Clean Vista install WITH NO ACTIVATION

[Argonaut.SF]

I haven't had a chance to try it yet because I've been waiting...and waiting for my anytime upgrade disk to arrive from Comp USA. Maybe Comp USA has the same distribution chain as Dell.

When I do the clean install I'll participate in the poll, though.

I haven't been able to find another company that sells anytime upgrade disks, which is strange. It can't be exclusive to them, but my searches turn up nothing.

[Datman]

should definitely be made a stickly. i still need to go get a copy of the vista cd/dvd first. would i be able to use the vista ultimate cd to do a clean install of my current premium or should i just go ahead and install a 32 bit ultimate?

[jondl]

I just formatted my brand new DV2500T and reinstalled Vista Premium but i just found this thread. Is there any way i can get the SWSetup folder? Would my only choice be to purchase the recovery CD from HP and do a recovery.. then make a backup of the folder?

Or.. can anyone upload it somehow? I'm in the bay area, ca by the way.

[orev]

should definitely be made a stickly. i still need to go get a copy of the vista cd/dvd first. would i be able to use the vista ultimate cd to do a clean install of my current premium or should i just go ahead and install a 32 bit ultimate?

No, if you only bought Premium with your laptop, that's all you can install. All of the Vista discs are the same, so there is really no "Ultimate" disc vs a Premium disc. The only difference is the key you use when you install it.

[orev]

I just formatted my brand new DV2500T and reinstalled Vista Premium but i just found this thread. Is there any way i can get the SWSetup folder? Would my only choice be to purchase the recovery CD from HP and do a recovery.. then make a backup of the folder?

Or.. can anyone upload it somehow? I'm in the bay area, ca by the way.

Do you still have the recovery partition on the system?

[jondl]

Do you still have the recovery partition on the system?

When i reinstalled.. i erased the C drive partition and the storage partition since i needed C to be bigger than the size HP gave it. I didn't see any other partitions. Is there one that i may see using fdisk or something of that sort?

[orev]

When i reinstalled.. i erased the C drive partition and the storage partition since i needed C to be bigger than the size HP gave it. I didn't see any other partitions. Is there one that i may see using fdisk or something of that sort?

There are only 2 partitions on the drive when you get the system. If you erased both of them, then no, you don't have it. It's not a huge loss, as you can find most of what you need from HP. If you have a fingerprint reader, I'm not sure where you can get that software though.

[dekka]

Hi Orev, I have a HP DV9310CA, I formatted the HD and re-installed windows Vista, My laptop run very good now, one more question I would to ask you, Can I make another new set of RECOVER DISKS, I already made one set with all the HP crap-ware on it, now I want to make one set with flesh windows Vista anyway I can do that.

[moocha]

Hi. I have dv9410us. I had upgrade dvd for vista and did a clean install before i read this thread. I DID activate and got a 48 character code. Wow. I had to give 88 numbers (including my key code)and characters to tech and he gave me back 48. Then I had to give 48 and and get 48 for the XP install. These appear to be permanent activations as I experimented and it accepted a 2nd time. I'll have to look at beginning of thread for how this happens without activation.

[orev]

Hi Orev, I have a HP DV9310CA, I formatted the HD and re-installed windows Vista, My laptop run very good now, one more question I would to ask you, Can I make another new set of RECOVER DISKS, I already made one set with all the HP crap-ware on it, now I want to make one set with flesh windows Vista anyway I can do that.

Not really. "Recovery Discs" specifically refer to those that you burn with the HP tool, or the ones you can buy from HP. They are a specialized type of Windows install that.

What you're talking about is taking an image of the system. Your options are to use something like Acronis Trueimage or Ghost, or if you have Vista Ultimate, you can use complete PC backup.