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.

    Factory Image Recovery

    Discussion in 'HP' started by touchtoplay, Jan 14, 2012.

  1. touchtoplay

    touchtoplay Notebook Consultant

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    131
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    The 2-disc set that came with the laptop labeled 'recovery discs', do those format both harddrives too? I saw it reset all drivers and then on boot up it acted as if the laptop was being used for the first time, asking for username and things like that. I just want to know if all personal data has been wiped.
     
    touchtoplay, Jan 14, 2012
    #1
  2. Bobmitch

    Bobmitch Notebook Virtuoso

    Reputations:
    247
    Messages:
    2,038
    Likes Received:
    1
    Trophy Points:
    55
    It should be only the OS drive...did you check to see if your data is on the other drive? I keep all my data on D, in case my SSD has issues...
     
    Bobmitch, Jan 15, 2012
    #2
  3. touchtoplay

    touchtoplay Notebook Consultant

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    131
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    Well I was planning on returning it to the store so do I need to wipe the drive?
     
    touchtoplay, Jan 15, 2012
    #3
  4. Bobmitch

    Bobmitch Notebook Virtuoso

    Reputations:
    247
    Messages:
    2,038
    Likes Received:
    1
    Trophy Points:
    55
    Absolutely! Just to be safe, leave no doubts in your mind.
     
    Bobmitch, Jan 15, 2012
    #4
  5. touchtoplay

    touchtoplay Notebook Consultant

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    131
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    what's the best way to go about it? I've heard about boot and nuke but not so sure about it. I don't want to end up messing up the laptop. Can I choose which drives to boot and nuke? Should I just nuke the D drive or the C drive (OS one) also since I used the factory image recovery? Do you think it will matter if I return it without the OS installed?
     
    touchtoplay, Jan 16, 2012
    #5
  6. Bobmitch

    Bobmitch Notebook Virtuoso

    Reputations:
    247
    Messages:
    2,038
    Likes Received:
    1
    Trophy Points:
    55
    Not sure about sending back without OS...have never done it. As far as nuke...just njke the D drive. Depending on the brand of drive (my D drive is a Hitachi, and they have a utility to write zeros to the drive). Seagate and others have the same...go to the website for your D drive manufacturer and get the bootable CD iso. That should be all you really need to do. Then you can send back with OS on it. Most likely if you are returning for refund...HP is gonna wipe the drives and reimage anyway. They can only sell your machine again as a refurb
     
    Bobmitch, Jan 16, 2012
    #6