trouble running recovery and smart restore programs

Widows 98 SE---packard bell system---trying to reinstall operating system
using the recovery program...using a recovery disk and CD that came with the
computer..has workrd fine in the past to reformat and other insatallations.
Now after a short time i get a message...This computer has no valid
information or a message that says this is not a valid computer and that is a
far as it will go...have also tried in Safe mode using smart restore....same
result....have run all the diagnostics and a virus scan---all is ok. Any
ideas on how to solve this problem??/
--
Z20

In order to use a PC manufacturer's recovery disk, the system
must be returned to it's original, factory-shipped, configuration.
If you changed or added any internal hardware, disconnect
or remove the hardware that is different from the original
system. Disconnect all hardware peripheral devices, except
for your mouse, keyboard and monitor.

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows - Shell/User
Microsoft Community Newsgroups
news://msnews.microsoft.com/

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Z20" wrote:

| Widows 98 SE---packard bell system---trying to reinstall operating system
| using the recovery program...using a recovery disk and CD that came with the
| computer..has workrd fine in the past to reformat and other insatallations.
| Now after a short time i get a message...This computer has no valid
| information or a message that says this is not a valid computer and that is a
| far as it will go...have also tried in Safe mode using smart restore....same
| result....have run all the diagnostics and a virus scan---all is ok. Any
| ideas on how to solve this problem??/
| --
| Z20

Thnx for your help but it didnt work...I havent disconnected peripheral
devices in the past and it worked just fine..anyhow i gave it a go but got
the same reply "This is not a valid computer"....any other ideas?? I usually
reformat a couple times a year
-- just to clean out the trash and start anew..but untill I solve this
problem I cant use the disks any more.
Z20


"Carey Frisch [MVP]" wrote:

> In order to use a PC manufacturer's recovery disk, the system
> must be returned to it's original, factory-shipped, configuration.
> If you changed or added any internal hardware, disconnect
> or remove the hardware that is different from the original
> system. Disconnect all hardware peripheral devices, except
> for your mouse, keyboard and monitor.
>
> --
> Carey Frisch
> Microsoft MVP
> Windows - Shell/User
> Microsoft Community Newsgroups
> news://msnews.microsoft.com/
>
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> "Z20" wrote:
>
> | Widows 98 SE---packard bell system---trying to reinstall operating system
> | using the recovery program...using a recovery disk and CD that came with the
> | computer..has workrd fine in the past to reformat and other insatallations.
> | Now after a short time i get a message...This computer has no valid
> | information or a message that says this is not a valid computer and that is a
> | far as it will go...have also tried in Safe mode using smart restore....same
> | result....have run all the diagnostics and a virus scan---all is ok. Any
> | ideas on how to solve this problem??/
> | --
> | Z20
>

When I do this restore of Windows 98SE OS after formatting my hard drive,
before I use the HP Windows 98SE and System restoration discs, I start up my
PC with my Windows 98 Start Up Disc when I first installed everything after
buying my PC in the very beginning. Then I use the system restore program
discs succressfully. I am now in the process of doing an entire PC hard drive
backup for the first time after losing too much in previous crashes and lost
hard drives before and prior to running out of memory to avoid that problem.
--
Sincerely,
Ed Mockapetris


"Z20" wrote:

> Thnx for your help but it didnt work...I havent disconnected peripheral
> devices in the past and it worked just fine..anyhow i gave it a go but got
> the same reply "This is not a valid computer"....any other ideas?? I usually
> reformat a couple times a year
> -- just to clean out the trash and start anew..but untill I solve this
> problem I cant use the disks any more.
> Z20
>
>
> "Carey Frisch [MVP]" wrote:
>
> > In order to use a PC manufacturer's recovery disk, the system
> > must be returned to it's original, factory-shipped, configuration.
> > If you changed or added any internal hardware, disconnect
> > or remove the hardware that is different from the original
> > system. Disconnect all hardware peripheral devices, except
> > for your mouse, keyboard and monitor.
> >
> > --
> > Carey Frisch
> > Microsoft MVP
> > Windows - Shell/User
> > Microsoft Community Newsgroups
> > news://msnews.microsoft.com/
> >
> > -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> >
> > "Z20" wrote:
> >
> > | Widows 98 SE---packard bell system---trying to reinstall operating system
> > | using the recovery program...using a recovery disk and CD that came with the
> > | computer..has workrd fine in the past to reformat and other insatallations.
> > | Now after a short time i get a message...This computer has no valid
> > | information or a message that says this is not a valid computer and that is a
> > | far as it will go...have also tried in Safe mode using smart restore....same
> > | result....have run all the diagnostics and a virus scan---all is ok. Any
> > | ideas on how to solve this problem??/
> > | --
> > | Z20
> >