Hi Mark.
This process varies, depending on the model of laptop, the store that supplied it, and sometimes on what restore method you used to initially make your restore files with (if any).
The store may have given you a restore disc, which you boot the PC with, and that is able to automatically reinstall a copy of your operating system to the state it was when purchased.
###########################################
**WARNING - doing this will usually restore OVER your files :( so if you have anything you want to keep, such as photos, data, music, favourites lists etc., you should find them and copy them off the PC before doing ANY restoration.
###########################################
If possible, backup your data to CD, DVD, memory card, or an external hard drive maybe. Also, for smaller files, you can Email them to yourself ;) and then they are kept safely on the Email server computer (sneaky eh?)
If the PC was not supplied with a restore CD/DVD disc, they may have expected you to create your own, which is a crazy idea as a new user would simply have no idea of how/when/why they are doing that. The fact a shop does not include a 4pence copied restore disc to help a customer is insulting i think.
If your laptop is under warranty, i would go back to the store, and tell hem you need that restore disc. In the UK, you can call a company named TECH GUYS (by name only ;)) and tell them you have a problem. They will usually send a restore disc within 2-3weeks, made especially for your specific model of laptop. They may pretend you can't have the disc, but just indicate the disc you made is corrupted. The restore feature is under the warranty so they should not hold back on giving you a copy. When you have that disc, you can call them back and they will usually happily explain on the phone how to recover your system.
**technical bit of info**
If you have reformatted your hard drive, and maybe deleted or resized partitions on it, you may have lost your restore files, so the disc mentioned above will not be of use :(
If you have lost your restore files, you will need a disc of XP, VISTA, ME, LINUX or whatever you choose to install. The installation for a new thing like that is too much to explain on here though.
If you google Windows Installtion (or something like that), you will find hundreds of websites giving full details on it :)
Good Luck.
Philbert, November 2007
