Can I Do A Clean Install of Windows 7 From Recovery Disks?

lierre · 23 May 2014

I have a 5/12 year old HP G70t-200 laptop, using windows home premium 64 bit.
It has begun crashing all the time, while reading email, while watching videos, while on "go to webinar," etc.
The computer only turns off when I push the power button.
I have tried microsoft fixit, I have also used a registry cleaner, but it has not helped.
I would now like to do a clean install of windows 7, but I only have my recovery disks.
Is that sufficient for a clean installation or do I need to purchase an OEM disk?
Thank you.

Brink · 23 May 2014

Hello Lierre, and welcome to Seven Forums.

The tutorial below can help walk you through on how to do a clean install on your OEM computer. :)

Clean Reinstall - Factory OEM Windows 7

AddRAM · 23 May 2014

Your recovery discs will put the pc back to the way it was when you first bought it.

A clean install only puts bare bones windows on your pC, you then have to install all your programs and any drivers the system needs and you`ll have to update it by running windows update.

You should have a COA on the PC somewhere with the keycode you can use to activate windows, make sure you download and install the version that`s on that sticker. The key code is good for 32 bit or 64 bit.

gregrocker · 24 May 2014

At the end of the Clean Reinstall tutorial it tells in the Special Note for HP Owners how to do a Minimal Recoveryy which is nearly as good. But if not be sure to do the Clean Reinstall as HP Has the worst load of bloatware of any brand and you will not even experience native Win7 performance otherwise.