Possible to buy Vista backup disc later on?

Does anybody know if it's possible to buy one of the OS backup DVD's after buying the laptop?

Say I buy the PC without an OS backup disc, but then 2 weeks later I want to reformat or something and reinstall the OS. Would I be able to order the standalone backup disc from the HP site for the same $19.99 price?

 

you should try contact them

 

I got mine free a couple days after I got my laptop. If you want to get a free copy of the recovery disc, just tell them that when you tested the recovery DVD after burning it, it gave an error message saying "this recovery disc wasn't designed for this laptop". However, if you would like to purchase the disc, I'm almost sure that the recovery disc will be $19.99 or less since that's how much it's always costed for a recovery disc.

 

You don't need to buy the recovery discs. When you get the laptop you can burn them using the built-in utility. You just need to have some blank DVD+R discs (they must be DVD+R).

It would be a good idea to test them after you burn them. Boot to the DVD and do a complete restore. It will take an hour or so, but you will know they work (and your laptop will look just like it came from the factory, no harm done).

 

How can i made a clean isntalation of Vista in my lappy and in my sister's lappy (a dv6000z)??

First must I create a set of recovery disks for the system?

 

I should point out that it won't be a clean install per se, because the recovery discs also reinstall all of the original bloatware as well. The best solution I found is to burn the SWSETUP folder to dvd, then do a clean install of Windows using a bonafide MS Windows disc. Then use the SWSETUP dvd to install the drivers and apps you want.

Thats how I've worked it with XP, anyway. Unless Vista is funny about using an HP-assigned key with an oem Windows disc, then it should work the same.

 

You will need to buy 2 copies of Vista thats the only way to get 2 clean copies

 

In my experience, no you can't buy a CD after the purchase. However, YMMV.

 

It definitely is possible to by restore disks that will get your laptop back to factory condition. You go to hp.com and click on driver and software. Enter your product number (not serial number) on the sticker on the bottom of your laptop and click on the operating system that you use. Then there should be a link on the drivers page that says restore disks or something. That link will take you to the order page for those disks. They are $15-$20 a pop. They will not give you a clean install, just get your machine back to factory condition.

If you want a clean install, use the anytime upgrade DVD that came with your laptop and the OEM key you find either from Magic Jelly Bean Keyfinder or on the bottom of your laptop (they can be different in some cases so you could technically install 2 copies of vista and be able to activate them). Be sure to backup your c:\swsetup folder though because that contains all of your factory installed drivers. Note: I know that OEM keys will work with the anytime upgrade DVDs because I've done just that before.

 

Good point about the Anytime Upgrade DVD. I had forgotten that it could be used just for clean installs. Very handy indeed.

 

You can follow my guide here:
http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=120228

 

So are you saying we can use the Anytime upgrade dvd (in combination with the swsetup folder for drivers) to do a clean install of windows vista using the key on the bottom of the laptop without paying additional? That seems like an easier way than trying to clean the trial stuff off the laptop.

 

Yes, that is what I'm saying, but you don't use the key on the bottom of the laptop.

 

the key on the bottom also works

 

Wouldnt you want to use the key included with your laptop for a "legit" install?
-- Ignore this - I just read your FAQ which is very well documented. So in short, HP looks like it uses a general product key code that is activated on all their laptops so that the key thats actually printed on your notebook is not the one that gets activated out of the factory.

 

@ all: thanks for your handy info guys but I need to learn more about software to do this job, lazzy me...

But again thanks for you replies.

 

Yes, it does, but then you have to call Microsoft every time you want to reinstall your system. If you use the built-in key, you don't have to do this.

 

Interesting...I bet if that key is compromised, microsoft will just give HP a new one and disallow activations on the "hp preinstall key".

 

If they did that, then everyone with a legit computer wouldn't be able to update/activate anymore.

"Compromising" this key is really no big deal, because you still need to activate the OS after you install. The activation is linked to the hardware, and in order to get the hardware you had to pay for some sort of license for the OS. So there's really no way to use this key by itself to install Vista and get around the activation part.

 

Whats to stop user a from purchasing vista home basic and taking the preactivated files from another user who purchases vista ultimate and using the anytime upgrade dvd along with the files to get a preactivated vista ultimate? There must be a special key that works for multiple hp laptops (at least the same model) or perhaps its tied to cpu serial#s from hp who knows

 

AFAIK, the "preactivated files" are actually the same for home premium and ultimate, but I know nothing more about doing such things.