Factory install of windows on SSD

[itsme__sv]

I am upgrading my laptop from HDD to SSD, and I want to perform a fresh install of the OEM copy. Apparently, I found a hidden partition called Recovery on my HDD. Can I perform a fresh install from that partition? If so, how?

[Paul_Tikkanen]

Hi:

Unfortunately, you wouldn't be able to do that, but before you remove the hard drive you can use the HP cloud recovery tool to create a bootable USB recovery drive that will reinstall W10, the drivers and the software that originally came with your notebook.

Here is an info link for how to use the utility.  You will need a 32 GB USB flash drive.

HP Consumer PCs - Using the HP Cloud Recovery Tool in Windows 11 and 10 | HP® Customer Support

If you want to use the tool on another PC to create the installation media, you will need to enter your PC's product number in the tool's search window to create the recovery media.

Your PC's product number is: Z4Q49PA#ACJ

[itsme__sv]

Is there an offline HP recovery tool available instead of using the cloud recovery tool? I don't have an unlimited internet connection, so an offline tool would be ideal. If HP has an offline tool built-in, I could use that. My plan is to install a new SSD and then connect my HDD through SATA to USB 3.0. Then, I can boot the HP recovery tool from the HDD and use it to install the OEM OS on the SSD.

[Paul_Tikkanen]

Unfortunately, there isn't. 

You could also clone the existing drive's contents to your new SSD.

[itsme__sv]

Does that mean the 15GB recovery partition is unnecessary, and can I safely delete it?

[itsme__sv]

When I do a system reset, it returns to factory settings. How is this possible if system don't have a factory image backup?

[Paul_Tikkanen]

You can't use it to install Windows on the new drive.

There is no reason to delete it from the existing drive.

If you clone the disk the recovery manager program should work with the recovery partition to reinstall W10 on the new drive.

If you plan on using the HP cloud recovery tool, it may or may not reinstall the recovery partition on the new drive.

Each model is different.

I used the HP cloud recovery tool on a HP 255 G7 notebook, and it did not install a recovery partition or the HP recovery manager software.

[itsme__sv]

I cannot clone the disk because my HDD is 1TB and my SSD is 128GB. Will I face any driver problems if I perform a fresh Windows install on the new SSD? On my old HDD, I had OEM W10, but I installed a fresh copy of W11. However, many of the essential HP apps, such as HP CoolSense and HP 3D Drive, were missing. I tried to install those apps from my old W10 partition (D:\SWSETUP), but the installation failed. Are those apps necessary, and if so, how can I install them?