Windows 7: Windows 7 Re-install Question?

Hi, new to this forum, but not to forums in general ...

I am pondering reinstalling windows, however i have a bit of a problem.



The reason i want to reinstall it, is because of all the junk that comes installed on a new computer - i just got this computer - and i have also installed a couple of thing's that dont seem to want to disappear :L.

When i got my laptop, it was all set-up etc, ready to use, but it did not come with ANY discs atall - not even the hp recovery ones - i just have the recovery partition.

Is there any way to reinstall windows without having the disc? Could i borrow a Home premium 64-bit disc from a friend, and then use my code (its on the bottom of my laptop) to verify it? Or could i create an image from the recovery partition, that wont install all of the 'additional extras'? (I mean, why would i want 4 help and support program thing's?? :L)

I'm virtually certain you can use a friend's disc and your own code. There was a post on this forum within the last couple of days about that. But wait for confirmation from someone else.

No--you can't restore from an image without getting all of it--including the extras you don't want.

Thanks for the quick reply.

I am also partially sure that i can use a friends disc BUT i will have to phone misrosoft to verify it or something along those lines?
But i am not totally sure, because i read somewhere else, that it would not work.

If someone could clarify this, that'd be great. I have a friend who has offered me the use of his disc.

Each different version of the Disc is a universal installer for that version. Your valid key code is what is important to proper activation.

Yes, you can use your friend's disk.

You will need to download all the drivers for the hardware.

Activate Windows 7 Online
Activate Windows 7 by Phone

Great! Thanks for confirmation - i thought that was the case, but the internet has so many lies :L...

I think the reason that i thought it might not work, is because (i believe) my license code is for OEM software or something? Will this still work, or is there actually a difference between OEM and Retail windows?

OEM key is tied to the MB, Retail can be transferred to different MB's

Installer is the same.

Ahh. That makes sense .

I can reinstall windows without it touching the Recovery partition can't i?

Its only 10 gb or something, so im not too fussed about it staying, and if i have to take the laptop back in, for any reason, i would like to be able to just make it factory-state again.

I remember that when i first got this computer, and i was searching for some stuff, i came across a program that makes a windows install disc that basically just does the custom-install but automatically (you tell it how you want windows installed, and it installs it that way) it can also install iTunes etc at the same time. Does anyone know what this program is? (I cant remember the name :S)

Q1) NO, Recovery partition will not work.

Q2) Recover Windows Vista Operating System Using HP Recovery - HP Customer Care (United States - English)
or
Backup Complete Computer - Create an Image Backup