Installing Windows 7 from scratch o9n a laptop

**CWBillow** · 2012-05-28 01:38

It did come with Windows Home Premium -- and a lot of other crap. I always end up wanting to strip it down and start over.

Chuck

**Xircal** · 2012-05-28 01:46

It should be mentioned that replacing the operating system on an HP machine invalidates the warranty.

Should a hardware problem develop during the warranty period, you'll be charged for both the component and the cost of installing it. That will include a new hard drive since you've deleted the system partition on the current one which makes it impossible to reinstall the version of the operating system the laptop was supplied with.

**Xircal** · 2012-05-28 01:51

Originally Posted by CWBillow

It did come with Windows Home Premium -- and a lot of other crap. I always end up wanting to strip it down and start over.

Chuck

Why don't you simply buy a laptop with the version of Windows 7 you want?

I think you don't quite understand the fact that by replacing the OS with your own, you invalidate the warranty. If a hardware problem develops during the warranty period, HP will charge you both for the component and for the cost of installing it. They will almost certainly replace the hard drive so that the machine can be restored to its default settings as well.

**CLiNT** · 2012-05-28 04:06

CHUCK,

That's your laptop with the previous Home Premium right?

I merged your previous thread with this new one.

I have a couple of questions;

What was the missing driver error encountered when you attempted to install Windows 7 Ultimate the first time?

What drive controller setting are you using in BIOS to install (IDE vs AHCI) If it is a newer laptop or has a SSD, set to AHCIin BIOS.

Did you completely wipe the entire hard drive and all partitions from the Windows 7 install disk while booting from it?

**Xircal** · 2012-05-28 05:41

I have another observation. You talk about your "64-bit Ultimate edition". Which flavour is that exactly? By that I mean did you buy it online as a retail version, or is it an OEM edition? An OEM edition means it came preinstalled on another machine and you were supplied with the DVD installation media.

In the latter case, you cannot use that to install it on another machine because you only have a license for the machine it came with.

If it's a retail version, then you can use it to install on another machine once only. But you must remove it from the machine it was installed on first. What you cannot do is to use it to install Windows 7 64-bit on other machines indefinitely.

Just to clarify that statement. Yes, it will install, but no, Microsoft won't validate it.

If you don't complete validation within 30 days the operating system will simply cease to function.

**CLiNT** · 2012-05-28 06:53

Yeah, I'm assuming Chuck is using a genuine Windows 7, 64 bit edition to clean install with, and that he had used that same disk to remove all his partitions prior to installing.

We shall see though.

**CWBillow** · 2012-05-28 10:55

Clint;

This time I didn't get a missing driver error...I solved that one. I restored the original setup, backed up all the drivers, and then started over with the drivers on a thumb drive that was accessible.

This time it went all the way through, got to 100% on the install, and then hung -- no error message.

I haven't touched the BIOS at all except to set the boot sequence to see the DVD drive first. I am assuming it is IDE, since I don't have an SSD.

Yes, I completely wiped the drive, but not during install...prior to that.

**CWBillow** · 2012-05-28 10:58

Xircal, yes it is a genuine Windows Ultimate upgrade. I bought it online from JourneyEd.com

**CLiNT** · 2012-05-28 11:20

Run a chkdsk on your drive for errors with the Windows Ultimate DVD, then reformat everything and start again.
Refresher: Installing Windows 7

**CWBillow** · 2012-05-28 11:52

ok, THANKS Clint. I'm also re-downloading the SP-1 ISO just in case mine is corrupted somehow.

( http://techdows.com/2011/07/download...oad-links.html )

Chuck

**Xircal** · 2012-05-28 13:04

Originally Posted by CWBillow

Xircal, yes it is a genuine Windows Ultimate upgrade. I bought it online from JourneyEd.com

OK, fair enough, but you've still invalidated your warranty. That means two years of free technical support and hardware replacements down the drain.

You could have upgraded to the Ultimate edition using the HP Upgrade Assistant. Doing it that way would have meant you'd retain your warranty rights.

If something goes pear-shaped now, HP will insist you restore the machine to factory defaults before they'll consider any claims. To do that, you'll have to purchase a set of recovery discs from them.

**CWBillow** · 2012-05-28 13:15

Ah...but no I won't! I backed up the entire disk before this all started -- Windows, Recovery, HP Tools -- everything. When I started having issues, I restored it just to make sure, and it's all there...

Now...

For some time now, whenever I have installed [or re-installed] Windows, I not only wiped the drive clean, but set up the partition to take up the *whole* drive. Here's the link:

http://www.ehow.com/how_4794818_eras...partition.html

I finally decided to start over, restored the original drive, and then booted from the Windows DVD, and deleted everything from there.

This time it all took. I have no idea why the above link has worked fine for ions and this time didn't. Maybe it's something in the BIOS ...dunno. I do know though that I like being able to clear everything off a drive.

I apologize Clint / Xircal, I guess I was wasting your time and energy.

Regards,
Chuck Billow

**Medico** · 2012-05-28 13:18

Chuck already specified that he had backed up the entire HD. If he did this as I suspect he did, he should be able to restore the PC back to factory if that becomes necessary. Should have, could have, would have does no good at this point. Chuck has already acquired a valid copy of Win 7 Ultimate. Perhaps he had the same idea I had, that most of the garbage that HP installed was not worth having anyway. A fresh virgin copy of Win 7 is a more pristine installation than an installation with all the garbage that must be removed from a factory installation. An HP Upgrade Install would have left all the garbage in place.

Chuck, you must have posted your response while I was typing. Glad you got it working. You now have a more pristine installation than with all the HP junk anyway. Good for you!

Chuck, a learning experience is never a waste of time!

**CLiNT** · 2012-05-28 13:59

In the past I've done the exact same thing as Chuck is doing now and plan on doing so with my brand new Windows 7 Lenovo
laptop once Windows 8 comes out, well, hopefully if I like Windows 8.

It's a calculated risk, but if you can put it back exactly the way you got it from the factory, that would be ideal. It is possible to do that with imaging.
Besides, there is nothing better than a fresh clean os free of all HP, or Lenovo crapware. That would be the main impetus for me anyway.

**Medico** · 2012-05-28 14:07

Exactly Clint. I did the same thing with our Sony Laptops as well. I put generic Win 7 on them (Ultimate on mine Home Premium on wife's) I just did not want the extra crapware that Sony loaded. When I set up my granddaughters Dell Inspiron laptop I did the same think. Got rid of the crapware. It makes for a much cleaner installation.

You do have to have a good backup of the entire HD just in case. I do not anticipate the need to do so, but did take the precautions.

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