Reformatting a Laptop

I just bought a new HP laptop (i am still awaiting its arrival) and I plan on doing a clean install of Windows 7 on it because I hate all the bloatware that I hear HP laptops come with.

I heard around that I should save the "swsetup" folder that can be found on the laptop because it contains "important files and drivers."

Sorry if these questions seems stupid... but the current laptop that I own (a Toshiba - I've never owned an HP before) does not have a swsetup folder. What exactly is the swsetup folder? What is inside the swsetup folder? How would I use whatever is in the swsetup folder after I clean install Windows 7? Does it have some kind of .exe file to run that installs the drivers from the previous configuration? Will the swsetup folder contain any bloatware from the previous configuration?

 

If i were you i would start up the system as it is and create the backup discs so if your reformatting goes wrong you can get it working again. I dont see why you should need the swsetup folder because all of the drivers should be available from the hp website.

You will need an operating system disc as well if you are doing a clean install as manufaturers dont include this. With my HP desktop i managed to just uninstall all of the bloatware without doing a system restore and it runs perfectly fast now.

 

If you download drivers from HP's website, the installers will extract relevant files to the swsetup folder(s). Installers for other manufacturers will extract to different directories, so it's no surprise that your Toshiba doesn't have these folders.

I've never owned a new HP, so I don't know if the directories exist on their factory image, but it does seem to be a hassle-saving measure to back them up. If it does exist, there may be utilities that you don't want/need mixed in with the drivers... just choose what you install carefully, I suppose.

 

that swsetup folder is just the place that hp stores its extracted drivers