HP dv6700t gives you no recovery disks?!

My mom has an HP dv6700t and I wanted to do a fresh install of vista but it seems in the package she got has no discs at all. No Vista CD, No drivers, software discs. Nothing! Is this common practice w/ HP computers or did I just not receive them?

Seems like the HP support site says you have to purchase them.

 

This is now the common practice for HP notebooks, and probably desktops too. Instead of providing recovery discs, HP will create a recovery partition on the hard drive. The recovery partition will set the notebook back to factory specifications, which loads in all the original drivers and of course all the bloatware.

You can purchase the recovery discs from the HP website, yes. However, you can also request a free recovery disc set by directly contacting HP if the notebook is under warranty (maybe even out of warranty as well).

 

Yea it kinda sucks, but you can burn a set of recovery disks and save them. From there just delete all the bloatware from the "Programs and Features" in the Control Panel. I've done this before and it made my Home Premium run so much faster and stable.

For help burning the recovery disks read this.

 

Seriously, did those recovery discs ever have any use?

 

Nope IMHO. I only burn a copy in case I want to sell my laptop. It restores to factory image w/ all the bloatware... >.<


OP should try clean install. Much better performance afterwards.
http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=120228

Remember to save the software/drivers in C:\SWSetup and back up your activation using the ABR program.

http://directedge.us/content/abr-activation-backup-and-restore

You'll need it after the reformat.

As to getting a Vista disc, there are sites/avenues that you can get them from...not sure if I'm allow to say them here.

 

Better keep illegal discussion out of these forums, i've gotten a couple weeks of "vacation" in various places for this. As for the software, you can always DL it from HP's site.

 

So I called HP and they told me I would have to pay 15 bucks to get the Vista disc. That just doesn't any sense to me. Is there a way I can install a fresh install of Vista w/o the bloatware?

Im assuming the recovery partition recoveries w/ bloatware. There must be something around this. How would a user do a fresh install of windows?

Edit : just saw that link will read it

 

Simple. You get the disc from that not-so-legal source and use the serial number on the back of the laptop. Technically you pay for the license nor for the disc, thus, since the laptop has a license everything should be okay.

 

If you use the key in the back of your laptop, you'll have to call MS to activate it.

Just follow the guide that I linked you to back up your activation info so you won't have to call them again.

 

where do i get this disc? Torrent? then iso burn and put my serial #

 

Exactly. But make sure you get the same version of Vista (ie: Home Premium 32-bit) or your legit key will not work and you'll be really pirating.

Though i would recommend you to get the 64-bit version, an upgrade CD is $10 from Microsoft (you will need both discs). However i don't know if the upgrade also applies to OEM licenses, but you can always ask.

 

ok well the laptop only has 1GB of RAM so it has to be the 32bit Vista

 

1GB isn't really great for Vista to start with. Swapping the probable 2x512MB sticks for 2x1GB or more would definetly speed it up.

 

All laptops now don't come with discs. You have to make your own. Google it.

 

64-bit will work with any memory size as long as you have a 64-bit CPU... But in any case, you might want to upgrade that to at least 2GB. RAM is very cheap nowadays.