Big problem with hp laptop.

I bought an hp pavillion dv6413ej one month ago.
i got it with windows vista.
i didnt got the vista cd but i had a hp_recovery partition. and i still have it.

i formatted the comp and i forgot to create recovery cd's.
now i have windows xp.
i wanna go back to vista, but i can't.

i read this thread
http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=132849

the hp partition is c:/ and xp is with the letter d:/
i can't change the letters.
anyway the hp recovery is an active partition.

how can i install vista from the hp recovery folder?

if it helps i have a copy of vista i got from my friend.
still haven't installed it.

is there a way to change the drive letters?

i'm about to give up :-/

thanks

 

What I'd do is simply use your friends copy of Windows Home Vista Premium (that's what he has right??) and when prompted to enter CD Key use the number on the bottom of your laptop (but you will probably have to call M$ to activate). All the instructions for doing this is in the sticky at the top of this HP/Compaq forum. READ THE STICKY before you attempt to install so you can get your drivers all sorted out before you get stuck.

-Reby

 

hey
thanks for the reply.

i'm pretty sure it's Windows Home Vista Premium,
i have no problem installing it but i have a few questions...
1. is there a limit for the number of time i can use the serial key?
2. how can i create after the installation the recovery cd's if i dont have the hp recovery manager?

thanks again

 

You can't the software to create them would have been on the original installation of Vista.

The only way you can acquire Recovery DVDs now would be to buy them from HP.

 

Since you cannot recover the system (which you should be able to do from booting with F11), you need to give up on using the recovery discs and do the clean install instead. You'll need to use the key on the bottom of the laptop, and that key needs to be activated by phone. Just make sure you use YOUR key. The advantage of doing a recovery would be to skip calling NS for activation (using my ABR tool), but I think you are past that now.

It does not matter what disc your friend has, ALL VISTA DISCS ARE IDENTICAL. There is no such thing as a "Home premium disc" or something like that. The only difference is the sticker and the license key you have.

You can follow my clean install guide (in my sig), the only differences are you won't be using ABR and you'll need to type in your own product key.

 

You could always just spend $20 on a set of recovery disks from HP.

 

You will definitely have to activate by phone. I used to have a DV9500t and I downloaded an ISO copy of the Vista Ultimate 64-bit and installed it. It wouldn't activate by internet, so I called and explained I borrowed a friend's install disk and then installed and used the cd key that came with my laptop. The reason for this is because on all pre-built computers they come with an OEM version of the OS. An OEM license key gets linked to the motherboard on the first computer it is installed on. If you bought your laptop with a 32-bit Vista Home Premium then you can only install 32-bit Vista Home Premium and nothing else, not even the 64-bit version.

 

The factory install process is not as simple as that, and you may be surprised to know that the key that the factory install has is not the same key as the one on the bottom sticker. If you use my ABR tool (clean install guide in my sig), you can back up and restore the license key and activation, and install either version of 32bit or 64bit whenever you like.

You can also switch between 32bot and 64 bit whenever you want, as long as you install the same version (premium, ultimate, etc...) Using the key on the sticker, you will have to call to activate, it does not work online.

Also, there is no "Vista Ultimate" disc (or Home Premium, etc...). All Vista discs contain all versions of Vista.

 

Ok, Thanks Orev!

 

This is true.

I would use the above recommendations and use a friend's install disk and activate over the internet or phone.

Despite what you might hear, there is NO LIMIT to how many times you can activate.

 

just buy the cd's or whatever from hp 20.00 +s/h wish my problem with hp was that cheap