Clean Reinstall on a X360

[ScottNY]

I am either going to buy the ENVY or SPECTRE X360 13, but want to know if doing a clean re-install of Win 10 right off the bat will void my warranty?  I HATE bloatware.

Thanks!

[WAWood]

@ScottNY

There are actually several different issues with what you want to do ...

First, installing a different OS version does not, in and of itself, void the manufacturer's warrranty.

But second, should you have a problem with the PC down the road and send it in to HP for repair, they then could REFUSE to repair it under warranty, as it is entirely up to the manufacturer to decide what warranty claims to approve.

Third, any OS version you download will NOT have HP drivers, and you need them to have the laptop hardware work properly, so, you are trading a little bit of bloatware for a complete lack of HP drivers -- not a good choice.

Fourth, any OS version you download is NOT going to activate with the OEM produce key already embedded in the firmware of your PC because it will require a Retail product key, so you will have to BUY your own version of Win10 to install.

[CherylG]

My thoughts/views are a little different.

Windows 10 will activate with the license key embedded in BIOS as long as you install the same version-such as Windows 10 Home vs Windows 10 Pro. You must install the version that ships with the laptop. In fact, I did this myself a couple months ago on an HP Stream to test (loaner from HP for testing)

For drivers-you should have a folder  C :\SwSetup that contains all original drivers and can be copied to a flash drive or other external source before formatting the drive. Of course your Support page will have most of the drivers to download also.

I do agree with the opinion that HP may require you to reinstall the original shipped version of the OS before they will offer warranty repair. Make your Recovery USB using HP Recovery Manager just in case you need it later.

You could use disk imaging software such as Macrium Reflect to make a complete image of the drive with your new OS to restore later if you had to reinstall original OS.

[ScottNY]

Thank you both for such quick and thorough responses.  I see that I could have been clearer.  I do intend to activate and use the Win 10 Home key that will come with my PC [I wish Win 10 Pro wasn't so much more $$ since I use everywhere else!] and then want to use the built-in Win 10 Home clean re-install feature to re-install WIn 10 Home - minus the bloatware.  I am not putting on a different version or using a different key.  I can definitely get the drivers first directly from the site or make a copy of the C :\SwSetup folder, which seems smartest.  I love the idea of making the Recovery USB, too, so I can put it back everything back the way I found it in case I'm in need of warranty work.  Anything that happened after the first year I would likely fix myself anyway.  I will buy either the ENVY X360 13" or the SPECTRE X360 13" this week.  I was hoping HP had a 0% payment option like Dell, Lenovo, etc., so I could go for the SPECTRE but I'm not sure I can swing the extra on my credit card, this month especially.  Either way, I'm getting an X360 13" very soon.  Again, I appreciate the fast and thorough responses.  HP should hire you both.  A forum like this that gets used and monitored beats the crap out of anything I have used with Dell, Lenovo, Gigabyte, ASUS, etc., and makes another compelling argument for an HP machine.

[ScottNY]

Just an update. I ordered a new Envy X360 13" AMD Ryzen 5 with Radeon Vega 8 [even though I don't game] with the upgraded Intel 802.11b/g/n/ac (2x2) Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.2 Combo and a HP USB-C to RJ45 Adapter for $706 before tax. Based on what I see online, it was a steal. There are refurbished models at all the popular "e-tailers" charging anywhere from $100 - $400 more for the same or similar i5 machines!  Even more, I purchased through the RetailMeNot link and should get a $100 credit on my PayPal account. For others who may not know, if you have a PayPal credit account and use it for your purchase, you get 6 months, interest-free, to pay off your purchase.