Looking for Recovery Discs?

HP recovery discs can be used to return a computer's software configuration to its original condition. HP provides a recovery solution on the hard drive, but it is still a good idea to keep recovery discs stored in a safe place in the event of a hard drive failure. Use the sections in this document to obtain a recovery solution that works best for you.

You may not need recovery discs to recover the software on your computer. HP provides a recovery solution on a separate area of the hard drive. If the hard drive is still functional, you can still perform an HP system recovery from the hard drive as long as the recovery information has not been destroyed or corrupted.

To do a software recovery from the hard drive, turn on the computer and repeatedly press the F11 key until "Windows is loading files..." displays on the screen. If your computer originally came with Windows XP or earlier, press F10 to enter recovery instead of F11.

Did you know that HP retail computers can create a set of recovery discs or can install a recovery solution to an external USB storage device?

The advantages to creating recovery discs from your computer are: they are less costly than ordering, can be created faster than the time it takes to have them shipped, and the discs you create usually recover software faster than other types of recovery discs for your computer. However, due to software licensing, only one set of recovery discs can be created.

If your computer can open Windows, use HP Recovery Media Creator software from the Windows Start menu to create one set of recovery discs. For more information on how to burn your own set of recovery discs, see Creating Recovery Discs or Saving a Recovery Image to a USB Flash Drive .

If you cannot create a set of recovery discs, you might be able to order a set of replacement discs from HP. HP maintains an inventory of replacement recovery discs for several years after the product has been released. However, because of licensing restrictions, HP is only able to provide these recovery discs for a limited time. If the computer is several years past its warranty period, HP might not be able to supply replacement discs for your computer. If this is the case, you can install a new operating system that meets the minimum system requirements of your computer, or, alternatively, upgrade your computer hardware.

If you are in Asia and Oceania, you can check whether HP has recovery discs for order by using the following steps:

If you cannot order a recovery disc set from HP, try another section.

If HP no longer provides recovery discs for your model of computer and a recovery disc cannot be created, you might find a solution outside of HP.

Popular online auction sites and computer part suppliers might have an original recovery disc part in stock. However, be careful and understand the risks when purchasing recovery discs from any source outside of HP. Beware of sites that offer recovery solutions when they are not affiliated with HP.

Even though HP might not have a recovery disc set available for purchase, search the HP part ordering Web site to find the recovery kit part number that matches your computer. Once you find the part number of the recovery disc, use the number in your searches to get better results.

If you cannot order a recovery disc set from HP or you cannot create a usable set from your computer, contact HP Customer Care . HP Customer Care may be able to send out new discs or replace defective versions depending on your situation and availability.