Free OS?

Fingers Mcginty

Hi Folks,
My notebook (packard bell dot) suffered a virus so I decided to restore the operating system but the battery died when it was half done so now I have no operating system. There is no CD in the netbook so I got onto packard bell who told me I'd have to buy an external cd drive and then pay them 70 Sterling for the recovery CD's. That ain't happening...no mon no fun. Is there anything I can do at all? Is there a free opoerating sytsem I could download onto USB and try and get it to boot from USB? Any ideas folks would be greatly appreciated.

bonzodog2

There's a tool called YUMI at http://www.pendrivelinux.com/downloads/YUMI/YUMI-2.0.0.0.exe that allows you to boot a selection of OSs from a USB key. I boot a Linux OS on a laptop with this.
I think the PB Dot allows this, but I don't have one and there are several models.

Maybe one of the Linux distributions would suit you, like Mint or Ubuntu.

If you have any files you need, this won't alter the hard disk.
There's a Linux forum on boards here

bonzodog2

Maybe you can start the restore process again, while plugged into mains power? If its restoring from a recovery partition, this should work.

hearny

As suggested you could use some of the free linux versions available.

You have 2 more options, you can either

1. Attempt to restore windows from the recovery partition see instructions below
2. Download the iso for your version of windows and reinstall it (the link in one of the posts above to YUMI will allow you to put the installer on a USB stick)


If you want to try the recovery partition (this is from the manual for the Packard Bell Dot). Make Sure the Laptop is Plugged in.

Recovering from the hard drive during startup
To reinstall Windows and all pre-installed software and drivers:
1. Turn on your computer, then press Alt+F10 during startup. Packard Bell Recovery Management opens.
2. Click on Restore system from factory default.
Caution: Continuing the process will erase all files on your hard drive.
3. Click on Next. Your hard drive’s original, factory-loaded contents are recovered. This process will take several minutes.

Fingers Mcginty

hearny wrote: »

As suggested you could use some of the free linux versions available.

You have 2 more options, you can either

1. Attempt to restore windows from the recovery partition see instructions below
2. Download the iso for your version of windows and reinstall it (the link in one of the posts above to YUMI will allow you to put the installer on a USB stick)


If you want to try the recovery partition (this is from the manual for the Packard Bell Dot). Make Sure the Laptop is Plugged in.

Recovering from the hard drive during startup
To reinstall Windows and all pre-installed software and drivers:
1. Turn on your computer, then press Alt+F10 during startup. Packard Bell Recovery Management opens.
2. Click on Restore system from factory default.
Caution: Continuing the process will erase all files on your hard drive.
3. Click on Next. Your hard drive’s original, factory-loaded contents are recovered. This process will take several minutes.

I'll try that

Fingers Mcginty

ubuntu installed....I'm a happy camper. Thanks lads

riclad

And linux is faster and more secure than windows on a
netbook.
I think theres a legal site where you can download windows os iso,s and use the license key on the netbook case to install it.
theres not many virus,s on linux at the moment.

Fingers Mcginty

riclad wrote: »

And linux is faster and more secure than windows on a
netbook.
I think theres a legal site where you can download windows os iso,s and use the license key on the netbook case to install it.
theres not many virus,s on linux at the moment.

Very impressed so far!

STEINBERG

Linux Mint,, try it it is a great OS