removal of HP related information and software?

[D-Lucifer]

Hello so i have built a entirely new pc, and i transferred all my data from my old omen obelisk PC to my new PC, and currently uninstalled all visible HP related software in control panel so uninstall all HP software which i wont be using but there is still many traces of HP software in my pc such as:

i have noticed in my "About your PC" it still says at the top above my device name "Omen by HP obelisk Desktop 875-0xxx" and at the bottom there is a support sub heading to the HP support page?

and that there seems to be HP stuff in my system 32 folder? and wondering how i can get rid of it? (if you need more information on this i can try and locate come hp stuff i have found).

overall is there a easy way of fully getting rid of HP software

Thanks for your help in advance. 

[D-Lucifer]

here are some system 32 folders that i have found to do with Omen/HP:

located under:

system 32/ Driver store/ fileRepository/

in the above location i see many HP and Omen related stuff and was hoping how i can uninstall all of them safely 

also i see many HP software in task manager that are still running in the background for some reason???

such as an example "omencap.exe" application which i opened file location to it which was saved under system32 again

[Bill_To]

Hi @D-Lucifer 

It sounds like you cloned or imaged the HP Omen operating system drive to a new PC (new MB and new boot drive). Or you are using the HP operating system drive, as is, on the new PC.

Moving only data from one PC to a different PC should not move HP System32 stuff if you did a clean Windows installation on a new MB and the existing HP operating system drive or you used a new operating system drive.

I can't comprehend how this is happening if you built an entirely new PC using a clean Windows operating system installation.

Regards

[D-Lucifer]

Hello I basically completely cloned my hp omen pc drive and transferee it over to my new pc by placing the clones m.2 into the slot.

Is it possible to use windows media creation tool to reinstall windows to get rid of hp stuff in system 32?

[Bill_To]

Hi @D-Lucifer 

Thanks for the additional information. Cloning the HP system drive to a new drive means you are running the HP OS image on a non HP MB.

Yes, you can do a clean W10 installation on the new PC by creating USB Installation media or you could try W11 if desired. You will have to buy a new Windows product key to activate a new OS installation on a new PC.

Is the HP PC operational or did you move any required components from the HP PC to the new PC? It looks like the HP PC has a 256 GB NVME operating system drive and a 1 TB HDD for data. The data you want would either be in the 256 GB drive's Windows User folder (your user name) or on the 1 TB HDD,

Run the HP PC. Connect an external USB backup drive to this PC. Copy or move needed data in your Users folder to the external drive. You could connect the HP 1 TB HDD (containing only data) to the new PC to use as a data drive after doing a clean Windows install on the new PC.

Only connect the new NVME drive to the new PC when doing the Windows 10 or 11 install.

Regards

[D-Lucifer]

Hello, sorry for the late reply

So to start gonna explain what I did so far which did not seem to work is that I installed the windows media creation tool and did the option to do upgrade now with the option of keeping personal data and apps, to see if it will remove the hp software in system 32 to no luck.  lately I have found out there is some omen software in program files (x86) that are very similar to the system 32 files.

So my only choice is I must use the usb installation method instead of upgrade now option? and do the erase all apps and personal file (firstly moving my personal files onto another drive) for it to truly delete all omen software from system 32 and program file x86?

You mentioned I need to buy another windows key is that if I do a complete windows install using usb windows creation as described above? Can't I reuse my existing windows key on the new fresh windows? Is that possible?

Does upgrading to Windows 11 get rid of hp stuff doesn't it keep my system 32 files and program files x86 relating to hp omen? Like it keeps personal files and apps? Like how it failed with the "upgrade now" option I tried in the media creation tool

Regarding my old hp omen pc it's currently functional but I already took out my 1 tb HDD and is already installed into my new pc it just contains old games and pictures.

When you mention the data I want in the 256gb do you mean the personal files I want to keep? If so yes 

Currently have a back up m.2 drive in which I can save my personal files in which I can copy from my new pc? As it contains the same information as my omen pc as I mentioned at the start as it's been completely cloned of the original.

So if I save my personal data onto my backup m.2 using a enclosure and then do a complete wipe of the main nvme m.2 that is already on my new pc should work right? 

If so should I use the media creation tool or the inbuilt recovery setting where I can clear all data? Under the update and recovery section?

Sorry for the long text tried to split them into paragraph to match your latest reply 

[Bill_To]

Hi @D-Lucifer 

You would have to do a clean Windows install to remove all traces of HP references in system files and the Registry. You will lose all HP software by doing this. All upgrades to the HP operating system (OS) image will retain HP data and system file dependencies.

It would be very difficult to manually remove embedded HP stuff but keep HP software you like with the existing OS or an OS upgrade.

The HP Windows product key is an OEM key tied to the HP motherboard (MB). You would need a new Windows product key on a new MB. I am surprised the existing HP OS is activated (if this is the case) while running on the new PC/MB.

You could try the W10 or W11 USB installation media to do a clean Windows installation on the new PC/MB. You would have to buy a new Windows product key to activate the new Windows installation.

You would have to backup data on the current OS install before doing a clean installation if you have not done this.

I don't know of any other way to achieve what you desire. Maybe a different Forum member can provide additional options.

Regards

[D-Lucifer]

Hello sorry for the late reply again didn't receive a notification 

I'll do a clean install of Windows when I get the chance soon

Coming back to the windows key? I understand when I bought my omen pc it comes with pre installed windows and that I need a new windows key for a new motherboard? If I use the same windows key it will remember it's a HP product and install hp software again? Or that each motherboard can only accept 1 windows key but some how I somehow managed to transfer it by completely moving drive to another drive and installing in into my new pc?

So if the windows key isn't linked to hp can I just use the same key instead of buying another key? 

As I am aware I am able to search my windows key using CMD  and use the same key after I do a clean install? As you mentioned I can't use the same key but I have managed to so will it hurt to try or must I buy a new key to fully eradication hp from my system?

Many thanks for all the help during this 😊

[Bill_To]

Hi @D-Lucifer 

I also don't get all notifications so I am responding late.

Windows should not activate if you try the HP Windows product key because it is not transferable to a new MB.

The HP Windows product key, if it did work on the new MB, would not install HP software or drivers.

The HP Windows product key has unique characters which defines this key as a non-transferable Windows OEM product key.

Try the HP product key on a new Windows installation to see what happens. Microsoft activation servers should reject the HP key because it is tied to the HP MB installed in your HP PC.

Regards