Clean Vista install WITH NO ACTIVATION

Thanks orev for your quick help.
I did try modifying dell disk and installing, but was not knowing how to activate without ABR. BTW can we enter product key (given in label back of laptop) while installation? I tried but it doesn't make any difference.
I'll try phone activation today.

 

Yes, if you make the disk correctly, during install it will ask you for the key. You can only do the phone activation after you have done the install.

 

I'm getting my new dv4t pretty soon and I plan on doing a fresh install of vista. I was wondering if there's AHCI for HP systems like my old xps1530. And if there is, do I need to obtain it before reformatting my laptop?

Thanks.

 

You don't need to install it during the Vista install, it can be done afterward. I would check HP's website to see if it's located there.

 

After clean install on hp hdx 18t, i lost my blu ray drive. it is being recognised as dvd-rw drive only. Pleaee help.

 

Did you install all the drivers?: http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/softwareList?os=2093&lc=en&dlc=en&cc=us&lang=en&product=3884584

 

Yes, but i couldn't find drivers for Blu-ray drive there. Everything else is woking fine except blu-ray drive.

 

Hmm, I don't see anything in that drivers list that looks like the blu-ray driver either. I ran a search on HP's support page, but that didn't really yield anything useful. Does anything show up in Windows Update?

Also, If you uninstall the currently installed driver, what, if anything, shows up in Windows Update?

 

Many time I uninstalled blu-ray drive and serched for drivers in SwSetup folder also searched online but it is still recognized as dvd-rw and not blu-ray drive.

Sam

 

I'm tired of this HP bloatware eating up resources on my notebook, so let's say I have access to my HP Recovery partition on my hard drive - can I make a Vista installation disc from there? I'm asking this, because there's no other viable option here, in Bulgaria of obtaining such discs, except from eBay, but I'd like to explore more options before actually spending some cash for a disc, I (hopefully) won't have to use too frequently. Oh, and I DON'T have the Windows repair or whatever discs HP usually ships with their laptops. Are there any working Vista download links left? BTW, will the process wipe the whole hard drive, or just the partition Windows is on?

 

You should burn a set of DVDs from the recovery partition just to have a copy of them, but unfortunately you cannot use them to do a clean install with this guide. I don't know of any legal Vista download links that are still active.

 

OK, eBay it is. What about my other question: will the process wipe the whole hard drive, or just the partition Windows is on? I'm asking this, because I have 4 partitions total (including HP_Restore) - one for windows/programs, another for multimedia stuff and the last is for games. Will everything there be wiped? Hope not, if so I'll probably have to reconsider making the preinstall..

 

HP systems don't typically come with multiple partitions set up the way you describe, so I'm not sure you are dealing with a default installation. If you made the partitions yourself, you should be able to use your own preferences for partitioning. Remember that any programs installed on the other partitions will need to be reinstalled after you do the clean Vista install; even though the files are still there the registry settings will be lost.

 

First, thanks for posting this guide. I'm lining up the pieces I need for a clean install of Vista Home Premium on a Tosh P305.

Just to be clear, the instructions and the ABR page say this method works with a Vista SP1 slipstream disc. I have an SP2 slipstream disc.

I assume I won't have a problem, but wanted to ask before I begin.

 

I also assume you won't have a problem, but since you are probably using the SP2 Release Candidate, I don't know if it even should work. However, I don't know of any changes to the activation system in SP2 that would affect ABR.

 

Oh, I partitioned them myself, using Hiren's Boot CD so it's OK. The only applications I have installed in my other partitions are my Steam games. The cool thing about is if I reinstall my Windows and then install Steam in the same folder as it was before it will auto-detect the games and I won't have to wait, like, a couple of days to download them again.

Thanks for your help, orev! I'll start the fresh install as soon as the Vista discs I ordered come.

 

Thanks. It's the RTM, so it should be OK. I'll give it a go early next week and report back.

 

with wich types of keys does Anytime Upgrade DVD work with? retail, vl or only oem?

 

It works with all of them.

In the past Microsoft made a big mess by making all these different discs with different versions of Windows. Some only worked with OEM keys, and others only worked with retail keys, etc... This was a logisitcal nightmare, and, as many IT folks can attest to, caused a lot of headaches when you tried to use 1 disc to install a version different than you had the key for. With Vista and W7, they have stopped doing this and made all discs work with all types of keys.

 

Vista sp2 release is round the corner. Will ABR activation method work in that also? Anybody tried with SP2 RC release?

 

ok but if so why at msdn page they have two diferrent iso's?



look like one is retail version the other vl... anyway don't find any oem version at msdn page... weird

 

This is a guide for Vista, not Windows XP. They are not the same.

 

I have no reason to think that it won't work with SP2, but we'll have to wait and see when it comes out.

 

Just did a clean install/upgrade from OEM Vista Home Premium 32 bit to clean Vista Home Premium 64 bit.
Worked like a charm...

Thanks Orev..

Cheers

 

heres a tricky question, Im fixing a laptop that had a faulty hard drive(had vista), I can access the drive as an external on another PC(running XP), can I use the ABR tool to backup the files from an external drive?

 

Well, the data is on the hard drive somewhere, so anything is possible. It's just a matter of how complicated it would be to get it in the format you need. I have done such a thing in the past, but it is a lot of effort and it's helpful if you know a programming language.

 

hmmm damn, maybe I'll just wipe the drive and use the sticker key....

a language such as? im good in C, VB, Java and alittle Fortran

 

Thanks orev, you are awesome

 

I need to do a clean install, and I only have a 32-bit Vista DVD. The original poster said that the links to pay and download a copy of vista (I already have the CD key) are broken

Can I still pay microsoft or some company to download a 64 bit version of vista?

Where do I go?

 

Many of the legal avenues to obtain the discs have dried up. You might have some luck on eBay.

 

Great guide you have here
orev

I plan on using it in about a month or so after my warranty is up

You initial post mentions that you would like links to drivers from other manufacturers, so this is the link for Acer laptops
Most drivers can be found here IIRC

http://support.acer-euro.com/drivers/downloads.html

Hope this helps

Great job

 

Thanks for the info. I've added that link to the guide.

 

I bought a new Toshiba P305 and installed an OCZ Vertex SSD in the empty drive bay. I used this method to do a clean install of Vista Home Premium 64-bit with SP2 using the SSD as a boot drive and format the original 400gb drive for storage. After tweaking Vista using tips here and in the SSD forums, it flies. Thanks for making it simple.

 

No problem glad I could help

 

All what you need is the following:

1. Vista DVD
2. OEM certificate File for your manufacturer (*.XRM-MS)
3. SLP key / keys issued for your manufacturer
4. The manufacturer BIOS, which of course, a part of your PC

Now, you can install any version of Vista you like, as long as you are using the corresponding key that was issued for your vendor... I tried it.. It works

 

Yes, this is true. But where do you get the OEM certificate file? Or the SLP key for you manufacturer? Other than a site that is intended for piracy? That is what ABR does.. it take this information which is already on your computer and saves it for later, and also allows you to restore it easily.

Doing it your way is not especially difficult, but it requires knowledge that many people don't have, and also requires going to sites that some people might not feel comfortable with. ABR avoids those sites and also makes the process easier.

 

Hello orev

Actually I was not talking about piracy… Take Sony for example (I used to have a Vaio until very recently) believe it or not, I found the certificate file in the folder "c:\Windows\Panther\OEM" (if the memory did not fail me) and you can uncover the SLP key using "Jelly Bean Keyfinder" utility (prior commencing with re-installation, of course)

Even if the certificate and the SLP where found somewhere on the internet (it is actually there on non-piracy related site).. I don’t think that it counts as piracy since I’m using both with a pc that was issued for.. No one is talking about OEM Bios emulation for instance.. and I'm certainly not recommending, or endorsing in anyway, installing another version of VISTA other than the one pre-installed, I was just saying it is possible..

But I’ll have to agree with you, this method is not difficult, but it may requires some knowledge…

 

I see what you are saying. However, not all OEMs place the certificate on the system for users to access. They often install the certificate and then delete the original so the only copy is stored in the activation database.

 

OK, just got my Vista Anytime Upgrade disc from the UK eBay (a day before the offer expired - it was a "But It Now" item with more than 1000 pieces :О and I'll begin the preinstall soon. Only problem now is that I'll have to improvise - I'll use my camera as a USB flash drive, as I don't have a dedicated flash device. I don't think this is going to be a problem, seeing that Vista recognizes it as a mass storage device. So if I have any problems whatsoever I know where to ask. Now to backup SwSetup....WHOA, that's a BIG folder - 2,44 gigs!

EDIT1: Phew - just did the preinstall, restored the activation SUCCESSFULLY even thought the activation was for a portugese Vista Home Premium SP1 and my Upgrade Disc was for an english Vista SP0.

PS: SP0 = no service pack.

EDIT2: OK, installed all the programs, games and even SP1 with no problems whatsoever. And now when I go in the task manager, is says there are ~60 processes running, compared to the ~90 processes, before I did the preinstall. Good to see all the work I did was for a good cause.

 

I have vista home premium english version. I've installed also home premium but polish one and tried to activate it with ABR.
Everything seems to be ok but when I check in control panel vista is not activated ?

 

I haven't heard of others having trouble with activating versions with different languages. Try to reboot and check again to see if it worked.

 

I've installed this vista on Virtual PC. Maybe it caused the problem.

 

Do ABR method works for Vista SP2 from msdn?
As per site of ABR it states it supports vista sp1 and are they planning new ABR for vista sp2?

 

Ok I have a custom built system and I decided to research and see if there was a way to back up activation information so that I could, after reinstalling the same version on the same computer, not have to activate again. I am running a retail version of Ultimate that I got through theultimatesteal.com which has a special discount price for students. Anyway I download your program and ran the activation_backup application and provide the administrator password but the only file added to the folder is the backup-key text file. I did not get the backup-cert.xrm-ms file. In case you are wondering this is a fully activated genuine copy [it has the genuine seal]. In addition you said several times that the key will be different than what came with our copy of vista but I checked and it was the exact same thing. Is there something that I did wrong? Why didn't it work? Maybe I should point out that I have SP 2 installed.

--UPDATE--
I booted into a SP1 copy of this install that I have copied on another hard drive on the same computer [ don't ask] and I still didn't get the backup-cert.xrm-ms file. Then I decided to run the program from the command line so that the window wouldn't close automatically thinking that it might shed some light on the situation. I am attaching the screen shot below, modified of course. So what is going on?

 

Orev could correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe this only works on Vista installed at the factory from OEM's.

 

Yes, that is definitely the problem. Virtual PC is not the same computer as the one you purchased, it is a virtual computer running inside of it. Virtual computers are completely different than the hardware one.

I have not yet confirmed that ABR works with the SP2 from MSDN, and I'm not sure if it should. I think it will work with the RTM version, but also have no confirmation. I've had a few reports of issues with it, but it's hard to say since I don't think they made any changes to the activation system, as it would break a lot of other things. If you try it please report back and let us know.

See josher's comment below:

Yes, ABR is only made to work with OEM versions that were installed at the factory. A custom system is neither OEM nor installed at the factory.

 

You made it sound like this applied to any installation of Vista as long as it was the same version on the same computer. Are OEM versions not typically activated anyway?

Do you know of anything that will do the job?

 

Hi im new around here, i have a couple questions for the OP:

1) This will work with any other brand (ie Gateway) ?
2) I want to use a different languaje on my new clean install, my lap came with Windows Vista Home Premium 64bit (english), but i want to install the same OS but in spanish. So i dont know if this process will work.

Thanks in advance.

 

From the ABR section on the main guide:

If you installed it yourself, it's not from the factory. Also, the ABR homepage explains that it's only for OEM versions.

I don't know of another tool that does it, but you might try saving the tokens.dat file from the already installed version and then copying it back after you reinstall.

1) Yes, it should work with any computer brand, as long as the version of Vista installed is an OEM version and not one that was installed manually at a later time.

2) I have no firsthand knowledge of alternate language versions, but I can't think of a reason why it wouldn't work.

 

Is there anyway to create a new set of recovery discs after a clean install?