Crashed

Hello,
I have a HP pavilion dv2000 with windows vista home premium came with on already (no discs) and it has recently crashed. i have read the manual about restoring and recoverying. i never made a restore point and when i try to do the harddrive recovery it locks up. I have really idea what to do and was wondering if anybody knows how to go through the harddrive recovery or at leas know what im looking to happen when i open that option up??? please reply if know anything