Thank you for being a valued part of the CNET community. As of December 1, 2020, the forums are in read-only format. In early 2021, CNET Forums will no longer be available. We are grateful for the participation and advice you have provided to one another over the years.

Thanks,

CNET Support

General discussion

Question we recently got a new hard drive

Dec 18, 2010 4:04PM PST

because the old one was bad. It died. Windows wouldn't even load anymore. We installed the new one. Well my brother did. The problem is that it shows as 48.8 GB when it should actually be a 500 GB hard drive. It is a Seagate Baracuda 7200 RPM. Another problem we are facing is my brother had to take the computer back to factory settings. The HP invent screen comes up and does nothing and then when you ctrl alt delete it takes you to the desktop but a box is up and it stops at 36%. Is there anyway around this? Or anyway for it to notice the hard drive and get it back to factory settings?

I have a another question my brother's friend has a Windows disk could we use his Windows disk to install Windows with our OEM license? Thank you.

Discussion is locked

- Collapse -
Just above where you clicked the Submit ....
Dec 19, 2010 2:59AM PST

button to submit your post was a note in red text. This note reads:

Please read before posting

If you're asking for technical help, please be sure to include all your system info, including operating system, model number, and any other specifics related to the problem. Also please exercise your best judgment when posting in the forums--revealing personal information such as your e-mail address, telephone number, and address is not recommended.

Please look at your post and see ALL the info you left out. Even though this is the Vista Forum it is only an ASSumption that your OS is Vista and no mention of SP level or 32 bit or 64 bit or basic, home, pro, or ultimate and we don't even know your computer's speck, manufacturer nor model.

Regarding the question about using your brother's friend's disk, if it is retail or upgrade, or different version - NO! If it is OEM and same version the answer is maybe.

- Collapse -
Re: new hard drive
Dec 19, 2010 3:08AM PST

Where exactly does it show 48.8 GB? The only 2 places that are right are BIOS setup and Disk Management. (My) Computer and Windows Explorer only show partitions, not drives.

And how did your brother take the computer back to factory settings? From a disk? Or from the defective hard disk?
It seems it wasn't a success. How far did he come? What is the HP invent screen? What's in the box that comes up and counts to 36%?

Kees

- Collapse -
My brother was messing with the computer for a couple days
Dec 20, 2010 6:30AM PST

He did it through the hard disk (I wasn't up for that), but the problem with Windows not loading is not the disk. After I downloaded a game from a game I bought a couple months ago. I redownloaded it from my online storage and then played the game. I restarted the computer and Windows would not load. So it isn't the hard disk. My brother thinks there are a couple problems with this computer. In the bios the diagnostics on the processor pass, but on the disk with the computer it fails.