Has anyone had experience with using the HP Pavillion Upgrade Discs for a clean install as described in these forums? I currently have installed Vista Home Premium 64bit on my new HP Pavillion Elite desktop. I received a 2 disc free upgrade kit today consisting of a HP UPGRADE ASSISTANT disc and a Windows 7 Home Premium Upgrade DVD
Thanks
Andrew
Thanks to MS, manufacturers had to provide a clean copy DVD of Win7 instead of the usual bloated Recovery Disks. THis means you can boot DVD, select Custom install, use Drive Options to delete all, create new partition(s) as you wish, then format all before installing Win7 to first partition. The DVD will see Vista at bootup to allow Upgrade key.
The DVD is nearly driver complete, with more arriving in Windows Updates. Any drivers then missing in Device Manager can be found on that Upgrade assistant disk along with favorite apps, or on the Support Downloads webpage for your HP model.
Be sure to protect the product key for the life of your WIndows 7. But you'll never have to reinstall if you save a Win7 Backup image of your finished installation, just boot the DVD Repair console to reimage the HD or a replacement in 15 minutes.
gregrocker
Thanks for the reply but I am not that well versed in this process. I require some greater explanation of a few points as indicated below
Thanks to MS, manufacturers had to provide a clean copy DVD of Win7 instead of the usual bloated Recovery Disks. THis means you can boot DVD, select Custom install, use Drive Options to delete all,
create new partition(s) as you wish,??? How many partitions? At present there is one large partition "C" and one small "D" used to restore the system to factory state. I have already made a set of Vista recovery discs. Should I reformat the whole drive and set it up the same way with a recovery partition only this time W7?
then format all before installing Win7 to first partition.
The DVD will see Vista at bootup to allow Upgrade key. ??? Please elaborate
The DVD is nearly driver complete, with more arriving in Windows Updates. Any drivers then missing in Device Manager can be found on that Upgrade assistant disk along with favorite apps, or on the Support Downloads webpage for your HP model.
Be sure to protect the product key for the life of your WIndows 7. Do you mean store safely?
But you'll never have to reinstall if you save a Win7 Backup image of your finished installation, Is that saved to a DVD or a partition on the HD?
just boot the DVD Repair console What is the DVD Repair console?
to reimage the HD or a replacement in 15 minutes. Sorry but I find the last statement confusing.
I appreciate any further clarification. I will read the tutorial on this procedure as well
Thanks
Andrew
Look this over: Clean Install Windows 7
You'll see screenshots showing how to boot the DVD, choose Custom install, then Drive Tools to Delete, create New and Format your partitions. You can create as many partitions as you want, or just one big one. You can later shrink or extend partitions, create and format new one(s) in Disk Mgmt.
If you want to store a Win7 Backup Image I would make the partition around 50gb to start. Type Backup in the Start Search box, then Create a System Image, which will find the partition to store the image. If you ever need to reimage, boot the DVD, choose Repair on second screen, then Recover Using An Image which will autodetect the stored image and reimage your HD or a replacement. Keep a copy of image on an external in case of HD failure.
If this is a standard Win7 Upgrade DVD with seven files in the root (check by rightclicking DVD drive in Computer to Open DVD) then it will scan the HD on bootup to see Vista before it is deleted and formatted, allowing use of the Upgrade Key.
Yes, store your Product Key safely so you don't lose it.
Last edited by gregrocker; 12 Jan 2010 at 03:03.
I opened the HP W7 Upgrade DVD and found the following files: autorun.inf bootmgr bootmgr.efi setup.exe
and 5 folders: boot, efi, sources, support, and upgrade. Do I assume that this is not the standard Windows 7 upgrade DVD with seven files in the root?
That is the Windows 7 DVD without any HP add-ons. You can boot from it to do the cleanest possible install or use it's Repair features.
What would you like to do now?
The best way to do the clean install is to boot this disc up from the bios.... most new bios/computesr will give you teh option to hit F1, F2, for boot screen choose your CD rom and then it will ask you "if you want to boot from cd, hit any key.....
hit it fast or you will boot into your fixed drive.
older boots you may have to go into the Bios and setit to boot from CD
*** if you have any important files on your hard drive, please back it up***
we are not responsible if you loose anything.... fair warning
Thanks for the advice:)
I have only had this computer since XMAS so important file are all on the ext HD used as backup from my previous computer. The main reason I want to do a clean install is I dislike the fact that if I do need to restore the system from the factory settings on the "D" partition I would have to start with Vista SP1 all over again.
I will proceed in a couple of days. I just have to decide on the best way to partition 750 GB HD. I am inclned to use a small "C" with just W7 or should I make it large enough to add programs. Any suggestions as to partitions and sizes would be appreciated. I do not use the computer for games. Mostly internet and some word processing and financial stuff.
Thanks again
You should put your programs on the Win7 partition.
You can put your User files on another partition using this method: User Folders - Change Default Location
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