Hi 76broadband,
All understood
and its no problem.
Some further thoughts for your consideration.
First check and double check that everything you want to keep is fully backed up to removable media, and is comprehensive, reproducible and contains everything you would not want to lose. Then take a look at the list below:
1 it's often easier to use the Recovery partition to get your machine up and running fast and sweet again, however even if the recovery Partition has been damaged or deleted, there are a few options left. 
2 When you first had the Win 7 machine and at any time when it was in operation you would have had the opportunity to create a Win 7 system image and a Repair disc (using the built in Win 7 tools) and if you can locate these discs (folks do tend to mislay them sometimes..) 
then these will have your machine working again in next to no time.
3 If you can't locate them or heaven forbid, your didn't make them, then there's still other avenues open to you.
4 If you made a disc image using a third party application like for example ones created using Norton/Symantec, Acronis, Macrium Reflect free version etc., then as long as you made a bootable disc (perhaps using the "wizard" included with these applications) then these will have your machine up and running again in less time than it takes to walk the dog!.... the computer will be put back to its state exactly as it was when the disc image was made.
5 You could contact HP support and ask them to sell you a set of recovery discs, that will enable you to re-install a fresh copy of Win 7, but HP may well charge you around (USD) $35 -$40 or so for these. Sometimes they are not available, at all, you just have to check with HP to see if they have them for your make and model number.
6 There is one further step you could take and this does not cost anything at all, apart from a little time, and that is to check the case of your computer most carefully and find the Microsoft Certificate of Authenticity (COA) and note down carefully the product serial code, it's 5 groups of five, alpha-numeric characters, in this sort of format:
XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX
7 Once you have this number carefully written down then you can download the .iso of a fully legal copy of Microsoft Win 7 operating system disc, create the DVD, boot from it, install Win 7, apply the product serial code) and away you go....
8 here's the link to the Microsoft site that you will need to download Win 7
https://www.microsof...wnload/windows7
9 Once you have your Win 7 up and running again (you will be surprised how quick it seems) you may need to download some drivers from HP ....(Win 7 includes in its set up files a basic set of drivers that have almost everything working straight away) but if you do need extra drivers to make everything work smoothly, then I suggest you start with downloading and installing the chipset driver, followed if applicable, by network adapter drivers, and then see how you go!
10 You will need to install a good anti virus product as your first step after the Win 7 install (Microsoft Security Essentials gives good protection and is free) and also make sure that it switches on your Windows firewall.
11 After that you will need to download and install Windows important updates (there will be around 200 or more of them!). don't even think of surfing or using email until all these steps have completed.(you don't want to get infected!)
12 Next you can install your favourite applications, Microsoft Word for example and anything else you need.
13 Once its all configured with your applications all installed, your files copied across from your back ups, (virus scan them to within an inch of their lives, before copying them across)...photos documents. music, videos etc., email set up and working etc..... its time to:
STOP!
15 As it's high time to make that Repair disc and also a Win 7 System Image and use also something like Macrium Reflect free to make a disc image (make them both) and keep them safe! (USB external hard drives are really useful and very inexpensive at the moment, so get two whilst you are at it! These are excellent for storing the disc images as they can sometimes be a little large for putting on USB memory sticks.
Note:
Even if you get assistance from HP support or the Recovery discs from them you will still need to carry out steps 10 through to 15, so I would be inclined to consider carefully steps 7 and 8 (as they cost nothing!) if you are not happy with the earlier mentioned steps above.
Post back if you need further information on any of this....
and good luck!
Regards
paws
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