Upgrading to windows 7 without the HP Windows 7 program [ Edited ]

[dezai225]

Hi,

      I am thinking of upgrading my HP pavilion Laptop running windows vista to windows 7 but missed out on the upgrade program. I would like to know whether the programs that came pre-installed on my laptop like Cyberlink DVD Suite Deluxe, microsoft Works and recovery manager would still be there after a clean install or whether I can download those programs from HP and if so could you give me a link. I would also like to know whether I can create bootable recovery disc for windows 7. I would also like to know how to get drivers and software/programs for windows 7 for my laptop and the best way of installing windows 7 without the HP windows 7 Upgrade programs.

[HaggisCat]

Make a set of recovery disc's first using the recovery manager program. Don't use rewritable disc's. If your upgrade fails then you can go back to Vista if need be.

 The recovery manager that is in your machine now is designed to work in Vista and will not work in W7. The recovery disc's you made are bootable DVD's and do need the recovery manager for them to work.

 Burn the folder "SwSetup" in drive "C" to DVD. This folder contains your drivers and software that you will need later. The drivers here will also work in W7. In there is also your Cyberlink and Microsoft works that you can reinstall after the upgrade and most other things. Look in the folder and become familiar with it. The drivers are also available from the HP site.

http://pcsupport.about.com/od/operatingsystems/ss/windows-7-clean-install-part-1.htm

Here is a very useful tutorial from Cheryl on how to do a clean install. It tells you how to delete, rather than format the hard drive for a clean install.

When every thing is up and running you can use third party software to create some bootable recovery disc's.

Here is another link from Cheryl for that

http://h30434.www3.hp.com/t5/Operating-systems-and-software/Creating-Recovery-DVD-s-and-deleting-the...

It's the second post from the bottom.

With a clean install you will have to manually install your drivers. This is the best way to go because upgrades can cause problems by leaving parts of Vista behind. These old files of Vista can slow the laptop down and cause errors.

 Doing a clean install will insure that Vista is gone entirely.

[dezai225]

Thanks for the reply. I was just wandering whether I can get a download to a compatible HP recovery manger on Windows 7 and I would also like to know whether the recovery partition would still be there after the clean install and if I use my vista recovery discs can i still go back to windows 7 using the install disc or whether I would have to buy windows 7 again.

P.S. I do not have the HP Windows 7 Upgrade option. I am buying Windows 7 from my computer store

[HaggisCat · Accepted solution]

Thanks for the reply. I was just wandering whether I can get a download to a compatible HP recovery manger on Windows 7

 I don't believe you can. The recovery manager that comes  with an HP installed W7 is meant to work with some W7 burned DVD"s, not Vista. You can try it, but I don't think it will work. If it does that's great.

 Here's a link from Cheryl to download some third party programs that will create recovery discs. Then you won't need the recovery manager :

 http://h30434.www3.hp.com/t5/Operating-systems-and-software/copying-a-recovery-disc/m-p/249208#M3580...

It's the last post from Cheryl .

 and I would also like to know whether the recovery partition would still be there after the clean install

  If you choose not to delete the Vista recovery partition it will still be there, but ounce you have created your recovery DVD's for Vista, you don't need it any more any way. Some people have kept it and tried to make it active while in W7 and it didn't work. That is because it is designed to work with Vista. I got rid of all the Vista baggage when I did my install on my HDX.  It ensures a nice clean slate to work from. The Vista recovery disc's you made are bootable DVD's and do not require the Vista recovery manager present or the partition.

  When you read the tutorial it tells you that you are going to create "unallocated space" This wipes the hard drive nice and clean so there is no more conflicting Vista applications left. I deleted the whole drive and left nothing of Vista, including the Vista recovery partition.

and if I use my vista recovery discs can i still go back to windows 7 using the install disc or whether I would have to buy windows 7 again.

You may use the Windows installation disc as many time as you want. as long as it's on that machine. If you go back to Vista just put the W7 disc in and try again. If you follow that tutorial from Cheryl, and my instructions, you shouldn't have any problems. Here is a helpful hint. When installing W7 it will ask you to enter your product number and activate it on line.

 Choose not to do this : use it as a 30 day trial and when you are satisfied that everything is up and running then you can activate it at your leisure, as long as it's with in that 30 day window.

 Just to point out you can use the disc on any machine for a 30 day trial. If you have a friend that wants to try W7 you can loan them the disc. They will have no choice, but to use it as a trial because you will have the only product key. The product is on the plastic box and not any where on the installation disc. The disc is useless with out a legitimate product key.

 After 30 days Microsoft will lock them out of their computer if they don't enter a key.

P.S. I do not have the HP Windows 7 Upgrade option. I am buying Windows 7 from my computer store

 When you buy your W7 disc make sure and get the upgrade as it is less expensive. It will allow you to perform a clean install as you have a functioning Vista OS.

 The only time when you need to buy a full version is if you are installing it on a computer with no previous OS on the hard drive.

              Hint :  After you have loaded W7 the first driver you will want to install is for the video card (NVIDIA I believe) you will discover why.

[dezai225]

SO if was to do a clean upgrade of windows 7 then would it matter if i deleted the recovery partition's and  would I still go back to vista with the recovery disc even when i delete the recovery portion's

[HaggisCat]

Those recovery disc's you made should behave like the factory HP ones if you were to order them. They are suppose to put everything back the way it is in the recovery partition, including the recovery partition. They should take a while to burn and there should be at least 2, some times 3 or more.

 The are self booting. That means you would load them in the same way you would your W7 OS when you install it.

The recovery partition should be replaced with those recovery disc's that's why I recommend that you delete the VIsta recovery partition.

I recommend that all of Vista be gone when installing W7, including the Vista recovery partition. It's just left over baggage.

The worst possible scenario is that your recovery discs that you have created will fail and you will have to order some from HP for around 20.00 $.

After you install W7 any recovery disc's for Vista will more then likely just collect dust some where on a shelf.

 It's time to stop asking questions, do it and get it over with.          If you have problems, my self will be here and many others.

 

[stambeccuccio]

Hello everybody! I made 3 DVDs recovery and I formatted the disk without saving the folder "SWSETUP" (that contains software and drivers). The question is: Is it possible to extract from the recovery DVDs this folder for to use inside programs ? (type: Cyberlink DVD Suite Deluxe, Microsoft Works..). How it can do ? Thank you in advance for reply.

[HaggisCat]

I haven't found a way to extract the SwSetup files from the recovery disc's and I don't believe there is a way. Other then to reinstall your OS with the disc's, save the SwSetup file the second time around.

It will give you a chance to see if the disc's work.

[stambeccuccio]

Thanks HaggisCat, for availability. I did what you said and I recovered the folder SWSETUP Grazie, ciao

[rugo32]

sweat!