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    Clean install on HP notebook

    Discussion in 'HP' started by MttFrog13, Aug 3, 2007.

  1. MttFrog13

    MttFrog13 Notebook Guru

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    I was able to do a clean install on a new dell inspiron recently and remembered that on my old HP desktop i had no installation disk, just a recovery CD and program that installed it with all the bloatware.

    Does HP still do this with their new laptops or does an actuall windows vista install CD come with it so you can do an actual "clean install"
     
  2. SBR

    SBR Notebook Consultant

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    Well, there's the windows anytime upgrade DVD which is basically the same thing as a windows vista disk...
     
  3. SGT Lindy

    SGT Lindy Notebook Consultant

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    I used the antime upgrade DVD to blow away my HP install on the dv6426us I just got.

    The only negative is that you must activate over the phone.
     
  4. SBR

    SBR Notebook Consultant

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    You don't need to activate over the phone if you use the SLP key that HP used to install and activate your system in the factory. Search for the thread for clean install without activation on this forum.

    The gist of the trick is you use keyfinder on your factory-installed laptop to find the SLP key and you save a folder containing microsoft signed OEM certificate (found in C:\) onto a USB key. When you do a clean install, you copy that folder of certs back into C:\ and voila! your clean install bypasses activation completely and legitimately.