Sorry ...stupid question about clean installation for dm1z.

Hey, guys, I apologize in advance for the noob question, but I'm trying to do a clean install on the dm1z. I'm used to having an option to hit F8 during bootup to have the hard drive wiped, but the dm1z only has an "ESC" option. This takes me to some HP menu that allows a "clean" install that doesn't actually look clean. (What I mean is that it appears to remove their bloatware, but for example their ugly wallpaper is still the default, leading me to believe that there are other HP things that are still defaulted to exist from the "factory setting" that it returns to.) Is this as "clean" as I can get the laptop? Or am I just doing it totally wrong? Note: I also booted directly from the Windows 7 disc and all it did was re-install Windows without wiping the hard drive, which isn't a clean install in my opinion.

Thanks and Happy New Year's Eve!

 

Do a search for Activation Backup Restore. Back up your Windows License (if u have any)
Back up your personal data
Boot up with Windows 7 DVD
at the stage of choosing where to install windows, click advance or something similar, do a format on your drive C (only where your old Windows is installed)
go on and install Windows on whatever drive u've just formatted.
Restore your Windows Licence with Activation Backup Restore (if u have)
That would be a clean install

 

That's the issue. I know that's how it's done, but when I boot up from the Windows disc, two things happen. First of all, the hard drive is not formatted, so I don't consider it "clean." Second of all, after Windows is installed, it automatically reinstalls the HP junk (e.g., Ebay program and so on). Is there someone who knows how to do a clean install on the dm1z? Again, I realize this sounds like a stupid question and I've clean installed on lots of desktops and laptops before, but this machine doesn't allow to to do so, as far as I can tell. Help?

 

You may have the option of a "minimal system install" which is essentially a "clean" OEM install. The differences between a retail OS install, an OEM installation and the MSI are that with the retail install, you get just Windows... nothing more. No system specific software or drivers. Unless you do back up your OEM license/activation files prior to reformatting, you will need a valid Windows license key. The OEM install is that beloved factory installed version of Windows that comes pre-installed from HP; drivers, bloat and all. An MSI is the best of both worlds. You do get a "clean" Windows installation without the unnecessary bloat. No Norton trials, no Blio, No Adobe Reader or Flash and no damned internet shortcuts that prompt you for a credit card. Yet, you do get all of your system specific drivers and only the OEM software related to the features of your notebook. For example - if you have media shortcut keys on your laptop, you should have those installed. You may even find an item such as CyberLink's YouCam installed, but only because it is considered an essential element to making your webcam work. You are not going get much use out of a webcam that doesn't have software to make it work (on an unrelated note, you'll find that there really are not a great deal of alternatives when it comes to HP webcams and CyberLink software). With an MSI installation, you are using your OEM license so you will not need a separate one nor will you need to activate your copy of the OS. But yes, since it is an HP laptop, running on an OEM-supplied license, you will have OEM branding. System properties will display the HP logo and you will have any HP-supplied system themes installed. I don't think a trivial HP wallpaper is really considered "deal-breaker", is it?

In order to do the MSI, you will first need to reformat your system. In short, you need your system set to the state it shipped from the factory. That means, recovery and other OEM system partitions in place and un-altered. The HP Recovery Manager app will wipe/reformat your current OEM Windows partition clean and replace it with a "clean" version using the files from your recovery partition. If you are doing this to a new drive or one that you altered or removed any of the factory-shipped partitions, then you first need to go through the process of installing all of the original OEM factory crap before proceeding with the MSI.

 

Thanks. I actually do want to do a complete "clean" install -- I prefer to wipe the system clean, only install Windows, and then self-install the drivers and programs that I want. I just can't get the dm1z to only let me ONLY install Windows. Do you know how to do that?

 

The only way to do what you want would be to obtain a retail version of a Windows OS disk (either x64 or x86 depending upon your preference) and forgo everything HP supplied (disks, recovery partition, all media). And unless you first backup your license/activation files prior to anything at all, you will need a retail license key as well.

 

It's really pointless to do a full wipe because you need all of the drivers and essential HP software (i.e., Coolsense). The MSI Recovery is what you want.

 

If you have drivers for either the wired or the wireless networking device, you can get everything else after the clean install. your license key is on the sticker under the battery, so that's truly all you NEED.

 

The sticker on the bottom (or in the battery compartment) is a license key for OEM software versions only. It is true that you can use it to activate a retail version of Windows, however, since Windows 98 (or maybe 2000 - not certain), Microsoft has blocked the ability to use it to activate the product. You can use it, however, Windows will tell you that the supplied key is invalid and prompt you to call their activation center. Which you will have to do and speak with a representative in order to fully activate your copy of the OS.