How to reinstall a factory software from recovery CDs?

[Jozef76]

Computer: HP Pavilion dv6-3257cl

OS: Windows Home Premium7 64-bit

Hi. Some time ago I erased both Recovery partition and HP_TOOLS partition with it's EFI files on my dv6-3257cl laptop. Since then I was not able to do a factory reset. Recovery CD's I created from my recovery utility are not working anymore. After the recovery action the computer always shows a message "Restoration incomplete".

 I succesfuly tried a workaround: I was able to download a Windows CD iso image, and do at least clean Windows environment install (using the Windows product key from the label on the bottom of my laptop). However, I still miss some of the programs which come only with the recovery set of CD's I created on my laptop. The situation is not that bad: Some of the necessary drivers are downloaded automatically by Windows Update, other things can be installed through drivers and support page on hp.com. However I still miss some programs whose the only source is recovery set.

Is it possible to install this programs from recovery CD's alone? Remember, I do not have any recovery partition or HP_TOOLS partition on my hard drive.

"Subquestion": Is it possible to fully recreate recovery partition and HP_TOOLS partition with it's content' while the restoration via CD's does not work? I was able to recreate SystemDiags part of HP_TOOLS but was not able to finde other items...

Thanks

[Mumbodog]

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Jozef76 wrote:

Is it possible to install this programs from recovery CD's alone? Remember, I do not have any recovery partition or HP_TOOLS partition on my hard drive.

"Subquestion": Is it possible to fully recreate recovery partition and HP_TOOLS partition with it's content' while the restoration via CD's does not work? I was able to recreate SystemDiags part of HP_TOOLS but was not able to finde other items...

Thanks

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1. No

2. No

they can only be installed or created using the recovery cd's as intended.

The wireless needs to be enabled during recovery for it to be sucessful, also disconnect any external devices during recovery.

[Jozef76]

OK.

Thanks for answer...

I tried the restoration again...

... tried to make sure that wifi adapter is turned on and the network capability is enabled in BIOS. It did not work. A while go I tried the recovery again, now from newly opened - factory shipped set of cd's and it did not work too. In the third stage (putting the data on HDD or something like that) it got stuck on 12%. HDD test does not show any errors...

Are there any special "presets" requirements for hard drive that are necessary If I want to recreate the partitioning and the content from the recovery proces itself? Like does it have to be all wiped off with no partitions (remember, I deleted my recov. and hptools part.), or does it have to be one NTFS primary partiton with no assigned letters?

I assume that i may get the inspiration from the replacement of HDD which is very similar scenario - I mean the sit. when HDD is literally blank, but the recovery set must handle the situation too....

Thanks

[Mumbodog]

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Jozef76 wrote:

Are there any special "presets" requirements for hard drive that are necessary If I want to recreate the partitioning and the content from the recovery proces itself? Like does it have to be all wiped off with no partitions (remember, I deleted my recov. and hptools part.), or does it have to be one NTFS primary partiton with no assigned letters?

I assume that i may get the inspiration from the replacement of HDD which is very similar scenario - I mean the sit. when HDD is literally blank, but the recovery set must handle the situation too....

Thanks

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HP recovery discs reformat the entire drive and re-create all the partitions during recovery, so you should not have to do any prep work, but in this case I suggest you wipe the entire drive using DBAN, http://www.dban.org/ then try recovery again. Let me know if dban encounters errors during the wipe. Do a single overwrite pass to save time.

[Jozef76]

Hi

The wipe out through DBAN did not help. No errors shown during or after the action.

The screenshot from GParted partition editioner which records the partition layout after the last attempt of reinstall shows that the creation of Windows partition gets somehow stuck on +-76 giga. The original Windows partition used to occupy almost whole capacity of the hard drive (capacity of HDD minus recov. part and hp_tools part.).

Maybe it is worthy to mention that the unsuccesfull recovery of Windows H Premium  is somehow recorded on partition as a Windows Home BASIC install, not the Premium install.

Thanks.

[Mumbodog]

The HP recovery process pulls info from the HP bios tattoo to know what version of Windows to install, sounds like something may be corrupt in the tattoo, not sure what else to try than using a regular Windows install disc to get windows back on there.

[Jozef76]

My Bios is updated through Support & Drivers interface on hp.com. So it might have a right "tattoo"... i think... I have never heard of HP Bios Tattoo before...

[Mumbodog]

Yes, they have them, you can view this info by tapping esc or F1 when you see the HP logo at boot time.

[Jozef76]

Well - still no progress. I still can not return to my original HP recovery. Only a traditional Windows installation DVD works.

The good news is that after I succesfully installed Windows - through traditional non-HP Windows installation DVD - I was able to install on my hard drive operating system Linux Ubuntu . This operating system contains the some CD burning software which replaces some of the software I am missing from HP-recovery DVD.

Although my laptop is still in warranty, most probably I will not use the offer to send it to HP for repair even thought it would be free. If the principle of the repair would only mean such a recreation of an original content which I would not be able to perform by myself if I deleted the partitions again, I refuse to do it... ;-(

[CherylG]

Have you tried just leaving the Recovery running overnight? I have seen other posters state that was the solution to getting it successfully reinstalled..can take quite awhile even when it 'appears' frozen at 12%.