how to access Windows 7 "first boot" on a new laptop

[broiyan]

I purchased a new Windows 7 laptop PC on June 27, 2012. Windows was preinstalled but there was a step called "first boot". The sales person started the "first boot" and it showed some things I've never seen before (in my previous experiences installing Windows 7 from a DVD purchased in January 2010) For example there was a partition manager to setup a D drive separate from C. Another difference was a language selection early on.

I want to redo the first boot. How do I access the first boot capability? I want to redo it just in case the sales person did something that I would disagree with. I'm also curious what is in the setup of the first boot.

Note: this first boot is different from what I've seen on fresh installations of Windows 7 from DVD where the DVD was purchased in Canada. In fact on my Windows 7 DVD purchased in January 2010, I don't recall seeing anything known as a "first boot" and specifically described as a "first boot" on the screen.

This laptop (June 2012) first boot required no media because Windows was pre-installed. The language selection was very early on and it might be specific to the region. I purchased this in Hong Kong and there was an early drop down menu to select English.

 

[marsmimar]

My usual disclaimer: I'm not an expert at anything.

Since Windows was pre-installed, the only thing I can think of that might be called a "first boot" is when you first turn on the computer and press the F12 key to get a one time option to select the first boot device. But I guess it's also possible that your motherboard may have some added features I'm not aware of. I found this user manual that might give more information. Sorry I can't be more help.

http://download.gigabyte.us/FileList/Manual/motherboard_manual_ga-ma770-ud3_e.pdf

 

[SIW2]

I don't know what that is but it sounds interesting - it might be a function on oem winre.

Can you get to it by pressing the F10 or whatever F key you use to get to recovery options?

 

[broiyan]

I'm not familiar with Win recovery and the function key for it because I've never used a C: drive for system only purposes. I might have time to look it up for this machine later.

Come to think of it, it was only the partitioning program that mentioned "First Boot" by name. I think the program was called Easy Partition. The steps I remember seeing were:

0. language
1. admin name
2. computer name which defaults to admin plus "-PC"
3. time and perhaps timezone
4. desktop creation
5. Easy Partition or some similar program that describes this as a "First Boot"

If that is all that happened in the store, there would be no worries but I would still rather redo it.

This is a Samsung laptop.

 

[gregrocker]

This sounds like the steps you take with preinstalled Win7 to set up your User name, language and other preferences.

You can run it again by running Full Factory Recovery.

Make your Recovery disks first as a backup method to running Recovery from its partition using the key given on first screen.

You should also back up your files, and a Win7 backup image so you have another path back separate from the OEM Recovery process.

If you will tell us the make and model we'll give you the exact steps from the manufacturer to run Recovery.

Keep in mind that running the Factory preinstall as you are is not optimal due to the often heavy load of preinstalled sponsors' bloatware and useless OEM utilities which have better versions built into Win7. At a minimum one should Clean Up Factory Bloatware to get best performance of the OS. Most tech enthusiasts will not even run the Factory install but instead Clean Reinstall - Factory OEM Windows 7.

 

[broiyan]

Thanks. I've decided to leave it as is. I've already put Ubuntu and some software on Ubuntu and so it would be a lot of work to redo both Windows and Ubuntu.

 

[broiyan]

This is an old thread but I want to post what happens if you try to obtain a "first boot" using the Samsung Win 7 image for the RF711 laptop.

The Samsung image looks and behaves like a generic Win 7 when you install it. There is no sign of a proprietary "first boot". There is no "unwanted" software and no dialogs having to do with the "Easy Partition Manager".

Edit: Since the question was later asked, the media I used to install Windows was the Recovery Media supplied by Samsung with a new laptop. This item is on a DVD. As it turns out, it does not even contain the Office Starter 2010 that comes with a new machine, so it poses a problem if you need to use Office.

 

[gregrocker]

Is this a Samsung factory recovery image you stored externally when you set up your laptop? How was it reimaged onto the HD?

 

[broiyan]

It's not a recovery image that I made. It's just the recovery media DVD that is supplied with a new machine.

I have never made Win recovery disks because I've never had time to figure out if it was worthwhile. Comments?

The PRO case as I can see it is that more than just an bare OS gets recovered. Just how much more than bare I do not know so I cannot assess the benefit. I believe that Windows always refers to the recovery medium as a "disk" so it sounds like it will be only a single disk, in which case, it seems that programs are not going to be restored and so it's not a complete recovery.

The CON case as I see it: If it backs up the whole image, it will be a complete recovery, and it might take a long time to compress or else it would take many DVDs.

If I backup my "data", it always fits on one USB Flash or on one DVD and it always will, I would expect, because I never backup movies. In my view, programs are not data, so I never have large backups. If my backups are small, all large recovery alternatives would look bad by comparison, but as I said, I do not know how large and time consuming Windows recovery media are.