Help - Packard Bell fails to repair then only desktop background.

[superkev]

Hii
Friends Two year old Packard Bell iXtreme i5622 (i3 Win7 home premium 640G HD) fails to start and tried to do a repair the finishes on just the desktop background with no Icons, no ctl-alt-del - no win key but mouse cursor moves.

Removed HD to another PC and this checked OK. It has 2 partitions one accessible and the main one containing a fairly recent disk image and all the data.
Copied data and image to a USB memory stick.
Replaced HD and using F8 tried safe mode and "restore to last good setting with same result"
Packard Bell dont provide a Windows disk so tried using F11 to get back to as built but no change
Tried reseting Bios to default

Anyone any suggestions?

Thoughts are
How can I restore the image for the USB assuming the image is its OK.
Buy a new Win7 disk and replace HD as a precaution.
Throw it in the skip (current favourite) - I hate manufauturers who dont supply disks or on-line manuals.

Thanks in advance
Kev

 

[phil22]

I hate manufauturers who dont supply disks

Don't blame the manufacturer's. They are all the same in that respect. They can't supply what they don't have.
Microsoft does not let them have any Windows discs which is why they put a recovery partition on the hard drive.
They also supply an application to create a set of recovery discs which you are supposed to make when the PC is working okay.

If the owner doesn't bother to make the recovery discs, it's not the manufacturer's fault.

The PC should have a method of restoring the factory image from the hard drive at boot time. It's usually on a hidden partition and that's where the recovery program will look for it. It won't be able to find it on a USB drive.

 

[superkev]

Thanks for reply
Ive going to give it back to my friend as it looks difficult and time coonsuming to restore when I can only read whats onm the HD by inserting it in my disc caddy. Got all the dat for her so not all bad.
Perhaps there is a way using a bootable USB or old windows disc.

Sorry for duplicate post as I though first one hadnt sent.
Thanks

Kev