HP Customer Service Rep Says "NO"! to My Request

I just got off the phone with one of the customer service reps who tells me that its not possible for me to get the WinXP and drivers disks to do a clean install of my OS.

I tried to explain the reasons that I did not want to have all the games and internet signup and assorted other stuff on it.

First he suggests that I use the recovery disk. When I tell him why I won't be doing that, he wants to walk me through the add/remove program procedure.

I said "no, thank you, I don't want to do it that way, either, I want a clean computer. Please send me the disks." He said "not possible, we just don't do it".

So, I said, "I'm gonna go confirm what I've read elsewhere about other recent situations like mine. I'll call you back."

Maybe I was too straightforward? I said the word "cr*p" when I referred to the bloatware that was on the computer.

Anyway, its a dv1000t, I received it one week ago. Any help in the way of confirmation that anyone was able to get a disk recently, and how, would be appreciated.

 

This is what I did for my DELL Inspiron. Borrow a XP CD. Format the disk. Install the fresh copy of XP with my notebook Windows XP cd key. Download and Install the driver from dell. Viola!! clean Installation.

 

Will that work? What about making sure I have all the drivers I need? I was hoping I wouldn't have to try and track all that down on my own.

Actually, I'm really kind of angry about this now, though, and would still like them to send me the disk. Just 'cuz.

 

It worked for me on Dell though. Currently using it now, I'm typing this with it. I download the network and audio driver, got the Display driver from omega corner(custom hacked driver, since one they offer in dell is old), the touchpad I didnt even do anything. It just work straight out of the box. I dont know about HP. But I'm pretty sure they allow u to download driver from their website right?

 

I suppose any drivers can be downloaded from HP's site that are not available to Windows when it scans all of the hardware, but I'm sure there would be some missing. For example, XP might automatically install a touchpad driver but the one we want is from HP. I want those CDs! I tried talking to an HP tech about it and he wanted me to call HP Shopping. So I sent HP Shopping an e-mail instead. No way I want to argue over the phone with these people.

 

Will you let me know how that works out for you, z5sharp? I looked for the disks in HP Shopping and did not find them.

 

That's right, and when I told the HP rep this, she said that they're not available for some models. I even offered to pay the $10 if she could stick it on my order before it ships, but she didn't go for that. HP really doesn't want to give out CDs, apparently. I could try installing the XP Home I have for this desktop and try to activate it online (or by phone if it's rejected) and see if that works. Who knows. I'll have to get my notebook first!

I'll keep you updated.

 

If you have an XP home CD, that should definitely work for an install on your notebook. Just use the authentication code that's printed on the sticker on the bottom of the notebook when you install.

The drivers are another issue. You could just go to the "download drivers" section on the hp.com support page and download everything that's listed. They should have a complete listing of all the drivers that you need.

 

When I e-mailed HP Shopping, I told them how I want to perform a clean install when I receive my notebook and that not having CDs causes me difficulty, and how I understand they want us to use a recovery partition and create our own CD/DVD set. Then I asked if it was at all possible to "make my buying experience better" by sending me these CDs, and I quickly mentioned how I am a loyal follower of HP's products for several years (which is true).

"Brian" from HP writes back to me and says things that basically don't make sense. First he reinstates that they use a partition of the hard disk and gave me two help links that show how to do this, and then he said HP Shopping has no CDs available due to "contractual obligations with Microsoft." The very next thing he says is contradictory.

Didn't he just tell me they don't have any CDs? I looked on a page that he gave me, http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/...product=441657&lang=en&cc=us&docname=bph07143, that shows how to order a Recovery Kit, but my model, the dv5000z, doesn't have any available for sale anyway...

I think I'll just do what davin suggested. I really don't want to download all those drivers, though.

 

My guess is that the HP Recovery CD for Windows XP that he is talking about has all that bloat you want to get rid of.

I just got my new Compaq Presario v2000 and boy! Talk about bloat.... QUite a compraison with my new ASUS z70va... which is as clean as a whistle.

I have windows xp professional CD with the ASUS.

Do you think I could use that to load a clean system onto my Compaq which is licensed for XP home....? If I do that... what about updates for the XP that come in as messages to download. I presume I can't register it with MS.

I am really annoyed with this....

 

Here's a screenshot of me downloading all of the HP drivers listed for my model in preparation for when I get my notebook. All of those desktop icons are either fully downloaded drivers or partial files. 15 in total.

 

Unfortionately the XP Proffesional disk won't work in a computer that has the product code for XP Home. It really sucks that they decided to do this. I got my laptop in January and the disks came with mine. Those lowdown nasty people from HP that just want to save a buck. Sorry for the rant.
Tim

 

Of course, Windows XP pro and home are both separate products. It wont work if you try to enter xp home key on XP pro installation.

 

It very well might be that Microsoft wants to make a buck, or that the people who pay HP to put their bloatware on the computer want to ensure that you can't escape it. One option, if you are really, really, really sick of the bloat (because it's expensive), is to have Geek Squad at Best Buy do their custom recovery service. They do a normal destructive recovery, then remove the trial software and other bloatware. Bad news: costs about $100. Only if you're truely desperate.

 

OK, here's the deal. I paid for WinXP, and I paid for a computer. No OS disks? There's a part missing.

I bought it, I decide what goes (and stays) on it, not HP, not AOL and not anyone else. Seriously, who do these companies think they are? How do they get away with it?

 

Well, they get away with it because consumers let them. We accept that cell phone companies lock us into plans to subsidize phones, we accept that print cartridges cost $40 to subsidize the printer, and we accept that our new computers will be full of bloat in order to have them cost $100 less.

 

Sad, but true, tacojohn. My last questions were largely rhetorical, anyway.

How is my computer $100 less? Or did I not pay to have an OS installed on my computer?

Or do the computer companies do that math the way they do their "sales" math? By raising the price by $150 before giving a $100 coupon.

 

They might be doing that. Look though at how much more expensive Asus and Alienware computers are, or the other boutique companies that tend to avoid that type of bloat on their computers. (Not sure that either of those companies do that though). If Alienware doesn't put bloat on their products, I would be interested to see what happens after the Dell Aquisition is finished and if Dell puts that junk on it.

 

Hi Z,

I am a little bit confused with this topic. Yes, I am aware that WinXP Home can't be installed with XP Prof key and vice versa.

However in this conversation, have I misunderstand all of you. What I catch is IF we bought a lappy which was configured for XP HOME, then clean formatted and then Installed again either with XP home or Prof, the lappy can not be installed with an OS????

Please enlight me.. I am also very upset and mad after I know that Hp does this trick of not giving us any recovery and OS install CD at all.

Anyone are welcome to comment, what is our solution now....

Thank u so much dude..

 

monkey, I think [-Z-] was referring to the use of the legal XP Home key code with the XP Pro key code. In other words, if someone wanted to install XP Pro on the laptop, it would need to be a legal copy with its own usable code. Is that right?

I am also still very disappointed about this. I can get XP Home, but would have liked the support of HP in doing a clean install. I don't want to mess it up.

 

Having the CD media and having the license are two different thing. You can get OEM CD media but without license and the license (with key code) is specific for the product. So I don't see the problem here. The real problem is they should provide a way of re-installing the original OS (either Home or Pro) without all those extra junk.

 

I have an old v4000 and it came with a set of cd(recovery, drivers etc). So newer models now dont have a separate cd recovery disk. Much like my gateway it only have a recovery partition. But i think its possible to create a cd/dvd recovery disk but only 1 time. Are there drivers included in that created recovery disk?
I usually just formatted my notebook and create my own ghost/image disk so i can just have a clean install anytime i want to.

 

I have been pricing a Hp DV5000T and noticed this:

OS and Recovery Media help me decide Feel at ease with an OS backup CD at your fingertips. Please choose the same OS as selected above.

• none Included in price
  
• Windows(R) XP Home Edition with SP2 Backup CD +$10.00
  
• Windows(R) XP Professional with SP2 Backup CD +$10.00
  
• Windows(R) XP Media Center Edition Backup CD +$10.00

Now for $10 you can buy the original OS to do a clean install. I looked further at the help menu and it said, "Windows(R) XP Home Edition with SP2 Backup CD will ONLY install the Operating System. " It looks like they took your complaints and changed the way they sell their stuff.

 

Interesting, I'll call them again. Although, I've read that this option appeared for some and not for others (count me among the "not for others"). I was told by the CSR I spoke with that I had a model (dv1000t) that did not get the OS disks.

 

OK, I just looked at the Costco site and the recovery CD option for my model is there now. I can't believe that guy told me "no". <self-edit> <self-edit> I am so calling them back today. Actually, maybe a chat would be better, easier to conceal my contempt that way.

 

You can make your own recovery CD/DVDs, correct?

So you boot up, run their "Recovery" tool, create the discs?

The you can whack that 8GB partition.

Does it not work that way?

 

Huh, way to short-change newcomers. I didn't have to buy copy of a clean XP Home. Speaking of which, I should burn a copy so I don't get screwed later.

 

Hi Dagamer34,

I'm confused with ur statement. So, is it true that I can burn a copy of recovery back-up CD from the lappy - but it only work ONCE.

Please tell me, so we all can learn from this. I hate Hp service for not providing recovery n driver CDs anymore. We're buying lappy from them, of course we need the CDs...

;(

 

You only have one shot to burn the recovery disks. If you lose them, and delete the recovery partition, and have no other OS disks you are SOL.

AN UPDATE: I managed to get HP to send me an OS disk, but when they sent the confirmation email I noticed they were sending XP Pro (I have XP Home installed). So I called and spoke to someone, who said "but its an upgrade, it'll install and work fine".

Well, I got my disk today and there is no key code, so I'm afraid to do this now. I guess I'll be sending more emails.

Also, there was no driver disk, but the disk itself reads: Contains software and drivers already installed. For software reinstallation and repair only.

 

FYI, the disks that HP sends out are custom windows disks... they're HP branded with HP logos on them. When I installed a fresh copy of WinXP home from the CD they sent me, it never asked me for my product code. I think that it just checks the BIOS to make sure that it's an HP product that is eligible to have that version of the OS installed.

That said... I'm not gonna make a recommendation about what you should do! I don't want to be blamed if something goes wrong! heh

 

I just wound up using my original XP Home CD and original product code.

 

lol, thanks for the info, davin . The disk does have HP's logo on it, as well as a copyright notice from them and MS. I'll do the deed some time soon. If it fails, I think we might have an XP home disk around here somewhere. And if that fails, I have my recovery disk.

 

Mine came with two cd's- operating system recovery disk, and the drivers cd. The operating one simply wiped my hard drive and installed a fresh copy of windows with no HP bloatware crap. It is the DRIVERS cd that installs this crap, HOWEVER there is an option to select exactly what you want installed. I installed the necessary drivers and that was it, viola no hp bloatware!