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    Backuping factory OEM and install Vista Ultimate

    Discussion in 'HP' started by soguy, Nov 1, 2007.

  1. soguy

    soguy Notebook Enthusiast

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    Hi all,
    I got HP Pavilion dv6623cl laptop with Vista Home Premium OEM (no real CD of OS) and I want to do clean installation of Vista Ultimate that I have but want to keep a backup of the "factory defaults".
    I have some questions regarding this:
    1. If I use HP recovery manager and create a disk, can I remove the hp recovery partition before installing or is it needed for recovery?
    3. Does the recovery manager fully backups the HD?
    2. I know I should backup my swsetup folder. Is there anything else I need to do before installation?
    3. If I use another solution for creating an image of the Windows partition and then removing the recovery partition (leaving just one partition) and install Vista Ultimate will I be able to restore the partition even if it's not in the same size anymore? Is the a software that have this functionality?

    Many thanks in advance,
    Guy.
     
    soguy, Nov 1, 2007
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  2. Thaoster

    Thaoster Notebook Consultant

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    If you delete all the partitions and later want to restore to factory default, the restore disc will revert every partition to the way it was when the laptop was shipped out to you. That means if you don't backup data on partition you created, the restore disk will wipe them out clean.

    In order for you to use third party image software, Acronis True Image or Ghost, you will need to have a 2nd partition or a network to save the image. This is the better route if you intend to backup your system.
     
    Thaoster, Nov 1, 2007
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  3. orev

    orev Notebook Virtuoso

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    Yes, you can remove it. If you do a recovery later, it will be re-created.

    No, it only backs up the premade images that are on the recovery partition. None of your data or programs are backed up. It's not a backup program at all, it just burns the premade images from the disc.

    I recommend running ABR to save your product key and activation from the Premium install. This way you could do a clean install of Premium without needed to activate it later. See the Clean Install Guide in my sig for information on getting that.

    That would be up to whatever software you use to make the drive image.
     
    orev, Nov 1, 2007
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  4. soguy

    soguy Notebook Enthusiast

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    Thanks Thaoster, orev.
    I'll follow your suggestions...
     
    soguy, Nov 1, 2007
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