I was running a routine CHKDSK on my laptop last week and according to the Vista there were some files that required moving. So, Vista moved them around for me to “solve the problem” but instead of optimizing my laptop, it self-destructed by moving BOOT records to weird places which means that my computer can’t boot up anymore!

After spending over 8 hours trying to fix it (with no avail) by using some tools I had burned onto a CD before,  I finally gave up and called HP Technical Support. The problem could have been solved with a simple Recovery CD that every computer package should include, but because companies these days care more about their stock-owners and profits than customers HP have stopped including Recovery CD’s. You can however get one shipped to you for “no extra charge”, but to do that you’ll have to pay for the “shipping”, of which costs over $46 dollars CDN.

Let this be a reminder to you all,

BURN YOUR OWN RECOVERY DISK RIGHT NOW

This is how you do it if you have a HP computer:

To begin, click Start, then All Programs. If you have an HP Pavilion click Hewlett-Packard and then HP PC Recovery CD Creator. If not, try clicking PC Help & Tools, then HP CD Recovery CD-DVD Creator to start the program.

That’s it. Do it now!

If you’re like me and are already screwed then I suggest you either pay the $46 dollars or somehow get your hands on someone else’s Recovery CD. The Vista installation CD should also work….

12 hours and 35 minutes left until I fix my computer…great.

- Peter Kao