In a survey of more than 10,000 computer owners conducted by computer website How-to Geek, approximately 45 percent of respondents indicated that they reinstall the operating systems on their computers at least once every two years. Reinstalling the OS on your HP Pavilion dv5000 restores the system to its original factory condition, but you can resolve some problems without such a severe measure. The dv5000 offers several tools to help you return your computer to full functionality.
Windows System Restore
As you make changes on your computer such as installing new software or device drivers or changing the hardware configuration, Windows periodically takes "snapshots" that record the system's current state. If the Pavilion dv5000 stops working immediately after you make a change to the operating system, software or hardware, the System Restore utility reverts the computer to one of these saved states. Launching the System Restore utility in Windows XP requires clicking the "Start" button, and then clicking "All Programs," "Accessories," "System Tools" and "System Restore."
Last Known Good Configuration
If you can't use the System Restore utility because Windows doesn't load, the Last Known Good Configuration is an option when starting the computer. When you select this option, Windows boots the Pavilion dv5000 using the configuration from the last time the operating system started successfully. The initiation process involves tapping the "F8" key repeatedly after turning on the computer until the "Advanced Boot Options" menu appears. You must then select "Last Known Good Configuration" with the down arrow key and press "Enter" to start Windows.
Software Setup
If you have a problem with one of the dv5000's pre-loaded applications, the Software Setup utility will reinstall the original HP software without affecting Windows or other applications on the computer. To launch the Software Setup utility, you must click the "Start" button, and then click "All Programs" and "Software Setup." After selecting the programs you want to restore, the prompts will lead you through the installation process.
Repair and Full Recovery
If standard troubleshooting won't return your Pavilion dv5000 to normal operation, the Windows disc included with the computer may repair the operating system. When you boot the Pavilion dv5000 with the operating system disc inserted, the screen displays a menu allowing you to install Windows on the computer. Reinstalling Windows removes all existing programs and files from the hard drive; to save your data, you first must copy it from the hard drive, if possible.
Tags: Pavilion dv5000, System Restore, operating system, Software Setup, Good Configuration, Known Good, Known Good Configuration