The Notebook Review forums were hosted by TechTarget, who shut down them down on January 31, 2022. This static read-only archive was pulled by NBR forum users between January 20 and January 31, 2022, in an effort to make sure that the valuable technical information that had been posted on the forums is preserved. For current discussions, many NBR forum users moved over to NotebookTalk.net after the shutdown.
Problems? See this thread at archive.org.

    Call me stupid, but

    Discussion in 'HP' started by Antalus, Jul 11, 2007.

  1. Antalus

    Antalus Notebook Geek

    Reputations:
    4
    Messages:
    86
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    15
    If I didn't purchase the optional "System Recovery DVD" from HP, which is supposedly able to restore my laptop to factory condition, does this mean that I'm out of luck if I wanted to do a clean install of Vista? or does every computer come with a copy of the operating system on a DVD?
     
  2. Greg

    Greg Notebook Nobel Laureate

    Reputations:
    7,857
    Messages:
    16,212
    Likes Received:
    58
    Trophy Points:
    466
    Even with those discs, you will not get a clean install. You can make your own discs when the laptop arrives, but again the same bloatware is still there.

    If you want a clean install, you need to track down a Windows Anytime Upgrade disc and use your key.
     
  3. odin243

    odin243 Notebook Prophet

    Reputations:
    862
    Messages:
    6,223
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    205
    Or any obtain any other full version disc, for that matter.
     
  4. TwistableLime

    TwistableLime Newbie

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    6
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    5
    I have a full version Vista DVD. Which key do I use? I've heard there are at least 2 keys present on the HP Pavillion laptops. Thanks.
     
  5. panteedropper

    panteedropper Notebook Deity

    Reputations:
    97
    Messages:
    1,015
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    55

    If they are both for the same version of windows, i would use the HP one, even thought it really doesnt matter.
     
  6. mtor

    mtor Notebook Deity

    Reputations:
    41
    Messages:
    1,031
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    0


    use the HP one
     
  7. kanehi

    kanehi Notebook Deity

    Reputations:
    146
    Messages:
    1,943
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    55
    I would just load the recovery disc bloatware and all. Delete the bloatwares afterwards in the Add/Remove section. And delete unnecessary directories. The reason why I recommend this is loading the recovery disc, the proper drivers are already set.

    I did a clean install with Vista Ultimate and it was a pain downloading/loading the drivers, though Vista did recognize most of them. Also some of those bloatwares are usefull to me anyways.
     
  8. TwiztOG43

    TwiztOG43 Notebook Evangelist

    Reputations:
    26
    Messages:
    532
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    why are there two keys on pavilion laptops now?