I have a Compaq CQ50 laptop that was originally installed with Vista. Last winter I upgraded to Windows 7 (upgrade install, not fresh) and I want to go back to Vista as I can’t fix the following issues: usb randomly flakes out, HDMI output doesn’t recognize my projector or monitor (it did on Vista), Windows 7 doesn’t auto refresh (requiring F5 hits constantly) and a few other niggles. Others with this laptop have complained of the same, no amount of updating has rectified these issues. I DO NOT have any recovery discs (my bad). However there is a recovery partition. I should be able to hit F11 on startup and restore the computer to factory settings, HP advised me this is only possible if I didn’t change the OS (it only works under Vista). Brilliant. I’m in Korea and don’t wanna pay to have the discs sent to me including shipping and waiting for them, it’s not cheap to send out to this neck of the woods!
How can I load the recovery partition and return it to the factory Vista settings? The recovery drive is D but it doesn’t appear to be active and I can’t access it in Windows 7 (I just get a warning not to tamper with it when I click on it).
Can I revert back to the factory settings without leaving myself DOA from the recovery partition?
Click “Start” and click “Programs.”
Open the “HP System Recovery” program.
Press “OK” to reboot into recovery mode.
Select “Advanced” options and press “Enter” to select the option to perform a “Destructive” recovery. This will automatically reset your computer to factory condition.
http://neosmart.net/blog/2009/windo…
Others here often recommend it, so you should be good.
WAIT!! That’s Windows 7….
Try here:
http://neosmart.net/blog/2008/windo…
(you will probably need to download your drivers for Vista from manufacturer’s site since this is generic and will not have your specific drivers.)
No luck with updating drivers with W7? Giving up?
Well, Good luck. Hope everything works out for you.
You have to be a little bit crazy to keep you from going insane.