I know...

I also recommend this software called DeepFreeze by Faronics... especially if you've got curious kids...

Basically if you want to set up the computer and forget it... you or others mess it up, just hit the power button or shut it down, when it reboots, it's back to like it never even happened!

Downside is you have to "unfreeze" the computer in order to add any software, then you have to freeze it again.

The other downside is that you must rely on a USB stick for storing all your files because once the computer is powered off, it wipes it's slate, and any documents you had sitting on the desktop are now lost in the abyss.

 

With HP/Compaq, a "destructive" system recovery is a clean install. You can do either a destructive or nondestructive using the article that I linked.

 

So if I do the Non destructive system recovery what will i loose? I have music, pics and documents on an external hard drive. Will I have to re download all the programs, antivirus, etc?

 

The system recoveries I've done. I've never lost Folders and files. It just usually cleans the system registry and get rid of conflicts.

 

Thanks for all the input, I went to do the system restore and when i clicked for it to start a notification came up that said there was not enough space on a disc...any idea what to do now?

 

You sound like the perfect candidate for a MAC.

 

Ok first disconnect your external HD that way there is no way you can screw it up. Now I would try a system restore, if that doesn't work then try a non destructive system recovery, if that don't work then Find a windows disk format the C drive and re install.

 

yeah dude...workin on that one.

 

Thanks!

 

Did it say there wasn't enough space on disk C: ?

 

If the C drive is close to full, get rid of some stuff.

 

C drive has 53.9GB free of 140GB. Get rid of some stuff?

 

I just tried it again and it said there was not enough space on my disc (0x80070070)

Any Idea what the hell that means?

 

maybe your trying to do the recovery on the recovery partition..... and not the main partition