Question about re-installing dv5000t?

My laptop is coming on Tuesday/Wednesday. I don't have a clue what this bloatware stuff is but it sounds annoying and bad so i'm prepared to get rid of it asap.

From what I've read in some of these threads, I'm not sure which guide I should follow, the dv2000 or dv8000 reinstallation guide?

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When I bought my dv5000t on the hpshopping site, I ordered a Genuine Windows XP Media Center Edition Backup CD with it. Since I bought this, do I still have to burn recovery disks?

Can someone explain to me the pros,cons,benefits of doing a clean re-install? Especially because I have Lightscribe and a Sata HDD.

My specs are posted below (in my sig), is there anything that I should know prior to doing this re-install?

 

Ouch. I just read the dv8000 re-installation guide. I might need some hand-holding during this process.

 

well... if u had gotten a dv6000t u could have had a core 2 duo... but thats besides the point... i hear that hp delivers in its items a lot of crappy software, but u be the judge of that. when it comes open up ur new toy and see whats installed... if you don't like it, reinstall otherwise keep it... happy computing!

 

DV8000, because it came out at the same time as the DV5000t and is very similiar ti you.

 

When I burn the C:\SWSetup folder to CD/DVD, do I need to burn it with a special type of program? Also, what's nLite?

 

No. You burn it with any CD/DVD burning software. All you're doing is burning that folder to a DVD. nLite is Windows slipstreaming program. It allows you to slipstream new service packs, hotfixes, drivers, tweaks, ect. into your Windows install.

 

What exactly is slipstreaming?

 

Slipstreaming is adding extra data on to your Windows installation disc. It is done to automate installation of drivers which in an enterprise environment is useful if you have to install windows & associated drivers on thousands of computers. For you & me it helps in installing drivers for the SATA hard drive which need to be present for Windows to install(XP does not have native support for SATA drives). So, follow the guide as posted and you shouldnt have any problems.

As always before doing any of this burn a copy of the recovery disc and the SWSetup folder.

 

Someone mentioned that HP has started shipping OS disks with splitstreamed SATA drivers. You may be lucky and get one of those and all your problems will be solved

 

Awesome, because I just ordered my backup OS disk last week.

How would I know if it comes with the splitstreamed SATA drivers?

 

I'm stoked, can't wait for it come in today or tomorrow.

BTW, does anybody know if I need/have to burn the SWSetup folder to DVD? Can I use a CD-RW or is the folder too big to fit on a CD-RW. RW's are all I have right now, short on cash in terms of buying blank dvd-r's.

Also, how long will this whole re-install process take? I'm anticipating longer than 2 hours.

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I'm confused can someone explain?

Is the Windows Media Center Backup OS disk that I bought from HP with my laptop, is that the same as the recovery disks that I'm told to burn from Windows or is it something different?

Do I have to burn recovery disks even if I purchased that $10 Backup OS disk?

 

The folder is more than 1gb so a CD will not do. It contains the SATA drivers, so you'd better burn it if not on a DVD then on several CD-RWs. Alternatively, you can move it to another partition, provided that you don't plan to delete the other partition of course (btw, moving will take some time).

If you've never done it before, 2h may not be enough to set up everything. Take your time and make your computer as you like it.

 

You mentioned earlier that: "Someone mentioned that HP has started shipping OS disks with splitstreamed SATA drivers. You may be lucky and get one of those and all your problems will be solved"

How exactly would I know if the OS disk that I bought comes with the splitstreamed SATA drivers?
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BTW, I hope you weren't as sad as I was yesterday when Agassi said goodbye. I've never been so emotional about a sports' player's retirement like that, ever.

 

Unfortunately this is my first time. Make the computer as I like it? When I'm setting all this stuff up, its not going to have all of these weird coding/command boxes/text that will confuse the hell out of me and mess up my installation will it? I'm not great with computers, i'm probably slightly below intermediate but definitely not a newbie.

 

I don't know how to recognise if the OS diks has the SATA drivers, I've never seen one. Maybe you should try calling HP, they should know that.
Now it's a good time to go above the intermediate level .

During Windows install you will only use the mouse, so don't worry. If the SATA drivers are not integrated, however, you will have to press F10 immediately after turning on the laptop, enter BIOS, disable native SATA support, save&exit and proceed with installation.

About Agassi, yeah, it is very sad for us but a quite cheerful for his back it seems

 

I am waiting for my dv5000t right now (should be here within the next couple days) and have been paying attention to this thread because it basically is the info I need also. I believe my setup is the same as yours.

I have never done a clean install (my last computer was an Alienware and didnt have any bloatware) but I saw how much crap my fathers new Compaq has and I really dont want to deal with that myself.

One basic question that I would like to see answered but hasnt yet is.....

If you bought the "Genuine Windows XP Media Center Edition Backup CD" are any/all of these steps necessary?

Do we only need to load it in the drive and then follow the onscreen instructions if we have the disk? Do we need to go into BIOS (F10) and then select the disk? Do we need to update all of the drivers manually or does having the disk take care of all of that? So essentially my question is... does having the disk mean it takes care of everything and all you have to do is follow some simple onscreen instructions to achieve a clean install? Or do we still need to go through all of the steps told in the reinstalling guides?

 

I believe we're following all of these steps on the re-install so we can get the startup faster and make the PC the way we want.

 

I just received my laptop and I love it.

Though it does make me look at the Welcome screen for about 30 seconds before it loads Windows. I'm waiting for my sister to come home with DVD-r's so I can get started on the re-install.

How much of a difference will I notice in startup AFTER I do the re-install?

 

Well, you won't be looking at the Welcome screen for very long that's for sure. =D

It takes my 5000t around 30 seconds to load from power on to actually being inside windows (i.e. I can open the Start button), and I didn't reinstall windows, just uninstalled a lot of software.

 

Is removing the unwanted software as simple as going into the add/remove programs list, selecting the software you dont want, and then deleting it? Or do you need to play around with the registry to fully remove the undesirable software?

 

I guess I might just go with the uninstall software, this re-install looks too difficult for me.

Ah, my first error! caps lock light on and its lowercase. Fixed though.

 

MasturB--When did you place your order. I am currently waiting on two dv5000t's. Just trying to figure when mine will get here.
TIA.
Mike

 

I also ordered two dv5000t's, on last Sunday which would be August 27th.

 

MasturB--Thanks for the response. I ordered mine on the 31st. Hopefully they'll get here early next week, if yours are any indication of current delivery times.
Thanks again--
Mike

 

Is there a thread or website that details what programs come preinstalled on HP notebooks? Something that details what the programs are, what they do, how to delete them if they are useless. I really dont want to mess up my computer in anyway especially since I just got it. I am also leaving town soon and need it to perform correctly.

 

Well I deleted all of the crap I saw in Add/Remove Programs but I still see some stuff I dont want. On my desktop I see Icons for Blockbuster, Ebay, and AOL. I dont see them in the Add/Remove Programs list. How do I delete these? Do I just go into programs and manually delete them? If so, do I need to do anything other than clicking on a folder and deleting it?

 

Go to RUN menu and write msconfig. In the startup sheet uncheck the unnecessary stuff.

Do not delete manually programs, this will eventually mess up your registry. Look at the shortcuts and see where they point to, there might be uninstall files in those folders. Check the Start menu entries for Uninstall options, too.
After all, however, those icons may be just leftovers of successfully uninstalled programs and therefore safe to delete.

 

Thanks. I will try that. I thought it might be bad to manually uninstall the programs. Thankfully I waited.