Hope someone can help.

[Anna]

amad81@ukgateway.net (Anna) wrote in message news:<74f7b4e5.0307300249.1823b782@posting.google.com>...
Does anyone know how this works in the UK?

To answer my own question in case anyone searches for
this topic at a later date:

A few emails and a phone call later I have the CDs
in my possession and I feel a *lot* happier!

A.