Recovery Differences - HP Operating System DVD and Microsoft OS COEM ISO

[Rock-Music]

@Paul_Tikkanen and others.

I have some questions about various recovery methods.

Computer/Background Information:

I own a HP EliteDesk 800 G1 SFF desktop computer that I previously purchased used from an authorized HP Refurbisher/seller.

It was installed with Windows 7 Professional and there were 4 partitions:

SYSTEM:  100 mb

recovery (w:), 495 MB NTFS

(C:) 453.46 GB NTFS

Restore (E:) 11.72 GB NTFS

It also came with a DVD Disc labeled: HP Operating System DVD, Windows 7 Professional SP1 (see image)

It did NOT come with an HP Application and Driver Recovery DVD 

There is NO HP Recovery Manager folder (Start > Programs)

Surprisingly it had Firefox browser and LibreOffice installed.

QUESTIONS:

1.  What is the difference between what’s included (the contents) in this HP Operating System DVD and a downloaded Microsoft Windows 7 Pro COEM ISO made into installation media?

For example, is there additional (software or drivers), such a HP Recovery Manager, included on the HP DVD?

2.  If you do a complete fresh Reinstallation:

     a.  Do either or both methods require you to enter your OEM Product Key (from sticker on unit)?

     b.  Do either or both methods Activate automatically (no need for online or telephone activation)?

3.  As previously noted. I did not get a HP Application and Driver Recovery DVD with the purchase.

     a.  Is the HP Recovery Manager supposed to be included on this disk (or possibly the Operating System disk)?

     b.  Is there anything on this disk that can’t be downloaded from HP support for my model PC?

Any help is appreciated.

[Paul_Tikkanen]

Hi:

I can only answer one of your questions, and then I am going to ask you to do something for me.

If the HP disk works without the supplemental disk, you will not need to activate Windows because the HP software is pre-activated. 

I say 'if' because any HP business desktop that I have owned requires you to insert the second or subsequent #'s of disks in order to complete the recovery process.

I have some HP business notebooks that only need the OS disk, and I can install the drivers and available software from the support page.

If you downloaded a plain W7 ISO file, you will need to have a product key available to activate Windows.

What I would like you to do is to run the free utility that I zipped up and attached below.

This app is available on the Microsoft Store, but since you have W7 installed, I do not believe that you can access the store.

The reason I would like you to do this is because most 800 G1's came with W8 Pro with downgrade rights to W7 Pro.

HP EliteOne 800 G1 All-in-One PC Product Specifications | HP® Customer Support

On the PC's with W8 or W8 Pro, the product key is in the PC's BIOS, and you can use that key to install W8.1 and then upgrade for free to W10 and have current OS security and other updates from Microsoft.

Your PC is fully supported by HP for W10.

The software will provide info as to whether or not there is a W8 OEM product key in the BIOS, and what version the product key is good for.