Help needed - trying to create a recovery disc

Dollardog

I am absolutely clueless when it comes to technology, so really need some help please.
I've bought a laptop from a friend, but it hasn't got an operating system on it.
I was going to try to copy the operating system from my pc as I don't have the original discs. Although there is a recovery partition on my hard drive, I also don't have any recovery discs. So I thought I would use the backup program of Windows XP, to backup everything on my computer and create a recovery disc.
There is a backup partition on my hard drive, drive , it has a free space of 66.8GB.
Drive C:, my Boot drive has used space of 29.5GB, so I thought it should fit easily on the backup drive.
It asked me where I wanted to backup to and I put Drive and it says it will ask me for floppies to make a recovry disc, obviously I haven't got a floppy drive, so put a RW DVD in one of the drives but its not doing the back up, it comes up with the following error report:-

Backup Status
Operation: Backup
Active backup destination: File
Media name: "Backup.bkf created 12/05/2010 at 23:45"
Backup Status
The files for the recovery diskette could not be created. The operation was aborted.

---

The operation did not successfully complete.

Can someone please tell me what I am doing wrong?

TIA

closed

Does the new one have a recovery partition? Does it have a windows COA sticker with a serial no?

Unless the hardware is very similar, the method you are using is unlikely to work, and then you have windows licensing issues to resolve.

Dollardog

Thanks for replying so fast. I don't know what its got, when I switch it on all I get is a flashing cursor, the laptop as far as I know has been wiped. There is a sticker underneath saying Windows XP Home edition and I guess, the product key.

It belonged to my friend's husband who died. He had wiped it as he was going to sell it.

closed

What model is it

Do you know anyone who may have a windows xp cd?

Dollardog

closed wrote: »

Does the new one have a recovery partition? Does it have a windows COA sticker with a serial no?

Unless the hardware is very similar, the method you are using is unlikely to work, and then you have windows licensing issues to resolve.

How can I get an operating system onto it then?

Also, do you know why the backup didn't want to make a recovery disc and back up my pc?

Dollardog

closed wrote: »

What model is it

Its a Compaq EVO N1000

Its also got a Windows XP sticker inside

Dollardog

closed wrote: »

What model is it

Do you know anyone who may have a windows xp cd?

No, I don't think I do know anyone with a Windows cd, the person whose laptop it was, more than likely had one, as they used to fix pc's and laptops but they are not here anymore to ask.

closed

Anyone at work, IT department?

Dollardog

No, I work for myself.

I could try asking the IT department of a company I do some work for, they might have one perhaps.

closed

Try booting, and holding down

0 (zero)

if that doesn't work

F10
F8

Yes provided it's the same type, home not pro etc.

Does the bios screen splash up btw? If not, hold down the power button for 10 seconds first

Dollardog

If I managed to get a disc, would I just be able to load it and type in the number on the sticker underneath it? Would that solve the licence problem too?