Removing Bloatware? Reinstall Win7?

There was no problem with his function keys, he didn't understand HP's default use of the function key. HP tends to be backwards from most other keyboards.

 

ooo ok thanks , so everything will work fine MSI recovery. Thats nice to know

 

That's correct. All of the HP software works after the MSI, too, including Cool Sense.

There are also several free excellent anti-virus programs available.

 

I'm having some issues with doing a MSI (details here); does HP Recovery Manager prevent you from doing a MSI?

 

No, the Recovery Manager is how you perform the MSI. Did you create the backup discs before trying the MSI?

EDIT: Looking at your thread it does appear that HP is requiring you to make a backup first. I made a backup before doing the MSI and it worked flawlessly. You can use a 32GB USB thumb drive if you don't have access to an external optical drive.

 

That makes alot of sense. I'll try that now...

 

Burned recovery disks, which didn't help. After contacting HP, I found out that the partition that I added makes HP Recovery Manager kinda go crazy. I had to go into BIOS, change the boot order, and do a complete reinstall from the disks. Then I did a MSI, and everything went fine. Lot of work, but it's rewarding to not see that stupid Snapfish icon on my desktop.

 

guys after i choose "create recovery media" from the recovery manager it asks me to insert one of the 3 medias (USB Flash drive, DVD, or DL DVD), so i inserted a DVD and nothing happened then i tried with a 16GB Flash USB and nothing happened. The rotating circle at the bottom keeps on going!

What's wrong?

 

Never mind that.

Before starting the minimum system image installation i realized that there are 280GB of unallocated disk space, so i thought I can allocate them to drive C during recovery. However, the recovery didnt give me the option to merge this space to drive C and the recovery failed. Error log said there is unalloacted space.

How to do I allocate space from outside windows and merge it to drive C? (dont want to create a new partition)

Please help me on this i got this laptop last night and It was on display and it is the last piece in the country!! (DV6-6096)

EDIT: "Extend Volume" option in disk management is grayed out because the unallocated space is not directly to the right of drive C.
It goes like that: Drive C, then Recovery (D: ), then Unallocated Space.

How can I merge this unallocated space to drive C? forums say since it is right next to D i can only merge it using Extend to drive D..in this case the recovery disk!

 

Try this tool Best Free Partition Manager Freeware for Windows 7, Windows Vista, and Windows XP 32 bit & 64 bit. MiniTool Free Partition Manager Software Home Edition.

Move the unallocated space before the C drive, and then resize the C drive into the unallocated space.

 

Thanks yumms

thigs took a dramatic turn at the end but now everything is fixed. i used a win7 bootable image for a clean install and merged the partitions while at it.

oh btw thats me i lost my password while switching between the 2 laptops...

 

If / when I get my DV6tqe, I plan on throwing in an SSD from the start. Is the recovery disc picky about the hard drive in the laptop? Will it balk at my SSD?

 

yes. This whole recovery disk(s) thing is unreliable and over-rated

Your best bet is to back up the SWSetup folder (located in C:\, update some of its drivers from HP.com website) and create a Win7 bootable image on a dvd or USB flash after you backup your key (Follow this guide http://forum.notebookreview.com/windows-os-software/428068-legal-windows-7-download-links-just-like-vista-before.html )and do a clean format while managing the partitions the way yo want, keeping the 100MB system partitions (nvm that if you have a new SSD)

That's what my painful experience with the laptop has taught me in the past 2 days. It's now working like a charm with none of the bloatware and just the way i want it.

 

Yeah, I usually do a fresh install, but if it's truly a clean install with all drivers pre-loaded then it would save some time.

I've done numerous Win 7 installs off a USB drive just was curious about the restore disk if it was picky with what drive was in the machine. In any case I'll probably just do a clean install.

 

You'd have to read some other threads to get details on putting an SSD in the machine.

All I can say is that if you make recovery discs and use the Minimized System Image recovery, you will have a machine free of bloatware with 100% functionality.

 

What threads and what's special/different about installing your own SSD? I guess I'd prefer a fresh install, as long as I have drivers it shouldn't be a big deal.

 

hey guys, quick question:

If i run the minimized system recovery, will it keep my programs that arent bloatware? Such as skype, the witcher 2....etc?

 

No, you will lose anything you installed. It reformats the hard drive and installs Win7 and the required HP accessories.

 

Bump. Newb here. HP DV7t should be here tomorrow and I want to MSI recovery as well. The laptop was built straight from HP and I bought both the System Recovery DVD as well as Microsoft Office Home & Student 2010. I plan to install AVG later. My main question is will the MSI delete the Office software I bought? Also, I assume I don't need to make my own recovery disks, those are the ones I paid for, correct? Thanks.

 

Anybody out there?

 

The MSI will not install the office software.

http://forum.notebookreview.com/hp-pavilion-notebooks/582474-first-steps-successful-laptop.html

 

I guess what I'm wondering is whether the Office software wil be pre-installed from HP and if I do the MSI will it be removed?

Thanks for the link, too.

 

have times changed? this seems like a lot of work for a clean install, i don't understand why everyone is making a big deal to copy the folder "swsetup" for their drivers and software.

i'm ordering a SSD separate and i'd like a clean w7 install (i have a copy of ultimate). couldn't i just install windows, then go to the HP web site for the latest drivers (just like i've been doing with any other computer since windows 98 lol)????

i got up to page 6 or so, i think i'll keep reading but probably shouldn't. i end up obsessing over these things and worry about every scenario, then it turns out to be super simple...

 

Yea, just to let everyone know, I just got my dv7t about 2 weeks ago. First thing I did was reinstall windows and install all the drivers from the hp driver page. Very simple. Fully functional in about 4 hours.

 

^good to know.

can anyone comment on switching out the hdd for a ssd? here's my plan of action...

i'll be getting the crucial m4. if it has the older firmware i plan on the following: put ssd in laptop, boot go into bios change the SATA mode to IDE or Legacy mode or "compatibility mode", restart and boot from crucial cd to update firmware, update firmware, restart go into bios and change to AHCI mode, restart boot from w7 disc, install. sounds good?

 

You don't need to change the mode. The firmware update will work in AHCI mode as well (there are several posts on this in other threads as well as on the Crucial web site in the message boards there). I did the same swap and upgrade - think I did the clean install first but overall no problems.

 

oh really? the directions from crucial say to do that...

 

yes - they do say to do that. Check out the thread in the SSD forum on the Crucial firmware upgrade and there are several posts from people regarding this. I also remember seeing a post on Crucial's website that came from a company representative stating that you didn't need to do the switch.

I'm not nearly proficient enough in this area to know why the switch was needed or not needed as the case may be - just know that it worked for me (and others too apparently) without doing it!

Good luck! You're going to love the SSD!

 

It's super easy to launch the recovery manager software and select the Minimized System Image. It takes about an hour to complete. Couldn't be easier, actually.

 

you only quoted half my post....

bevoinva, yeah confirmed- i dont need to change the mode. like i said, i obsess over these things and they turn out to be super simple. haha.

 

Any recommended, preferred free anti-virus you could suggest WAldenIV..
Your input here has been above & beyond!

 

Anyone here care to guide me about doing a fresh install of windows 7? I have read the guides but I still have some questions.

 

Sorry, I haven't been visiting this forum as regularly as I used to. I have used Avast! anti-virus in the past. It's free and uses minimal system resources so you won't notice it running in the background.

When I bought my dm1z I installed Microsoft Security Essentials. It's also free and uses minimal resources. I read several good tech blog reviews comparing Avast! and MSE among others. So far I have no complaints about MSE.

Just use the built-in recovery software and select "Minimized System Image" from the recovery menu. It's covered in detail in this thread. It will perform a clean install of Win7 with the minimum amount of HP software required for full functionality of your laptop (CoolSense, Recovery, etc.). There will be no bloatware after the MSI recovery is performed.

 

OK I have read the guide for MSI.

Just to clarify if i do the MSI I don't have to install any drivers at all? Do I have to reactivate the Windows 7?

Here's the steps that I'll do.
1. Do recovery discs
2. backup the "swsetup" folder
3. Do the MSI

Anything I have to remember?

 

No, all the drivers will be installed and you don't have to worry about reactivating Windows.

The swsetup folder remains after the MSI, so you don't need to back it up. It doesn't hurt to, but isn't required.

 

I just got my DV6TQE and it doesn't seem like there's all that much bloatware anyway. I don't see the advantages of reinstalling.

 

Dear All, I am a newbie to this forum,
I bought HP Pavilion DM1 4003 au (version ahead of DM1z as far as launch is concerned! ) 2 months back..

CONFIGURATION:
2GB RAM
320 GB 5400 RPM HDD
AMD E-450 DUAL CORE PROCESSOR WITH INTEGRATED GRAPHICS

it's taking a bit longer for starting up and general functioning too! somehow i was successful in re-partitioning the HDD as required.

i read thread mentioning MSI.. but to my surprise, MSI option (or anything similar to that) is not being displayed in the RECOVERY MANAGER.. here is the screenshot..



what do experts suggest in this case????
shall i go for direct clean install using USB flash drive ( I have created windows 7 USB from ISO files [digitalriver] using windows 7 USB/DVD download tool ) and have all the required drivers downloaded from the HP website too!

My only worry is regarding activation status of the windows.. as the netbook was shipped with WINDOWS 7 HOME BASIC and the ISO files were for ULTIMATE (i suppose) . in that case, if i enter the key printed beneath the battery will be valid?????? or not?

even if i get home basic ISO files and i install them and use the same key then what will be the status?

please suggest me a proper solution..

thanks a lot!

 

You have to select "System Recovery" at the bottom of the left column first.

 

Thank you Walden. Follow his instructions, he knows what he is talking about.
Read below for an account of my experience and results with this process.
I used the MSI from the boot screen. I did not make any backup or recovery discs. The swsetup folder was the same before and after the MSI, so there was no need for me to back it up either. The MSI worked properly without any issues. See the attached screen shot images of the running processes and installed programs taken immediately before and after running the MSI. Note: I had already uninstalled Norton Antivirus and Microsoft Office prior to taking the "Before" screenshot and running the MSI, they were installed on my system when I received it from HP. Nothing had been added or removed from my system after performing the MSI and before taking the "After" screen shot.

Hope this helps a little.
BEFORE

AFTER

 

Found this thread after doing a search on removing HP bloatware. Working on a friends 2011 dv6-3225dx that had a very f'd up win 7. Used a Linux Mint Live CD to get in and copy all her pics and docs to an external HD and am now running the MSI to restore Windows.

Sam