Clean Install Media from OEM?

If you were Registered and logged in, you could reply and use other advanced thread options

Posted by Sorthum on July 31, 2006, 4:17 am

Greetings!

Just bought a laptop from HP that came with XP Media Center Edition.

There's no install media, just a "recovery partition." Is there a
simple way to get an install disk that:

1. Doesn't require me to keep the recovery partition on the drive?

2. Doesn't require me to install all the crapware that the OEMs love to
stick on consumer machines?

I suspect nliteos.com might be part of the solution, but figured
someone else might have done this before and could give pointers.

Thanks!

Posted by Dana Cline - MVP on July 31, 2006, 8:49 am

You should be able to make a recovery CD/DVD with the software on your PC.
However, it will, as you say, reinstall all the crap that the machine
shipped with. You'd be best off using something like Ghost once you get the
PC the way you want it.

Dana Cline - MCE MVP

> Greetings!
> Just bought a laptop from HP that came with XP Media Center Edition.
> There's no install media, just a "recovery partition." Is there a
> simple way to get an install disk that:
> 1. Doesn't require me to keep the recovery partition on the drive?
> 2. Doesn't require me to install all the crapware that the OEMs love to
> stick on consumer machines?
> I suspect nliteos.com might be part of the solution, but figured
> someone else might have done this before and could give pointers.
> Thanks!
>

Posted by Jaime on July 31, 2006, 9:02 am

Have you tried running the HP recovery?

I've had some HP machines that allowed you to restore just the apps, just
the OS, or a factory install (all the crapola). You might be able to make
recovery CD's, get rid of the recovery partition, and use the CD's to just
install the OS.
--
James
Orlando (Goofy says "Hey!"), Florida