My friends laptop has got hideously slow and needs rebuilt but we don't have the recovery disk, can any recovery disk be used ???

Not usually,cd / dvd's tend to be model/manufacturer specific, what type of computer/laptop has he got, it may have a recovery partition already on the hard disk?

Cheers

Rich

Depends upon version of Windows...

XP is dependant between Pro and home (64 and 32bit version) and also I think it gets stroppy if you use a corporate disk with an OEM key.
Vista is dependant 64bit and 32bit - again I think this is stroppy if you try to use a corporate disk with an OEM key.
Windows 7 - not done any rebuilds yet

Also as a side note with Vista OEM disks, you can use a Dell disk in a HP but the pre-coded key won't work. You can then change the key to the HP one and it will register. Had this the other day. (HP and Dell are used as examples here)

Mark

[Edited on 21/11/09 by Paradoxia0]

Its a Toshiba Satellite M30X-111

Running xp home edition.. we have the sticker on the underneath with the key..

It should have a hidden recover partition that you can activate at boot up.

found on the web
quote


""To access the Toshiba recovery partition, power off the laptop. Hold down the 0 (zero) key and turn the laptop on. Keep holding down the zero key until the TOSHIBA logo appears, where you should start tapping the zero key repeatedly. Stop if the unit beeps or when the TOSHIBA logo disappears. The screen should flash ** HDD RECOVERY MODE ** for a split second, then load the Toshiba recovery program right from the hard drive.

Note that this erases all data, and reloads all factory default software. Be sure to back up all your important personal data beforehand!


Tanarus Asamiya
ConnectPro Computer Technician @ Future Shop #615: Orangeville, Ontario"

hi guys thanks for the help we can get the toshiba screen and beeps but no hdd recovery screen only setup or safemode options....

before you go down the recovery option, your machine may have slowed down due to spyware.

download, update and run spybot search and destry..

you will be surprised what gets on there

www.spybot.de

suggest you download from safer networking site

quote:

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Originally posted by macspeedy
hi guys thanks for the help we can get the toshiba screen and beeps but no hdd recovery screen only setup or safemode options....

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quote:

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Originally posted by britishtrident
found on the web
quote


""To access the Toshiba recovery partition, power off the laptop. Hold down the 0 (zero) key and turn the laptop on. Keep holding down the zero key until the TOSHIBA logo appears, where you should start tapping the zero key repeatedly. Stop if the unit beeps or when the TOSHIBA logo disappears. The screen should flash ** HDD RECOVERY MODE ** for a split second, then load the Toshiba recovery program right from the hard drive.

Note that this erases all data, and reloads all factory default software. Be sure to back up all your important personal data beforehand!


Tanarus Asamiya
ConnectPro Computer Technician @ Future Shop #615: Orangeville, Ontario"

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quote:

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Originally posted by AR-CoolC
Is there an equivilent for an HP (pavilion) desktop where you found that? Running Windows XP home.

I have the exact same problem as the OP.

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Cool thanks for that.