Clean install or factory restore?

[GTraymond2820]

So my mom recently bought a HP laptop kinda used, so I'm in charge of setting it up now what would you guys recommend to do a clean install of windows 7 or a factory restore? The restore doesn't take very long unlike the clean install option.

 

[kegobeer]

HP has the worst bloatware/crapware in the business. I always recommend a clean install with any HP computer. Unless the restore has an option to not install any of their crappy software, do a clean install.

 

[GTraymond2820]

I hope it worth it cause it takes Hold Day.

 

[GTraymond2820]

One more thing that concerns me is the drivers that comes with the original software. Usually there are customized drivers where you have to go to the website to update like HP then on the other hand there are the genertic drivers that are more up to date compares to the manufacture ones so which ones should I install for best performance..

 

[derekimo]

This should cover everything you need for a clean reinstall,

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/219487-clean-reinstall-factory-oem-windows-7-a.html

I would go with manufacturers drivers over generic ones myself.

 

[ICIT2LOL]

Yeah mate clean install the HP bloat is just horrendous and you'll probably spend as much time getting rid of it as updating etc Believe me been there done.....

 

[kegobeer]

This should cover everything you need for a clean reinstall,

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/219487-clean-reinstall-factory-oem-windows-7-a.html

I would go with manufacturers drivers over generic ones myself.

I agree - always download the drivers directly from the manufacturer, especially when it comes to a laptop.

 

[ICIT2LOL]

Yep Keg is right and the HP drivers are not that many in my experience and easy find and install.

HP Support & Drivers | United States

 

[GTraymond2820]

One more thing I like to add the manufacturer drivers are really old all the way back to 2010 while the generic ones are more updated with 2012 versions, so would you still recommended installing the manufacturer ones?

 

[derekimo]

One more thing I like to add the manufacturer drivers are really old all the way back to 2010 while the generic ones are more updated with 2012 versions, so would you still recommended installing the manufacturer ones?

Unless you have a specific driver problem, I would always go with the manufacturers drivers.

 

[gregrocker]

This is dealt with in the tutorial which was linked and which you should have read if you want to get a perfect reinstall.

MS spent about a billion dollars getting the latest drivers into the installer or quickly available via optional Windows Updates. These are not generic drivers but ones which were built by the manufacturer, in many cases under MS' WHQL program which pays for Win7 drivers in return for MS having full access to them.

As a result Win7 is the authority on its own drivers and you should run with the ones given by installer and then optional Updates until all Updates are done. Then any missing in Device Manager should be imported from the Support Downloads webpage for your model.

The exception is if you get Standard VGA Display driver which is a placeholder driver waiting for the latest from Updates or the manufacturer. Certain elements of the chipset may also need the manufacturer's driver to function correctly but I would wait to see.

Changing out drivers wholesale after install causes many problems we see here. Better to wait until problems crop up which are traced to a driver before changing it out.

 

[ICIT2LOL]

Yes GT as Derek said mate always the manufacturer specific ones however old they might seem. Take it from an old hand at downloading from mirror sites - you can get really get crap stuff and plenty of it.

I used to use Slim Drivers and similar sites and apart from the Intel ones you wouldn't know where the are from.