(Pardon the length, trying to list all the details and specs).
.
My initial problem is this:
My duaghters pc occasionally freezes up.  After doing numerous scans, I 
couldn't find any viruses, etc. so I decided to wipe the hard drive of 
all the accumulated junk and start with the delivered package.  So, I 
ran a destructive restore using the delivered process on the Compaq pc 
with win xp home sp2.  Partition D contained delivered restore programs 
and files that were used to reformat and restore all original delivered 
software to drive C, effectively giving a clean out-of-box pc, albeit 
about 3 years old.
When the restore finished, it asks if I want to start windows, I click 
yes, it reboots, flashes a screen to wait while windows sets up, then 
the xp screens appear and the screen goes to a blank blue/gray, frozen.  
I reboot into safe mode, then I get a message - 'the system is not fully 
installed, please run setup again'.  I repeat the entire process, same 
error.
The only changes to the delivered pc itself was memory increased from 
512 to 2 gb and a motherboard problem with video that resulted in adding 
a pci video card for video.  We're also using a wireless mouse and 
keyboard and an HP flat panel monitor which replaced the old crt 
screen.  The bios settings point the video to pci, not onboard video and 
the flat panel still gets a signal throughout the process.   No drivers 
have been installed for the flat panel as part of the restore process, 
unless xp did it by itself, and it still displays everything properly 
until it freezes.  Ran a similar process 4 or 5 months ago on an HP of 
similar vintage, no problems, only changes on the other pc were 
additional memory and an added dvd reader.   A web search today 
suggested that a standard crt monitor be used because some flat panels 
affect the reinstall of windows.
I never created a set of recovery disks until just before I tried the 
restore.  A friend suggested that the restore partition might have been 
corrupted over the past 3 years, and the disks might not be any good 
either.  There were no errors displayed when I created the disks, or ran 
the restores, until the windows setup process.
Where do I go from here to complete a working restore?
.
Now I went down a worse path - I had the brainstorm to switch the video 
from pci back to onboard in the bios, and try the process again. (I had 
already attached a crt monitor and repeated the restore process a third 
time witht the same results).   What was I thinking?!?!?   The bios 
change worked perfectly, now I can't view the video either onboard 
(since the onboard video is dead) or via the pci card since I changed 
that to 'off' in the bios.  I can't see anything to get back into bios 
to switch it back!!   I tried to reset the cmos by moving the jumper, 
powering up, shutting down and replacing the jumper, no change.  Compac 
Presario SR1410NX, celeron cpu.  3 pci slots, no AGP slots, no floppy 
drive (I guess I could install one if needed).  PCI network card.  (I 
would have to check to see if that was added or if there was also 
onboard network which went when the video went).  I also swapped the 
video card into a different slot to see if that would trigger anything.  
Still no video.
.
So, #1 is how do I reset the bios without being able to view it?   When 
the motherboard video went, my local repair shop diagnosed the problem 
and installed the video card, and all was well.  Unfortunately, what I 
was charged for a basic unbranded, unlabeled video card was about the 
same as 50 gallons of gas at today's prices... But it was paid for by 
insurance.  This time, it's on me.          
#2 is to get a good restore.
.
Any ideas will be greatly appreciated.
.
Paul Hachmeyer

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