Having been the laptop guru at my last place of employ I can tell you that performing a generic install of Windows on your laptop can be a pain in the *** , especially on Compaq laptops. Particularly due to not finding the proper drivers for the components. You can dismantle your unit and identify components this way, but you run the risk of damaging the unit. And the fact that it is out of warranty doesnt help. I recommend paying the shipping charges for your restore cd, which its cost doesnt even compare to that of the laptop. Once you get the cd be sure to fdisk and format your drive with your Win9x start up disk, erase the first 10 cylinders first if you can. Restore your drive and you'll be on your way. <IMG SRC="smilies/cool.gif" border="0">