Vista Clean Install?

[WorshipHim1st]

I want to do a clean install of Vista Home Premium on an HP Pavilion laptop.

Can I do a clean install with the Vista recovery DVD, or do I need to have
an actual Vista disc? Also, if I have a Vista Ultimate disk, but I enter the
Vista registration code from my laptop, will it load Home Premium correctly?

Thanks so much for your help!!!!

 

[WorshipHim1st]

Its my understanding the Vista DVD contains all versions of Vista and
it is your "KEY" which tells it which version to act like.

However, like previous versions, a true OEM KEY like DELL or HP will
more than likely only work with a version "included" on their PCs
meaning a retail or retail-oem version uses a different set of keys than
the DELL OEM and are not compatible.

if by "recovery dvd" you are referring to an install set of discs which
were included or the set you may have been instructed to burn by the OS,
yes , these should allow you to do a clean install with a format of your
primary harddrive.

However, again just like the OEM keys, its very rare that an HP or DELL
recovery set will let you install on a machine other than their brand
(using HP/DELL as examples).

Thanks for the info. on the OEM keys, I wasn't aware of that.

Yes, I have a recovery DVD from HP. My only concern was that it would load
all of the extra 'stuff' HP had on my laptop to begin with, and not be a
fresh, clean install of Vista. If this is the case, I'm not sure what I'll
do. But I can truly do a clean install from within the recovery disk, that
would be beneficial.

Does anyone know for sure whether or not you can do a clean install with a
recovery disk, or will it definitely install any additional bloatware that HP
felt I needed? Thanks again.

 

[peter]

Everything that is on the "recovery" disk will be installed...........then
you can go to Control Panel/programs&features and uninstall what you do not
want.
peter

 

[John Barnett MVP]

If you use your recovery disks supplied by HP it will take your PC back to
factory condition, in other words it will be just as it was when you
purchased it. It will have all the 'rubbish' applications that HP originally
installed still in place.

To do a true clean install you really need a retail copy of Windows Vista
(Not OEM). Buying a retail version, although rather expensive, does give you
the advantage of a complete clean install, you can also transfer the copy to
another PC if the original PC dies on you (you can't do that with an OEM
copy).

Although I have recovery disk supplied by my PC manufacturer, I never use
them. When I purchase a new PC I simply reformat the drive and install my
retail copy of the operating system. This gives me full control over what
does and does not go onto my computer.

--
--
John Barnett MVP
Associate Expert
Windows - Shell/User

Web: http://xphelpandsupport.mvps.org
Web: http://vistasupport.mvps.org

The information in this mail/post is supplied "as is". No warranty of any
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mail/post..

 

[WorshipHim1st]

thanks John...I may give Microsoft the satisfaction of purchasing a retail
copy of Vista...but I may not. I must say, I like the idea of only putting
on the hard drive what I want on it to begin with...so that may be the best
route.

Again, thanks!

 

[Bistey Csaba]

First there is some information for XP here:
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb457078.aspx

From that:

In order to reduce a significant source of piracy, Microsoft has
disabled online activation for COA Keys that are attached to PCs that
have been pre-activated by OEMs.

If that also applies to Vista (and i think it is), then the OEM Sticker
on your PC has invalid key (so no chance to install it with that).

Another thing why it will not work because the recovery disc differs
from your oem disc because it contains HP's OEM Certificate and HP's SLP
Product Key (for your version of Vista).

You can verify that by checking it you will see that currently installed
Vista's Product Key it will differ from the one sticked on the PC
because recovery image most likely use SLP key.

There is chance it would install with the SLP key if your Ultimate is
OEM but would surely would fail Activation because the OEM media most
likely missing OEM Certificate.

Despite of all above:
I found an MS presentation about it here:
http://download.microsoft.com/downl...sing_WindowsVista_DesktopOptimizationPack.ppt

Most slides is in foreign language for me, but the 31th one has some
intresting information about OEM Activation Options :

Option 3: Customer creates & installs customized image
Customer obtains OEM’s certificate from OEM, and SLP product key from
Microsoft.
Customer creates Master image, including SLP product key, OEM
certificate(s) etc
OEM creates new systems using generic Windows image matching COA sticker
attached to system.
Customer wipes and reloads base OEM systems with customer Master image,
which also serves as recovery media.

So looks like there is still an official option, but never met an OEM
who would offered this.

Csaba

 

[Kevin]

If you use your recovery disks supplied by HP it will take your PC back to
factory condition, in other words it will be just as it was when you
purchased it. It will have all the 'rubbish' applications that HP
originally installed still in place.

To do a true clean install you really need a retail copy of Windows Vista
(Not OEM). Buying a retail version, although rather expensive, does give
you the advantage of a complete clean install, you can also transfer the
copy to another PC if the original PC dies on you (you can't do that with
an OEM copy).

All Dell systems ship with an OEM Windows install disk. This is a "real"
Windows OS installation disk, not a "recovery" disk. This disk allows a
clean installation of Windows. When you purchase a Dell system there is no
need to then purchase an OS disk, retail or otherwise. Because
manufacturers like HP do not include such a disk with their systems I do not
suggest buying a system from them.