Clean install for new computer that has no disk.

Got my new HP Notebook today. I want to do a clean install but the computer didnt come with any installation disk. Only thing it came with is a piece of paper that says, "Restore your system without discs." "your computer includes a new system recovery feature that does not require CD's or DVD's"

I tried that option and all it did was reinstall all the HP garbage that came on the computer.

It says i can also make my own disk with "recovery disk creation". Will this be a clean disk or will it include all the HP crap on it?

I cant believe they didnt include the vista recovery disk.

thanks

 

it will include all the HP crap

 

ok so it is impossable for me to do a clean install then?

 

If you can get your hands on a Vista disc somehow, you can install it with the License Product Key on the bottom of your laptop. Perfectly legal. Just depends if you know anyone that has a disc.

IIRC there was a sticky thread somewhere on how to perform a clean install of Vista with whatever is included on your HDD. Not 100% if it was for HP/Compaq.

 

If you have got the COA sticker at the base of the notebook, U could get a disc of the same vista version you have installed at the moment, and then use the serial key from the COA to do a clean reinstall....!! Try asking HP or microsoft for a disc, they probably might charge u around $20 for shipping but the disc will be free..!! I am not sure if it will work out that way but I have read and heard of it many times.. but the key from the COA should definitely make your windows genuine, I have tried that myself..!!
If you are unsure, tell HP that I wanna do a reinstall and I need a CD from MS for that, but chances are they might say NO..
I repaired someone's hard drive last week, and then I installed win XP home SP2 on it....I just downloaded the ISO and installed it with the serial key on the COA at the back of that notebook and it activated automatically when the pc connected to the internet....I think it can be done the same way for vista if your PC has the COA....

 

i wish i had known they didnt include the damn disk. i will call HP.

 

Called HP and they do not provide a disk that just has vista on it. The disk they would send would be the "HP Recovery" disk and that has all the bloatwear on it.

now my question is, is it legal to download the vista 64bit premuim OS from the internet? i have the key on the bottom of my computer. thanks

 

http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=240320 But your going to have to wait for the links to work again. Also I wouldn't recommend you "illegally" get a vista disc because you never know what "extra" features the person that created the disc has added.

 

BTW, before trying to do a clean install it would be better idea to burn a copy of the restore DVD's. This will allow you to put the system back to factory state just in case you need to send it in for warranty service or decide to sell the laptop. As for as a clean install is concerned, all you need is any Vista disc and you can do a clean install. You can either activate using the COA attached to the bottom of your notebook or follow orev's guide in the HP forum and use the HP key.

 

I would need a 64bit vista disk though correct? i mean i cant do a clean install of a 64 bit vista with a 32 bit disk can I?

 

Nope that wont be possible....the serial key on the COA wont work for it either..!!

 

The key would work - you can legally install the EXACT version you purchased in either 32 or 64-bit, but you need the correct disks (64 bit is not on the 32 bit disks). Check the Windows Marketplace, if you click around you may be able to order just the DVD's for $15.

 

i think a buddy of mine may have a vista premium 64 disk. i could use that and enter my key number correct?

 

Final and correct answer.... Yes

You should have already known that alot of consumer notebooks dont come with the Vista CD. They only give you the recovery cd with bloatware. For HP's you have to burn the recovery cd's yourself

Bloatware somehow keeps the cost of the notebook down, thats why they want you stuck with it.

 

Given his signature, I was going to say the same thing!