Any Windows 7 how-to's out there?

I finally got my HP Windows 7 upgrade discs, and from what I have heard around here you can do a clean install with them... I am a bit of a n00b in this particular aspect of computers, so I do not dare do anything without getting some tips from you guys and gals

Anyways, is there a how-to out there?

 

Shouldn't be necessary.

I got my upgrade disc just today. Although I'm an experienced network engineer and have worked on and with computers since before there was such a thing as Windows (even before DOS!), I followed HP's clear and accurate instructions. Other than having to be patient while Windows 7 took a couple of hours touching each of the 700,000+ files on my hard drive, the installation went flawlessly.

I went from Windows Vista to Windows 7 (both Home Premium x64). My Office 2010 beta seems to run fine, as does Firefox, Rhapsody, Xshell, iTunes, RealPlayer, Skype, AOL IM, .... - you get the message.

Do remember to run the HP disc again AFTER Windows 7 installation completes successfully. It will update your HP-specific tools for Windows 7 (including, alas, the muvee Reveal bloatware).

 

this guide should help you: http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=432564

in addition:
1. back up data
2. run win7 disc, select custom (clean) install
3. run hp driver disc, or download drivers from the HP site

 

What will happen to Vista and everything else on my hard drive? Does that automatically get deleted when you do a "Custom" clean install?

 

If you do a clean install, then you wipe everything off it. You will lose your recovery partition as well, I recommend you back up the SWSETUP folder on your main drive, which has (vista) preloaded apps and drivers. You may need some of them, others may have been replaced with win 7 versions on HP's DL site for your model, however that said if it is vista compatible, should run in 7 with no problems. In fact some of the supposed win 7 stuff I had, didn't work (no suprise) and I used the backed up data to bring it back.

I didnt care to wait for HP's 3rd party vendor to get myself to do an upgrade to win7 home premium...

Win 7 Ultimate installed fresh, I don't have to worry about HP bloatware, just re-installing that which I liked, update the drivers to hardware manufacturer versions vice supplied, and it all runs great at this time.

Time to install 7: 35 min total.
Re-install HP drivers for laptop specific stuff, 30 min

Apps, backed up data: 3.5 hours.

 

Okay, I will backup SWSETUP to a flash drive or CD... Even though this is from HP, clean still means clean, right? Like the clean install will not have any HP bloatware on it, right?

 

Right!

:yes:

 

I just finished the basic installation... Now, I chose the Custom option and it told me that it created a Windows.old file... I just checked and this bad boy is 30GB! I am assuming that I can delete all of this? It appears to contain the old Programs, Programs x86, etc files that were for Vista... Also, the recovery partition is still there, but the bloatware is gone

 

I’m surprised that the custom/clean Win 7 install left the HP recovery partition on your HDD, but never-the-less it is what it is. If you have the Vista recovery disks (just in case you’d ever like to go back) and your swsetup folder has been saved, you are safe to delete the partition. You can delete that mega windows.old file as well…. it’s of no value

 

This is what I have done so far for drivers... I used the disc that came with the upgrade packet... I then went to HPs site and got the latest BIOS and also downloaded the Touchpad driver... I have one item in my Device Manager that is "unknown" though... Any idea what it (the left box) may be and how I get a driver for it? Can I simply click on "Update Driver"?

PS: Am I right to assume that if something shows up in the Device Manager and is not listed as "unknown," it has a working driver?

 

Custom install does not format the drive automatically. You have to select advanced options and from there format / delete / combine drives you want (if I dont wish to save anything, I just delete all drives and let the installation wizard to all the work).

Google search with "ich9m lpc interface controller 2919" revealed "Infineon Trusted Platform Module".

In that Device Properties windows open the Details tab, look for Hardware Ids.
For example, in my own laptop ICH8M is ACPI\IFX0102 and Device Description is "Trusted Platform Module 1.2" Doing a search with IFX0102 points into multiple HP websites with more info. After that, it was easy to find correct drivers

Questionmarks or exlamation marks in device manager usually refer to incorrect drivers too.

 

I do not remember seeing that option, weird... Anyways Googling the Hardware ID worked wonders... This is the driver I needed: http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/...&dlc=en&cc=us&lang=en&os=4063&product=3945150

I do not have any other ! or ? on anything listed in the Device Manager, so I am good?

 

First you select "Upgrade or Custom Install" the 2 choises. Then you are presented with screen where to install, that is the one. It has drives listed and the Drive Options (if i remember right) button for advanced functions. At least so it works on OEM and Retail discs I don't have an Anytime Upgrade disc available.

If Device Manager looks clean, you are basically done

Some drivers may trigger additional devices to install that didn't show in the device manager initially. That is a rare case and the drivers needed are usually contained in the first software you installed and initiated the others (like installing some DVB-T software shows you "new device found: dvb television, then dvb radio, then infrared remote..."

That is a special case, in general if everything seems to work there is no need to worry

 

Hmm, I think I remember that screen now, but I chose the C drive

 

Yup, if you hit advanced options, there is the whole gauntlet of partitioning tools.

 

Well, since I was having problems with my connection speed I decided to just reinstall Windows 7 again... I found the option to delete and format drives; I did not realize the first time around that you needed to boot from the disc drive

 

i ran hp-installed vista + bloatware for 1 year until a couple days ago when i installed windows 7 premium. a clean install of windows 7 will FLY on a 'newer' laptop. if anyone is still running vista, i urge you to make the switch and never look back!

 

Just got my upgrade disc today and I have a quick question. My laptop came preinstalled with Corel Paint Shop and VideoStudio and I would like to keep them both but I don't have a disc with them on it. Is there anyway to do a clean install and keep those?

 

A clean install is a clean install. You either need to upgrade or grab some installations files.

 

Never mind. I'll just DL the trials and activate them with the serial number I found in the programs.

 

Like I said. Getting a hold of install files.

Way to go.

 

Yeah. I don't know why that did not pop into my mind as the thing to do.

 

LOL. another thing you can do is take a screenshot of what you have in add/remove programs. that way, when you rebuild your machine, you'll know exactly what to install and you'll know exactly what ur missing.

fwiw.

 

LOL, I did this :GEEK:

 

Great idea! Thanks. Rep+ to you!

 

^ thanks for the props. +1 for you too.