What is the most cost-effective way to perform a clean re-install

[Guest]

Dear experts,

Could you advise me on the following -

I have a laptop with Vista Home Premium pre-installed, and as such am
already the owner of one OEM Vista product key that is unique to me and my
laptop (the sticker on the underside).

I want to do a clean re-install of Vista.

My laptop can and will make it's own Vista install disk; but this disk will
not allow me to do a completely clean installation of Vista - it will only
allow me to install vista along with all the manufacturer-specific utilities
and partitioning that I do not want.

What I am looking for is a Vista (and only vista) install disk that I can
use to wipe my laptop but ideally without having to buy a whole new Vista
licence.

Is this even possible?

What would you do?

I realise I am going to have to spend *some* money here - I just want to
find the cheapest way of doing what I want to do.

Thanks in advance for your advice,
Doug Wylie.

 

[Mike Hall - MVP]

Go to the laptop manufacturer web site and ensure that all Vista drivers for
the hardware are readily available.

When you have determined that they are, go out and buy your preferred
version of Vista. Bear in mind that the laptop specification may not be up
to Ultimate or Business spec, so probably best to stay with Home Premium.

Buy the full retail version (not OEM), if you think that you might want to
transfer it to another machine at some point in the future..

Dear experts,

Could you advise me on the following -

I have a laptop with Vista Home Premium pre-installed, and as such am
already the owner of one OEM Vista product key that is unique to me and my
laptop (the sticker on the underside).

I want to do a clean re-install of Vista.

My laptop can and will make it's own Vista install disk; but this disk
will
not allow me to do a completely clean installation of Vista - it will only
allow me to install vista along with all the manufacturer-specific
utilities
and partitioning that I do not want.

What I am looking for is a Vista (and only vista) install disk that I can
use to wipe my laptop but ideally without having to buy a whole new Vista
licence.

Is this even possible?

What would you do?

I realise I am going to have to spend *some* money here - I just want to
find the cheapest way of doing what I want to do.

Thanks in advance for your advice,
Doug Wylie.

--


Mike Hall
MS MVP Windows Shell/User
http://msmvps.com/blogs/mikehall/