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    How Can I Install OS without a disc drive?

    Discussion in 'HP' started by Carbo, Sep 19, 2014.

  1. Carbo

    Carbo Notebook Consultant

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    I have the dm1-4010us laptop. I just wiped the drive, planning to reinstall the OS, (Windows 7), using the HP disc that was included with my purchase of the machine. Then it hit me that this model laptop doesn't have a disc drive. Short of running out to buy a portable DVD drive, is there another way to install the OS? Thank you.
     
    Carbo, Sep 19, 2014
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  2. VonCrisp

    VonCrisp Notebook Evangelist

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    Normally you just dump the Windows ISO onto a USB stick with a tool like rufus:

    Rufus - Create bootable USB drives the easy way

    In your case you might want to research if you can combine the HP DVDs and dump them onto USB somehow.

    Frankly that is way too much effort, so it would be easier just get a Windows 7 iso online from MyDigitalRiver (MS site). The activation for your HP copy is fairly easy as all HP Windows 7 OSes use the same key and certificate.
     
    VonCrisp, Sep 19, 2014
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  3. Carbo

    Carbo Notebook Consultant

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    Bear with my ignorance here. . .I see that HP provides two recovery discs. Should I copy both to a properly formatted USB drive, boot off that drive and expect all to go as planned? I copied disc 1 to the USB and booted off it but that didn't work.
     
    Carbo, Sep 20, 2014
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  4. Carbo

    Carbo Notebook Consultant

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    Also, I just downloaded Windows 7 Home Premium 64 bit, SP1 from Digital River. It's sitting on my desktop. How do I get this onto a USB drive and installed on the laptop? Thank you!
     
    Carbo, Sep 20, 2014
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  5. Carbo

    Carbo Notebook Consultant

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    After posting I installed the Windows 7 USB download tool. Copied the ISO file to the USB and Windows installed just fine. Thanks for the help.
     
    Carbo, Sep 20, 2014
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  6. VonCrisp

    VonCrisp Notebook Evangelist

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    Rufus could have done the same thing as the Windows 7 USB tool.

    I am not certain how to get the HP recovery DVDs onto USB but I am sure there is a guide somewhere.
     
    VonCrisp, Sep 21, 2014
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  7. KLF

    KLF NBR Super Modernator Super Moderator

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    With Rufus ;) It isn't as picky as Microsoft's tool and will put all kinds of .iso files on usb drives, including corrupted ones...

    First thing to do is make an iso image out of the recovery discs, then use Rufus to put those images into usb sticks. I like IMGBurn and do most of my burning and image making with that.
     
    KLF, Sep 24, 2014
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