Windows Vista Recovery isn´t working...?

[Brakkie]

Hey,
I´ve been trying to fix my girlfriends computer for some time now and I´m having a bit of problems. The thing is it´s an 11 month old laptop and it´s running slower than the very first computer that I ever owned. The problem isn´t in the memory because it has 2GB of memory and I´ve checked and verified that both are working properly.
As a last resort I´ve saved all her important information on a second disk and tried to do a recovery. I have the recovery CD that was made right after purchase. Now comes the issue, it´s her computer, no one else is using it and there´s no administrator account present. When I tried to do the recovery it gave me the warning that I´d loose everything from my disk (which I´m aware of) and that it would basically go back to zero. PERFECT, that´s exactly what I´m asking you to do.
The catch is, that it gives me a warning that the C drive is protected and I cannot erase everything that´s present. So does anyone know how I can get around that protection and force the computer to take the recovery so it can go back to zero? Don´t even ask me why it´s protected because it seems like it has been like that since it was bought.

 

[Ultimate User]

You can install your Vista installation over the current one after your install has been completed and you are booted up you will see a file in your C: drive called windows.old you can either restore from there or your back ups.

 

[Brakkie]

That´s the biggest problem... I don´t have the original Vista DVD because it wasn´t supplied with the laptop. Windows Vista was pre-installed so all I have is the Recovery disk. I already went back to the computerstore where this laptop was purchased and they said the recovery disk should fix it. I raised a big hell that it was absolutely retarded not to give the Vista DVD with a 2000 euro laptop. But all they gave me was a rude answer and the question to leave.

 

[Ultimate User]

The current C: drive (Vista partition) is protected because your product key is bidden to that installation upon activation. You can borrow a Vista dvd if you know anyone which owns one. Have you completed a system restore to the furthest possible restore point and cleaned up the registry before doing a fresh install? You can get C: cleaner from the link provided it's freeware and allows multiple functions like registry cleaing, scanning etc

CCleaner - Download

Ultimate User