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.

    Is it necessary to buy genuine xp and recovery dvd?

    Discussion in 'HP' started by Pom-AWD, Oct 5, 2006.

  1. Pom-AWD

    Pom-AWD Notebook Enthusiast

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    28
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    5
    If I have my own genuine WinXP Pro installation CD,
    Can I order only WinXP Home and then reformat to WinXP Pro using my disc?

    And is it necessary to buy recovery dvd?
    Can I burn it by myself?

    Thank you,
    Pom
     
    Pom-AWD, Oct 5, 2006
    #1
  2. JM

    JM Mr. Misanthrope NBR Reviewer

    Reputations:
    4,370
    Messages:
    2,182
    Likes Received:
    8
    Trophy Points:
    56
    Yes, you can burn it yourself, the same thing you'd buy from HP, but it'll also be a burn with all the bloat ware and such, just so you know. As far as I know, the DVDs from HP also include the bloat ware, so...

    In my view, it's not really needed to buy the set HP offers.
     
    JM, Oct 5, 2006
    #2
  3. Pom-AWD

    Pom-AWD Notebook Enthusiast

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    28
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    5
    And what's about genuine XP Pro?
     
    Pom-AWD, Oct 5, 2006
    #3
  4. huchris

    huchris Notebook Enthusiast

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    10
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    5
    If you have your own media and a valid license, you can reinstall the laptop with whatever OS you want. I did exactly that.

    Now that I say that, make sure you create the set of recovery disks using the program supplied by HP before you do anything. This way you can always put back the original OS if you need to return it or resell it.

    Also, you might want to read through the HP/Compaq Reinstallation Guides thread. Theres some very helpful information.
     
    huchris, Oct 5, 2006
    #4
  5. celondil

    celondil Notebook Consultant

    Reputations:
    16
    Messages:
    212
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    I believe the license for Windows is bound to the system its first installed on.

    So I suspect that while it may be a valid XP Pro license, you might have to call MS to activate it or something like that.
     
    celondil, Oct 5, 2006
    #5
  6. WeAreNotAlone

    WeAreNotAlone Notebook Deity

    Reputations:
    18
    Messages:
    702
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30

    On the $10 OS re-install discs (now $18 on allot of systems) it's worth every penny.

    The $10 OS install disc that is an option btw is a CLEAN XP install disc.... If memory serves me correctly so "clean" you'll need to download the latest drivers (or use the ones in the C:\SwSetup folder)

    It does NOT contain the bloatware... at least April-2006


    PS: I ordered my system thru www.costco.com

    http://www.costco.com/CTO/HPLanding.aspx?Prodid=10029570&whse=BC&topnav=&browse=


    I think the wording has "changed", it saying: "System Recovery DVD w/Windows XP Home(or PRO, MCE) Edition" so the "new" recovery discs may indeed be the recovery disc with all the bloatware on it.


    In case if helps, you can see what discs, parts, etc fit your HP/Compaq here:

    HP PartSurfer

    http://www.partsurfer.hp.com/cgi-bin/spi/main

    Note on "new" models it takes them several weeks (or more) to get everything listed. Best to check the above though when "asking" that a set be set to you. Very helpful to confirm the correct part number.


    HP set me the OS install disc, I called them and told them the "Recovery Disc" burned by the machine had errors on it (Nero said it did) and that I had deleted the "recovery" partition to gain space, then found out the disc burned by the end user was defective...
     
    Last edited by a moderator: May 8, 2015
    WeAreNotAlone, Oct 9, 2006
    #6