Clean Vista install WITH NO ACTIVATION

[SBR]

Your computer must have vista pre-installed for a Vista upgrade DVD to be included. That DVD is what is used to do a clean install, but the key comes from the factory install itself.

[lhanz29x]

I have the tx1120us, is there a driver for the touch screen or will it automatically do inputs again? I don't see a folder for the Tablet PC stuff in the SwSetup folder. And what's the name of the folder for the verisoft fingerprint reader?

[orev]

I don't know about the touch screen. Check HPs driver download site for the drivers for your system. I would be surprised if they are not listed there. They might also be built-in to Vista.

The fingerprint software is probably in SWsetup somewhere, but I don't have an x500 system yet, so I can't say for sure.

You can always try it out and if you don't get everything, use the restore disc to get it back to the way it was. (Remember to back up all your data first)

[lhanz29x]

Alright thanks, that's what i thought too, use the restore disc if i get stuck.

[docangle]

The drivers for the fingerprint drivers is located in one of the misc directories in SWSETUP, the fingerprint software is not located in the SWSETUP directory but can be download from HP at:

http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/g...reg_R1002_USEN

[KSC]

are you guys doing the clean install out off the Vista upgrade dvd from the upgrade program or your computers came with vista installed already??

I used a friend's retail disc to install clean and it worked fine.

I contacted HP about getting an Anytime Upgrade DVD and they told me to contact Microsoft since they only offer it with models that come with Vista Ultimate installed. Mine has Vista Premium, so no disc.

I'm going to contact Microsoft now...

[DaveCSparty]

My new DV2500t doesn't have a folder named OEMCert.... what gives? Please help, thanks

[karprive]

I would first like to thank orev for the post and everyone else for their replies. This is all pretty new and unfamiliar to me, so this thread has been very helpful and informative.

I recently purchased a dv9000 and am looking into do a clean install of vista. I just want to make sure that I get it right...and I have made the recovery discs in case I mess things up. When reading all the entries in this thread, I have a few questions.

1) Someone mentioned having to extend the Primary if you delete the second partition. I don't exactly know what this means, but if I go with option #3 (Delete Disk 0 Partition 1, then delete Disk 0 Partition 2. Then make a New partition using all the space on the disk.), do I still need to extend something? I would like to use all the space without having any partitions.

2) I've copied over the SWSetup folder, but I am nervous about installing drivers. It seems as if Vista will install or update most of them by itself, but what is the best way to install the rest. Each folder seems to have several files and I want to make sure that I am clicking/selecting the correct file. I am hesitant about downloading drivers from HP, since so many people seem to complain about how outdated the HP website. Does the SWSetup folder have everything that I would need?

3) Any issues with the Conexant audio drivers? I read some other forums about driver issues with Vista, but it seems to apply to discontinued or older HP and Compaq models. Also, which folder contains the Conexant audio drivers?

4) What can I do to make sure that all the drivers have been installed (and successfully)? I just want to make sure that I did not miss anything.

Sorry if my questions are unsophisticated...this is very new to me and seems like the only real way to get rid of all that HP bloatware. Any and all advice and suggestions are greatly appreciated. Thanks.

[orev]

I would first like to thank orev for the post and everyone else for their replies. This is all pretty new and unfamiliar to me, so this thread has been very helpful and informative.

I recently purchased a dv9000 and am looking into do a clean install of vista. I just want to make sure that I get it right...and I have made the recovery discs in case I mess things up. When reading all the entries in this thread, I have a few questions.

1) Someone mentioned having to extend the Primary if you delete the second partition. I don't exactly know what this means, but if I go with option #3 (Delete Disk 0 Partition 1, then delete Disk 0 Partition 2. Then make a New partition using all the space on the disk.), do I still need to extend something? I would like to use all the space without having any partitions.

You would only need to extend the C: partition if you did not first delete the recovery partition, but then changed your mind and wanted to. If you delete all of the partitions, then you just need to make a new one and don't need to do any extending

2) I've copied over the SWSetup folder, but I am nervous about installing drivers. It seems as if Vista will install or update most of them by itself, but what is the best way to install the rest. Each folder seems to have several files and I want to make sure that I am clicking/selecting the correct file. I am hesitant about downloading drivers from HP, since so many people seem to complain about how outdated the HP website. Does the SWSetup folder have everything that I would need?

SWsetup should have everything you need, but I do recommend downloading the drivers from HP. I find that for me, it makes it easier to keep track of what version of the driver I have, and also keeps me from missing something. As you can see, all of those folders have really descriptive names!

Drivers on HPs site should be the most recent. I know there was a problem with video drivers, but that's one special case. Companies are notorious for shipping older drivers with the system, with newer ones available on the site. I didn't see this as much with HP though.

3) Any issues with the Conexant audio drivers? I read some other forums about driver issues with Vista, but it seems to apply to discontinued or older HP and Compaq models. Also, which folder contains the Conexant audio drivers?

I didn't have any problems with audio drivers. I played with XP on the system and that required a little playing with, but with Vista it was just a regular install.

4) What can I do to make sure that all the drivers have been installed (and successfully)? I just want to make sure that I did not miss anything.

If you go into the system control panel and bring up the device manager, you will see devices that are not working (they will have a yellow and black exclamation point). Once you don't see those any more, you know you have everything installed and working OK.

Sorry if my questions are unsophisticated...this is very new to me and seems like the only real way to get rid of all that HP bloatware. Any and all advice and suggestions are greatly appreciated. Thanks.

The only stupid question is one that has not been asked! Many people might have similar questions, but never speak up. It's like in the movies when everyone sees the ghost and no one says anything, then they all die.

I want to be fair to HP here and say that their bloatware isn't nearly as bad as some other companies, but it's still really nice to have a clean system.

[orev]

My new DV2500t doesn't have a folder named OEMCert.... what gives? Please help, thanks

Make suer you have "show hidden files" turned on and "hide operating system files" off. Also, try doing a search for *.xrm-ms files inside C:\windows. There will be a bunch of them, but it will help you track them down. Make sure the search is searching all files.