How to Return a Compaq to the Manufacturer Settings
- 1). Attach an external hard drive to your Compaq PC and back up all of your personal data. The restore process will destroy all data on the hard drive.
- 2). Insert the restore CD that came with your Compaq computer. If you do not have the restore CD you can order one directly from Hewlett Packard. The restore CD comes as a set, with the restore CD and the operating system CD.
- 3). Turn off the computer and allow it to shut down completely. Push the power button and restart the computer.
- 4). Watch for the message saying "Press any key to boot from CD." Press a key to boot from the restore CD.
- 5). Hit the "Enter" key when the computer boots. Choose "Yes" to format the computer's hard drive and reload all system files.
- 6). Insert the operating system CD when prompted. Press "Enter" to continue loading the operating system CD. Enter the license key for the operating system when prompted. This license key is located on a small label on the top or side of the computer case.
- 7). Restart the computer when the restore process is complete. Log on to the Windows Update site at Windowsupdate.com and download any service packs and updates that were released after the restore CD was created.
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