HI everyone

......and thanks for poking into this thread.
To answer three questions:
1) I DID back up all data
2) I DO have original XP disc, but NOT available at this time (divorce, don't go there)
3) I DID NOT make a set of recovery disks (was told the destructive recovery process was safe) I know....y'all just rolled your eyes didntcha's?
OK....so here's where I'm at.
Got into C: and added a copied NTLDR file it was asking for, right into the C:...did not put it in any folder. Went back into the recovery panel and clicked on the Restore button. At that time, the system actually started the process...blinked twice and told me it was done. Well, it wasn't, not after 5 seconds.
So I rebooted and after the HP INVENT screen, it flashed black rather quickly and after 3 minutes I could read the message and it was invalid boot.ini...rebooting from windows.
OK.....I went into BIOS and ran the diagnostics.....all passed.
I went into X:\minint\system32\ .... and the label there was HP_RECOVERY with 618 files.
D: .....is empty
C: .....has a windows directory and a I386...
If X: has a full recovery, why can't I run it?
Am I screwed?
Thanks so much.