HELP! How to remove Windows Server immediately?

Hey guys,

I hope you don't think I'm ignoring all the advice. Truth is, I'm overwhelmed by so many options.

My instructor finally recommended that I bring the cpu tower to campus and let the technician fix it. Well, I emailed the technician, and I'm going to make an appointment to meet with him. I'm going to bring my cpu to him but I'm not going to drop it off. I want him to show me how to do it. I want to learn. So, I hope some time next week we can get that done.

In the meantime, I'm working off my SIL's laptop. I bought and installed a new battery for it, and attached my spare mouse to it. (SIL is a touchpad person, and I'm a mouse user.) Don't laugh--my spare mouse is a red Dodge Charger--it's a real wireless mouse that looks like a toy car, complete with working headlights. :giggle: I log in as a guest user so I don't mess up anything on his account. I will NOT be installing any OS to his computer, don't worry. :D
 
Uh oh..better watch out for Dereksbicycles... "I hear Dodge Charger!" Here he come!! here he come!!
 
naisho said:
...Beware since your windows.old is 69GB, you'll probably need a large external drive or something to hold something that big (assuming you want to keep the whole thing).
Click to expand...
I bought a Toshiba 1TB external hard drive and copied my windows.old to it.

Next?
 
Reba said:
I bought a Toshiba 1TB external hard drive and copied my windows.old to it.

Next?
Click to expand...

Once you copied all the windows.old file over to external hard drive. Next is to unplug everything off your computer... take your computer with you to the nearest windows, toss it out.

Thank you for using our Acme Tech support....

Ok ok...not a great April Fool.....

Now I need to review the history on this forum.....of what's going on....
 
Reba said:
Hey guys,

I hope you don't think I'm ignoring all the advice. Truth is, I'm overwhelmed by so many options.

My instructor finally recommended that I bring the cpu tower to campus and let the technician fix it. Well, I emailed the technician, and I'm going to make an appointment to meet with him. I'm going to bring my cpu to him but I'm not going to drop it off. I want him to show me how to do it. I want to learn. So, I hope some time next week we can get that done.
Click to expand...

Oh what happen to the result after you follow the instructor recommendation?
 
SneakerNet said:
Oh what happen to the result after you follow the instructor recommendation?
Click to expand...
The technician has not gotten back to me since I last contacted him. :(

I'm not counting on him to help me anymore.
 
What is your desktop brand/model?
That way, we will have an idea what your system is.
Assuming you have a HP, HP Desktops use recovery CD's, some use recovery partition.

Now that you have backed up your windows.old folder, you can just wipe your drive clean and start over with the recovery software.

What you need to do is pop the CD in the drive.

Next step is you need to reset/power on the computer and learn how to make it boot the CD instead of the hard drive. It may or may not set to boot something like this:

[1] Hard drive (model number/serial)
[2] DVD-ROM/CD drive (model number/serial
[3] Other

Depending on what model your desktop is, the BIOS selection/Boot setup is set to different keys.

If you have a boot up logo (the one that shows the brand, before the windows logo) you usually have to press ESC to exit out of the logo and press either DEL, F2, F10, F11, or F12 to access the custom boot or bios (if custom boot is not available for your model).

In the Bios, you would have to go to somewhere like boot options and change it so that the DVD/CD drive is first ahead of the Hard drive, by pressing page up/page down or +/- (again, depending on model)

After you have saved the settings you can boot off the CD.

If you don't know what you are doing in the bios and don't want to mess with anything yet, just press ESC until you get the prompt to exit without saving or "discard changes" and press Y and enter.
 
naisho said:
What is your desktop brand/model?
Click to expand...
HP Pavilion p6240f PC

That way, we will have an idea what your system is.
Assuming you have a HP, HP Desktops use recovery CD's, some use recovery partition.
Click to expand...
I have the CD's.

Now that you have backed up your windows.old folder, you can just wipe your drive clean and start over with the recovery software.

What you need to do is pop the CD in the drive.

Next step is you need to learn how to make it boot the CD instead of the hard drive. It may or may not set to boot something like this:

[1] Hard drive (model number/serial)
[2] DVD-ROM/CD drive (model number/serial
[3] Other

Depending on what model your desktop is, the BIOS selection/Boot setup is set to different keys.

If you have a boot up logo (the one that shows the brand, before the windows logo) you usually have to press ESC to exit out of the logo and press either F2 or F10/F11/F12 to access the custom boot or bios (if custom boot is not available for your model).

In the Bios, you would have to go to somewhere like boot options and change it so that the DVD/CD drive is first ahead of the Hard drive, by pressing page up/page down or +/- (again, depending on model)

After you have saved the settings you can boot off the CD.

If you don't know what you are doing in the bios and don't want to mess with anything yet, just press ESC until you get the prompt to exit without saving or "discard changes" and press Y and enter.
Click to expand...
Did try all of those options earlier today, and went thru each step. Nothing changed. It still booted and opened up to the Enterprise Server. The F11 did nothing. (Correct key, tap, tap, tap...but the boot process just ignored it.) ESC tapping opened up the options for DVD/CD, which I selected, but it seemed to skip over the drive and went on to the Enterprise hard drive. It seems like no matter what I do, Enterprise takes priority. :(

I found the Shadow Copy for recovery of the W7 on the C drive and went thru the process to try to recover it back to the date prior to the Enterprise download but it wouldn't allow it. The warning pop up said that folders with OS files weren't allowed to revert. :(

I'm thinking my only resort might be to buy a new hard drive from Newegg.
 
Your previous MBR (master boot record) got overridden with the server install, so you have to follow this step for your product:

Performing an HP System Recovery (Windows 7) HP Pavilion p6240f Desktop PC | HP® Support

Start from where it says Recovery from recovery discs. The previous two (Recovery from Windows 7 and Recovery from the startup screen (during system boot) don't apply to you anymore)

Make sure you have the right disc in, if it's the wrong one it'll usually skip it. The manual says it's the "first recovery disc" (we don't know what it looks like or what's in them)
This part should work for you if done correctly, unless if you have a defective CD or CD-drive or have the wrong disc in, that's the only time it won't boot correctly.

If this doesn't work for some reason, we'll probably have to use Recovery from a USB flash drive which is a last but almost surefire way to get it recovered back for you.


Don't buy a new hard drive (unless you want to use it for Server, so it doesn't conflict with your current drive) because I believe you won't be able to install OEM windows 7 on it, you'll have to buy a new retail copy - per license agreements, any hardware changed, the OEM key is technically invalid.
 
naisho said:
Your previous MBR (master boot record) got overridden with the server install, so you have to follow this step for your product:

Performing an HP System Recovery (Windows 7) HP Pavilion p6240f Desktop PC | HP® Support

Start from where it says Recovery from recovery discs. The previous two (Recovery from Windows 7 and Recovery from the startup screen (during system boot) don't apply to you anymore)

Make sure you have the right disc in, if it's the wrong one it'll usually skip it. The manual says it's the "first recovery disc" (we don't know what it looks like or what's in them)
This part should work for you if done correctly, unless if you have a defective CD or CD-drive or have the wrong disc in, that's the only time it won't boot correctly.
Click to expand...
I must have defective discs. It's a set of four. I tried each one with no success.

If this doesn't work for some reason, we'll probably have to use Recovery from a USB flash drive which is a last but almost surefire way to get it recovered back for you.
Click to expand...
I tried that with the Toshiba external drive, which is a USB connection but it never showed up as an option on the menu. All it showed was the DVD/CD drive and hard drive options. I'll try again tomorrow. I have to go to bed soon. Got to get up early tomorrow to vote.


Don't buy a new hard drive (unless you want to use it for Server, so it doesn't conflict with your current drive) because I believe you won't be able to install OEM windows 7 on it, you'll have to buy a new retail copy - per license agreements, any hardware changed, the OEM key is technically invalid.
Click to expand...
Oh. I put in new hard drives in other computers before and used the old OS to load them. Maybe it was XP, not W7 (it was a while back).

Well, I don't want to spend any more money, so I'll wait. I'm close to broke.
 
What about partitioning the hd and moving windows.old into the new partition?
 
For tomorrow, try putting the recovery disc into another PC/laptop to see if it boots them. Don't install anything, just reboot or turn it off if you see it loading the recovery and don't change any settings in the secondary computer.
That way you'll be able to pinpoint if it's something wrong with the disc, or it's something wrong with the desktop.

Otherwise we should go into the bios and check what boot options your p620f bios offers.

Good luck tomorrow, I'll pop in to check when I have time which will probably not be until late evening in your time.

Reba said:
What about partitioning the hd and moving windows.old into the new partition?
Click to expand...
you can partition and format the drive and put back your windows.old, but the thing is it only contains the physical files, not the registry changes necessary for certain programs. In other words, this is not that good of an idea unless it's your last resort to restore everything.
 
I found out that thru the college I can get a free download of Windows 7 Professional from Dreamspark (a provider of student software). If I get a second hard drive, I can install that, and then download the W7 to it, right? Make a dual boot system?
 
I emailed the college technician again but I haven't heard back. I wonder if he even still works there?

I am soooo exasperated with Server Enterprise. It has so many built-in security humps that I can't even access my college email accounts from that computer, or my on-line courses, or anything that requires Flash or similar apps. It doesn't allow squat.
 
If your college offers free Windows7/8 (and key included), take advantage of it. You can just use that to install windows instead of your HP recovery discs.

Assuming the download is an ISO, you will have to burn it onto a DVD (needs to be DVD that holds 4GB+).
Alternatively, you can just copy the ISO on a blank usb drive or hard drive that needs to be 4GB+. Using the windows 7 usb-dvd tool, and follow the simple directions.
Microsoft Online Store
It's down right now but if it comes back later check it out. Here is an alternative link

Your PC seems fairly newer, I'm pretty positive it should have USB boot support, it just isn't enabled because the hard drive is booting up before the USB (or possibly DVD drive as well)

According to here: BIOS Setup Utility Information and Menu Options HP Pavilion p6240f Desktop PC | HP® Support

I don't know what bios revision # you have, but you need to go to:
-If you have bios version 6 or less: BOOT
-If you have bios version 7 or higher: STORAGE

BOOT menu for Bios 6 or less:
c00506021.jpg


STORAGE > BOOT ORDER menu for Bios 7 or higher:
c02683732.jpg


In both of them, you need to set DVD or USB above your hard disk then exit and save the changes and you are set to boot from dvd/usb unless something is still wrong with your computer.

if you can get me a flight to SC and back I'll repair your desktop for you free of cost - just kidding, way too expensive! would've been cheaper if I was still on the east coast.


Reba said:
I emailed the college technician again but I haven't heard back. I wonder if he even still works there?

I am soooo exasperated with Server Enterprise. It has so many built-in security humps that I can't even access my college email accounts from that computer, or my on-line courses, or anything that requires Flash or similar apps. It doesn't allow squat.
Click to expand...
He is probably doing his own thing, unless you have a direct relationship with the person you are probably just a ticket number. Most of the time I'd rather help fix stuff when I have time than be summoned when I'm working on other stuff.
Server's meant to be what it does, it's supposed to be a dedicated server OS. Crash-free for the services running for clients. Adding extra programs just increases the potential for hackers to find loopholes or ways to crash it, so that's kind of the principle behind why it's sort of a lockdown type OS.
There are ways around to fix it up to act like a normal desktop, but you have to tack on a lot of stuff to get it working right.
 
naisho said:
If your college offers free Windows7/8 (and key included), take advantage of it. You can just use that to install windows instead of your HP recovery discs.
Click to expand...
W7, key included. (All our courses are W7 related; can't use W8 yet.)

Assuming the download is an ISO, you will have to burn it onto a DVD (needs to be DVD that holds 4GB+).

Alternatively, you can just copy the ISO on a blank usb drive or hard drive that needs to be 4GB+. Using the windows 7 usb-dvd tool, and follow the simple directions.
Click to expand...
I have a 1Tb external hard drive, USB connector, that I can use, or high capacity DVD's.

...Your PC seems fairly newer, I'm pretty positive it should have USB boot support, it just isn't enabled because the hard drive is booting up before the USB (or possibly DVD drive as well)...

I don't know what bios revision # you have, but you need to go to:
-If you have bios version 6 or less: BOOT
-If you have bios version 7 or higher: STORAGE

BOOT menu for Bios 6 or less:
c00506021.jpg


STORAGE > BOOT ORDER menu for Bios 7 or higher:
c02683732.jpg


In both of them, you need to set DVD or USB above your hard disk then exit and save the changes and you are set to boot from dvd/usb unless something is still wrong with your computer.
Click to expand...
I tried several times, sometimes setting boot to DVD, sometimes to USB. It was doing something, because I could hear the DVD whirring around, and the USB lights indicated it was active. But the hard drive boot apparently superseded everything.

if you can get me a flight to SC and back I'll repair your desktop for you free of cost - just kidding, way too expensive! would've been cheaper if I was still on the east coast.
Click to expand...
That would be fun, yes. :)

He is probably doing his own thing, unless you have a direct relationship with the person you are probably just a ticket number. Most of the time I'd rather help fix stuff when I have time than be summoned when I'm working on other stuff.
Click to expand...
I was planning on fitting into his schedule of convenience. He did email me this morning. Said I was off his radar, and apologized for not getting back to me. Now, I think I'll try my new hard drive, new W7 plan and see what happens. If that doesn't work, then I'll go see him. The semester will be over at the end of the month! I've got a lot of catching up to do.

Server's meant to be what it does, it's supposed to be a dedicated server OS. Crash-free for the services running for clients. Adding extra programs just increases the potential for hackers to find loopholes or ways to crash it, so that's kind of the principle behind why it's sort of a lockdown type OS.
There are ways around to fix it up to act like a normal desktop, but you have to tack on a lot of stuff to get it working right.
Click to expand...
That's what I figured but it's still a pain in the neck.
 
Well -- at this point -- I am not seeing any fact that you can boot to an alternative boot device. Just for giggles - with pc off -I'd unplug the power and cable to hard drive and try booting up now and see if it will actually boot from a dvd. If it does then you are missing something with hard drive attached. did you see message you need to press a key to go ahead and boot from dvd?


Sometimes you have have to press F12 repeatedly during the post to get a boot option and select the DVD or whatever you want to boot from. Some pc's boots quicker then normal.
 
I did it!

Got my new hard drive installed.

Downloaded my free copy of Windows 7 Professional, and installed that.

Reinstalled my copy of Windows Office 2010. Whew!

Up and running my computer again.

Hooray! :dance2:
 
Reba said:
I did it!

Got my new hard drive installed.

Downloaded my free copy of Windows 7 Professional, and installed that.

Reinstalled my copy of Windows Office 2010. Whew!

Up and running my computer again.

Hooray! :dance2:
Click to expand...

I'm still using XP, I don't get free copies of Win 7 :P

Plus the learning curve, omg :P
 
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