Most times Compaq almost seem to own the PC with their partition and added extras.

If you do not, and cannot get your drivers for your PC, and wish to install another OS, you can. Without going through the internet to first find all your drivers, and then download them. You have them!

Make sure you burn the recovery partition to a DVD or what is recommended.

Install your OWN OS with a clean format. Allow XP to boot. Go to the devices and look for all those yellow flags that are saying they need drivers. Right click->update driver->put in your compaq recovery disk->drivers will install. ALL of them.

You are not owned by any PC manufacturer.

I hope this helps anyone who did not know this.

Be Happy!
~Ana

Nice! Thats good to know for next time I get a compaq, or any factory built PC (I wonder how many of them have that sort of thing?).
Now if only Compaq could use a proper bios, I hate how in Compaq's bios you can't choose the boot order, you can only disable things in the boot order (so you have to disable the HDD, then reenable it if you want the system to boot off the HDD).

/end random rant :P

Nice tip Orphelia :thumbs:

This also applies to Emachines and Acer computers (haven't tried any others)

Originally Posted by adb22791

Nice! Thats good to know for next time I get a compaq, or any factory built PC (I wonder how many of them have that sort of thing?).
Now if only Compaq could use a proper bios, I hate how in Compaq's bios you can't choose the boot order, you can only disable things in the boot order (so you have to disable the HDD, then reenable it if you want the system to boot off the HDD).

/end random rant :P

Not any more..........you can now set the boot order...well, I can, so I presume they have changed things a little. Currently HP have been doing a lot of surveys re their products, software and support.......

Originally Posted by Vidster

Nice tip Orphelia :thumbs:

This also applies to Emachines and Acer computers (haven't tried any others)

Thank you Vidster. I had tried it with Acer, and it works, but Compaq have a very bad reputation for holding onto PC's as if they are their property.

This was also done on an Athlon....so it works for the Intel and Athlon.

Originally Posted by Orphelia

Most times Compaq almost seem to own the PC with their partition and added extras.

If you do not, and cannot get your drivers for your PC, and wish to install another OS, you can. Without going through the internet to first find all your drivers, and then download them. You have them!

Make sure you burn the recovery partition to a DVD or what is recommended.

Install your OWN OS with a clean format. Allow XP to boot. Go to the devices and look for all those yellow flags that are saying they need drivers. Right click->update driver->put in your compaq recovery disk->drivers will install. ALL of them.

You are not owned by any PC manufacturer.

I hope this helps anyone who did not know this.



Be Happy!
~Ana

Good point, my techie told me that way to install mobo drivers. It does appear to be a little known fact that Device manager can pick a driver from a CD or DVD and install them for you

Originally Posted by Orphelia

Not any more..........you can now set the boot order...well, I can, so I presume they have changed things a little. Currently HP have been doing a lot of surveys re their products, software and support.......

About time! I wonder if I can bios flash this thing and allow it to set the boot order... that would be nice.

Originally Posted by adb22791

About time! I wonder if I can bios flash this thing and allow it to set the boot order... that would be nice.

How long have you had that PC Alex? I have only recently purchased this one........within weeks.......and it is very up to date...
I also found tech support very good on the phone......:takecall:

Originally Posted by T_D_D

Good point, my techie told me that way to install mobo drivers. It does appear to be a little known fact that Device manager can pick a driver from a CD or DVD and install them for you

Hey Tuatha! I missed you.

Yes, the device manager searches their CD and just throws the drivers all in within a minute..........reboot and voila`...it does seem to be little known, and that's why I wanted to post it. The internet it full of complaints about people being unable to take control of a Compaq PC. There need not be this problem........

Tuatha? How do you like the Athlon compared to Intel? I own one of each, and using Photoshop proves Athlon a winner........much faster.....smoother.....a new experience, and at one time I never would have looked at AMD, so I am curious about yours..........

Well I have always had AMD, my machine is custom built so I started with an Athlon XP 1600+ then a 2200+ then with an eye to Vista a major upgrade of MoBo ( ready for Athlone FX ) with an Athlon 64 3200+ and dual graphics. Very fast, smooth a delight to work with, can handle anything, I am just in the process of getting another graphics card and going dual. My techi has just told me of a Athlon FX processor, but at £400 I'm going to have to save up, roll on next christmas