How To? SWSETUP Files To Clean Install

Guys, it's been a long time (Windows 98 SE) since I formatted a pc.

My new dv6000t is on it's way and rather than uninstall the bloatware I would like to do a format and clean install.
Unlike in the past I always had the OS disc, this will be my first pc with a mfg's System Recovery DVD (w/Windows Vista Home Premium)

So I ask you..... If I make up a CD copy of the SWSETUP folder without all the bloat ware folders, can I do a format on both the OS and recovery partitions and install the OS cleanly directing it to the CD for the asked for drivers during the install?

 

Yep you sure can, also look into nLite for XP or Vlite for Vista, you can make an install DVD or CD with integrated drivers. That way you will be able to have a REAL backup disc and won't need to keep the SWsetup folder

 

Vista wont ask for any drivers during the installation, you will have to manually install the drivers after you re-install Vista.

You can do a clean install provided you have a copy of Windows Vista.

P.S: Burn the recovery discs before trying any re-installation as those will allow you to get back to factory state in case of any problems.

 

While Vista won't ask for drivers during the install using Vlite and creating a complete installation package will save you the time of installing the drivers after, and keeping a backup of them.

 

Thanks Guys,
I need some clarification on....Why to burn the recovery disc's?

Not taking anything away from Vlite as it sounds really good, but FMI isn't what I already need on the supplied "OS and Recovery Media System Recovery DVD w/Windows Vista Home Premium"?

And last but not least............ as I stated earlier, it's been a long time, and I used the good ole floppy drive of yore to do an "Fdisk" and go from there.

How do you young folk do a Vista OS format c:\ these days without a floppy drive??

Just so you guys know how to come on, I am not too much of a novice as I built my own PC from scratch (ASUS P4P800 Deluxe, 3.0 MHz P4 H/T, 2GB RAM
Dual Barracuda SATA 7200 RPM HDs' and so on.

I'm just new to the Vista world and PC life without an A:\ drive. I still have a b:\ drive in the garage. Yes, I'm old!

 

On the VLITE download page, will I need the runtime thing?

 

If you ordered the discs, then you dont need to burn the recovery discs. The disc which HP ships with the system arent clean Vista discs, they are just proprietary restore discs from HP. You wont be able to do a clean install using those discs. They will just put you back to factory state.

As for as formatting, you just boot from the Vista DVD and you will have an option to formate the HDD during the installation process.

 

My first PC was a Commodore 64


You can't do a clean install just by using the included Recovery DVDs. You will need to purchase a seperate copy of the OS and use that to do a clean install. If you know anyone with a Vista install DVD you can try to use that and put in your OEM Product Key from the bottom of your notebook that should work. However you would still need to install the drivers for your notebook after the install process is complete.

vLite may be alittle too complex for you anyways, the easiest way would just to be delete all the bloatware manually.

I posted a de-bloating guide here:

http://forums.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=75470&page=74