Can HP_TOOLS and HP_ RECOVERY be deleted or moved?

[Mossbreaker]

I have an HP 2760p elitebook running Windows 7 and would like to install additinal operating systems.  However, HP computers come standard with four primary partitions on the HDD and there is no room for another OS.  Can HP_TOOLS and HP_ RECOVERY be safely deleted or moved?  The HP website seems to suggest HP computers should have a program called Recovery Manager, which can create recovery disks; the HP 2760P manual confirms models that come with Windows 7 installed should have this feature.  I haven't come across this software or similar functionality implemented anywhere on my computer.  I do not know how to acces anything which resembles what is described here:
http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/document?docname=c01895783&lc=en&cc=us&dlc=en

I really want both of those partitions freed up though.  It would be much more practical if I could put them on a USB stick or external HDD or something. 

[Paul_Tikkanen]

Hi:

I did not have that feature on my Elitebook 6930p either. Just the HP Tools and Recovery partition, which can be used by hitting the F11 key to launch the recovery manager program.

The problem is that if your hard drive fails, what then?

I would order a set of recovery disks for your notebook, then you will be free do do what you want.

Once I got my set, I deleted all partitions and made one large one, and reinstalled the OS without any of the software I didn't want.

To order, call HP for the country you live in at the link below.  Call the number for Business PC's/Notebooks.

Inform the customer services rep that you need a set of Quick Restore Disks for your notebook.

You will need to provide the model # and serial number.

Cost ranges from free in some countries like the UK, to $10 in the USA/Canada, to more than $10 elsewhere.

http://www8.hp.com/us/en/hp-information/summary/ww-contact-us.html

Paul

[Mumbodog]

I would leave the HP_TOOLS partition intact if you can, its important for hardware diagnostics and is used during a bios update.

See this page for some tips on adding partitions on a HP notebook

http://h30434.www3.hp.com/t5/Other-Notebook-PC-Questions/How-to-repartition-HDD-of-HP-notebook-with-...

[Mossbreaker]

Thanks guys.  These are the answers I expected, but hoped for suprisingly better ones.  I don't really want to spend any amount of money on discs that my computer manual says I am supposed to be able to create though, especially since it doesn't even have a disc drive.  Will these partitions not function properly if moved to another disc?

[Paul_Tikkanen]

Hi:

Not that I know of.

Even if you rename the drive letters, they won't work.

If you have W7 if you don't want to spend the $$ on recovery disks (though $10 to me is well worth the price), you can download W7 Pro (32 or 64 bit) at the link below, use a DVD burning program that can burn ISO files so the disk is bootable, and use the 25 character product key on the W7 COA sticker bottom of your notebook to activate the installation.

Works just fine even with the OEM key.

Then download the drivers you need from the notebook's support and driver page.

http://www.mydigitallife.info/official-windows-7-sp1-iso-from-digital-river/

You can also use this tool along with the ISO file so it will install using a USB flash drive.

http://www.microsoftstore.com/store/msstore/html/pbPage.Help_Win7_usbdvd_dwnTool

Paul

[Mumbodog]

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Mossbreaker wrote:

Thanks guys.  These are the answers I expected, but hoped for suprisingly better ones.  I don't really want to spend any amount of money on discs that my computer manual says I am supposed to be able to create though, especially since it doesn't even have a disc drive.  Will these partitions not function properly if moved to another disc?

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You can use a 32gb or larger thumbdrive as recovery media insead of DVD's

Moving these types of partitions is tricky, as they are all tied together in the master boot record and partition boot records. I have good luck cloning HP drives to another drive using Easeus Todo backup free edition, which will move all partitions and also MBR and PBRs.

This is a user to user forum, sorry the answers did not meet your expectations.

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