I have recently started having display problems with my HP ze5500; up til then, it's been great. Now the display is getting really squirrelly. Have tried all of the suggestions from HP tech support. Before they will pick up for repair, they want me to do a system restore.

First they said, all my data had to be backed up or on a separate partition. Moved all apps other than OS to a separate partition. Specific instructions were given ... "Advanced button, etc.". Now, they are saying I will lose everything on the laptop when I do a restore, even separate partitions. The extra problem now is the machine says "no OS found", so I can't get in and backup anything. Can anyone out there help me?? Feel free to email me at snewsome@com.edu or csnewsome@houston.rr.com.

Thanks in advance.

Hi ,what did you use to create the seperate partition ,moving apps to another partion doesent help as the app would only have to be reinstall anyway .
If you created a partition seperate from the one that had the OS on it with third party software ,and move important data to that partition ,running the system restore disk should not affect that partition I wouldn't think . it should just format and restore to the 1st partition!
Oh yeah ,HP tech are just reading from a book .i know i trained to be one ,but quit after a few days ,good thing to as EDS lost the HP acct to some foregin country anyway .

Thanks for responding. After purchasing the laptop, I created two partitions with Partition Magic. Partition E contains non-OS applications and work data; partition F contains storage and some unfinished video work. I'm concerned now that since the "no OS found" message appears, if I have lost the partition markers, or would it be safe to continue with the restore?

Ill go out on a limb and say continue ,it shouldn't bother the other partition ,i don't use partition magic or a system restore disk ,but have two partition and format and reload the os on the first partition all the time ,
try this to be sure that the partition excist .get a win98 boot sik and boot computer and do a DIR f:\ and make sure that the files are there . you can DIR all partition to see what remains .
if you don't have a win98 boot disk get one at HERE it is the one with no ram disk so you won't have to worry about the drive letter change .

I wish I had some good news. It won't boot with the floppy, it tells me to remove the disk and continue.

Oh Well ! I live on the edge and im not responsible for my comments ,but i would bite the bulled and run the Recovery !! now thats just me ,im not saying do it just saing i would .

It then gives me an error... "check cable?". I guess I'm screwed, eh?

what happens when you boot to the recovery cd

Brings a screen up ... "Quick Restore" with a selection of languages; and a warning that this action will completely reformat my hard drive

ok,I have formated quite a few hardrive and a few with a system restore disk ,but don't remember if they had other partitions ,actuall they did have a small 8 meg partition something to do with the recovery .but like i said before a regular install only formats the first partition ,and leaves my backup partition ..