Solved Win 7 recovery time?

[Pragmatist]

Ok this is getting a little ridiculous. I have about a 2yr old HP Pavillion (not the one I'm currently using) with Win 7 64 bit Home Premium and the hard drive was failing. Called and had HP send me a complete set of recovery discs (ended up being 5) to put Win 7 on a new hard drive. I read about these super quiet and fast solid state drives and bought one (Intel). Removed the 750gig hare drive and replaced it with the solid state. Went through the load sequence with all discs and it seemed to be working perfectly. When the last disc ejected the screen had a "click here" to install windows. Removed the disc, clicked it and the screens were typical of loading and all seemed to be great. I remember the messages saying don't interrupt the load and your computer may reboot several times. I think it said it would take up to 3 hours. That was about 14 hours ago. The system does not appear to be locked up as files are still streaming across the screen. I searched and found one guy on the net say it could take a day? Anyone heard of such a thing?

I just wonder how long it is going to be before I just pull the plug and start over.

 

[Bare Foot Kid]

Hello Pragmatist, welcome to Seven Forums!


Here's another option, have a thorough look through the information presented below and be sure to post back with any further questions you may have and to keep us informed.


After you have copied out or made back-ups of the data you need to save to external media; if you can find an exact Windows version that the PC shipped with you can do a clean install using the activation key on the COA sticker attached to the PC though it may require a robo-call to MS to sort the OEM batch-key.

How to Activate Windows 7 by Phone


If you can't find an exact same version, you could use the info in this tutorial to create an "all versions" installer of any version Windows installer, to install using the same method I posted above.

Windows 7 Universal Installation Disc - Create


After you have made backups of everything you care to save, the best method is to do a complete wipe (secure erase) of the entire Hard Disk Drive first, it over-writes everything, all the old Windows code including all the old drivers/programs, giving you the best possible space to install Windows to.

SSD / HDD : Optimize for Windows Reinstallation

 

[gregrocker]

HP's have more bloatware clogging Win7 than any other model, and the factory restore is a big mess which fails relatively often. Better to go completely clean by finding a Win7 installer for your version.

Follow these tips to get a perfect factory OEM reinstall: Reinstalling Windows 7 - Windows 7 Forums

Later if there are any HP bloatware programs or useless factory utilities you want they can be extracted from the HP Recover Disks using this method: http://www.sevenforums.com/installa...are-after-clean-win-7-install.html#post488270

 

[mjf]

I would contact HP and explain that you are attempting to restore to an SSD.
I thought most factory restores want to provide a partition structure to a disk at least as large as your original spinning disk.

I've got nothing against using a manufacturers OEM OS and clean up the rubbish. BUT if it was me I would probably draw the line with HP and look seriously at a clean install as suggested by gregrocker or go down the upgrade path.
HP also often seem to want to partition your disk leaving only ONE user accessible primary containing the OS and all your data. Crazy.

 

[Pragmatist]

I would contact HP and explain that you are attempting to restore to an SSD.

That is exactly what I did. They sent me the discs to do it. I backed up everything I needed, removed the old drive, installed the new and proceded to load the discs. Seemed to be working but is now stuck.

I thought most factory restores want to provide a partition structure to a disk at least as large as your original spinning disk.

If this is true it could be why it's failing because the old hard disc was 750 gig and this one is 120.

I've got nothing against using a manufacturers OEM OS and clean up the rubbish. BUT if it was me I would probably draw the line with HP and look seriously at a clean install as suggested by gregrocker or go down the upgrade path.
HP also often seem to want to partition your disk leaving only ONE user accessible primary containing the OS and all your data. Crazy.

This is what I will have to do. I just don't get why they put the license number on the side of your PC when you buy it. It's worthless. I've been to their site and there is no way to use that number and get the operating system you originally paid for. What good is the number even if you could go there and download the OS, my PC has nothing on it's drive? If my hard drive failed so I no longer have a PC capable of getting to the internet, what good is that number?

I will get the program from a friend and install it and then use that number when prompted for it but it just does not make sense, the number is virtually worthless without a win 7 install disc and they don't give you one of them when you buy it. What do they expect you to do, go buy the program and then use the number on the side of your machine? That's ridiculous!

Another question. I bought the PC and paid for the OS. If I have no restore disc and the hard drive fails, how do you go to MS and say I want the OS on my new drive? Keep in mind there is nothing on the drive so there is no going to their site to download anything.

 

[Bare Foot Kid]

See my post #2 above; be sure to install the exact same Windows 7 version the PC shipped with or it will not activate using the activation key from the COA sticker.

 

[theog]

most manufacturers OEM Recovery disks are not made to Restore to SSD's.

 

[Pragmatist]

See my post #2 above; be sure to install the exact same Windows 7 version the PC shipped with or it will not activate using the activation key from the COA sticker.

Ok, thanks. If I know it was "Win 7 Home Premium 64 bit" that's all I need right? It's not like they have multiple versions within those parameters is there?

 

[Bare Foot Kid]

Correct, it could be either 32-bit or 64-bit; it is version specific and not bit rate specific.

 

[Pragmatist]

most manufacturers OEM Recovery disks are not made to Restore to SSD's.

This may very well be the problem but that still does not explain why HP support would gladly send me the restore discs for 15.95 when I expressly told the guy it was going on a blank 120 gig Intel SSD, that my hard drive had failed. The guy wasn't sales, he was tech. Said it will work just fine. How come he didn't know this?

I will have a bootable Win 7 64 bit home premium disc and will attempt a clean install using the number on the machine. I hope I haven't written anything to the drive already that will be a problem. The new install will obliterate anything I put on there with the HP restore discs correct?

 

[Bare Foot Kid]

Have a look at Step One of this tutorial at the link below substituting the clean command for the clean all, it will remove all the format configuration data giving you a clean start to install to the SSD.

SSD / HDD : Optimize for Windows Reinstallation

When Step One finishes you can close the command window to continue the installation but I would suggest you use the outline in Step Two #1 to create, format and mark active a single partition to do the install to, this will give you better results.

 

[gregrocker]

I will get the program from a friend and install it and then use that number when prompted for it but it just does not make sense, the number is virtually worthless without a win 7 install disc and they don't give you one of them when you buy it. What do they expect you to do, go buy the program and then use the number on the side of your machine? That's ridiculous!

Another question. I bought the PC and paid for the OS. If I have no restore disc and the hard drive fails, how do you go to MS and say I want the OS on my new drive? Keep in mind there is nothing on the drive so there is no going to their site to download anything.

Manufacturers stopped providing Win7 Installation DVD's because the factory bloatware sponsors like Norton pressure them to enforce the bloatware and not make it easy to clean reinstall. Nevertheless most tech enthusiasts find an installer to clean reiinstall their version.

Borrow a Win7 installation DVD from a friend or find one another way, extract the ISO from the disk using ImgBurn, run the ei.cfg removal tool on it if you need to unlock all versions, then boot to install your version.

If you download from the web, be sure to check the comments on the ISO to make sure nothing was added, check the HASH if in doubt, then rightclick scan the iSO with your AV and Malwarebytes

The Product Key on the COA sticker will work if you use the correct version listed, although it may require a robocall to MS.

All the steps to get a perfect reinstall of factory OEM are here: Reinstalling Windows 7 - Windows 7 Forums

 

[mjf]

I believe the lack of an open source of install disks has nothing, or little, to do with piracy threats. In my opinion it's a commercial issue and not just on the part of the OEM. Without a valid key these disks are useless.

I have heard on other sites (MS Answers) that some OEM machines with a COA sticker cannot be clean installed. I cannnot recall the details. It would be useful for people who have failed to do a clean install this way to let us know.

 

[Pragmatist]

I believe the lack of an open source of install disks has nothing, or little, to do with piracy threats. In my opinion it's a commercial issue and not just on the part of the OEM. Without a valid key these disks are useless.

I have heard on other sites (MS Answers) that some OEM machines with a COA sticker cannot be clean installed. I cannnot recall the details. It would be useful for people who have failed to do a clean install this way to let us know.

Well I should have a Win 7 disc today and will attempt the install tonite. I will post back my success or failure. Thanks to all.

 

[gregrocker]

If the clean reinstall fails it will be due to one of the issues we sort here every day, all of which can be resolved through a series of troubleshooting steps.

In years of clean reinstalling Windows hundreds of times on every different make and model I have never come across a machine whose hardware is capable which cannot be clean installed - or as a last resort reimaged.

I have heard of BIOS locks but I have yet to come across one where the manufacturer specifically locks out anything but their bloatware install.

 

[mjf]

I'll try to dig out the details I referred to.

It's great if it works 99% of the time.
Interestingly I have 2 obvious keys
1) The OEM key with "OEM" in it
2) The 5x5 alphanumeric product key on the side label (COA)
and SIW reports 2 other 5x5 alphanumeric keys
3) Windows product key
4) Windows default product key

It's the difference between 2), 3) and 4) that puzzle me.

 

[gregrocker]

Hi Michael -

The number which contains "OEM" is the Product ID which is not the same as Product Key, but which can help MS look up a lost Product Key and helps them track the product.

The reason a keyfinder reports a different Product Key on factory OEM is because it is still being activated using SLP auto-activation method used for mass activations.

During clean reinstall use the Product Key on the COA sticker which will change the activation method to COA OEM, while Recovery Disks will auto-activate using SLP from a file in the installer.

The expert on this is Bill2 who will thankfully correct me if I got anything wrong.

 

[Bill2]

I'll try to dig out the details I referred to.

It's great if it works 99% of the time.
Interestingly I have 2 obvious keys
1) The OEM key with "OEM" in it
2) The 5x5 alphanumeric product key on the side label (COA)
and SIW reports 2 other 5x5 alphanumeric keys
3) Windows product key
4) Windows default product key

It's the difference between 2), 3) and 4) that puzzle me.

No.2 ) That the COA key, thats your own unique key, nobody else has it. Its never been used before, its not the key that was used by the OEM to preinstall windows- it would have been but for the fact that OEMs use a different method to which I'm coming in the next para.

No.3) The windows product key is the OEM SLP key. Put simply thats a standard key (or one of the standard keys) that a particular OEM uses to preactivate windows on ALL its branded computers OFFLINE. This mechanism is convenient to OEMs because it saves them from activating 1000s of machines online individually with their respective sticker keys (see No.1 above).

No.4) The default windows key is the trial key embedded in the dvd. When you first install windows and dont activate it, this key is the one thats installed by default. Its also called the keyless install key. Trial keys are edition specific.

 

[Pragmatist]

Ok, reporting back that problems are solved. Did a clean install with a "single" win 7 disc. Used the authentication key on my PC and it worked like a charm. The installation was complete in 17 minutes and I have to think this new SSD drive helped.

 

[Bare Foot Kid]

Good to see you got it installed and thanks for the update.