Windows xp asking for service pack 1 cd (it came preinstalled)help

[mickalene]

i was having an ntldr problem a few hours ago and now i have another problem. I have HP desktop that came preinstalled with windows xp home edition. The windows license key is on the tower but i have no disc. the computer is asking me for a disc. I only have service pack 2 disc and that does not work. Can i borrow someone elses and get this to work? thanks

 

[Rage_3K_Moiz]

When exactly does it ask for a disc? And what NTLDR problem did u have exactly and how did u fix it? Also, list ur PC specs.

 

[mickalene]

Heres the deal. I opened up my computer the other day and got ntldr missing. ctrl+alt+delete to start. I checked to see if i had a disk in drive. No disk. Hit crt/alt/del same message appeared. I did not want to do hp destructive recovery because i am an ***** and have not backed up any of my stuff. So some said try booting up fromwindows xp cd but my computer did not come with one. Xp came embedded somewhere on the hard drive i am assuming. So i go this bright idea to put my windows xp upgrade cd from other computer in just to see what happens. Well then i get a few options. I tried r for the recovery but that brought me to windows:< and tried numerous things people have suggested but it never got my windows back up and running again. So then i said well i will just enter install on my computer. Thats the pickle i am in now. I am an *****. So now when i start the computer i get a blue screen (the windows install screen) and it ask me to put in win home ed service pack 1 cd into drive (i tried svc pck 2) that didn't work. It reads after install sp1 cd, type the path where the file is located. How can i find out where its located. Its osmewhere on the hard drive i suppose since it came preinstalled. Heres the best i can do on specs (as you can see i am not a computer wizard, i have a little knowledge, better them some, but extremely frightening) But i can explain bone biology very well.
HP pavilion a420n
amd athlon xp 3000+
2166 mhz/333mhz
cache ram 512 kb
1st boot device floppy
2 cd rom
3 hard drive
4 disabled

 

[mickalene]

so now god only knows what i have done. I think i have created a monster. I put the upgrade cd back in the computer and the computer is installing. it asked for the prdct key etc, and i am afraid to see what happens now. HOw bad do you think this willb e? i will letyou know;

 

[Rage_3K_Moiz]

Do so. Report back and tell us about any error messages u have got(if any).

 

[mickalene]

well, it seemed to work. Windows came back up and registered my upgrade cd and all of my stuff was there. Its weird though because my upgrade xp cd is from my old computer i am on now. It takes a really longggggggggggggggggg time to boot up though. It will say starting windows for a good 5 minutes before it actually does anything. Is it possible to have 2 versions of windows installed? it also gives me a logonmenu whichi never had before. It will say log on mickalene and chris and the other will say log on mickalene. I neverhad this before. HOw can i speed up this log on process. And what bad can happen from this. at this pt i am thankful my stuff is all back. I am going to back everything up today and worry about the consequences later. Its all so weird.

 

[Rage_3K_Moiz]

IMO, back up everything and do a complete format of ur hard disk. Then re-install Win XP. That should fix everything. If u don't wanna risk anything and ur PC is still under warranty, give it to HP, maybe they can sort it out. Or better still, wait it out and check to see what others have got to say.

 

[mickalene]

thanks, i just bought a external hard drive today, will be backing everything up will reformat after christmas. thanks so much for the help