Recovery USB enough?

[RandomDude]

Hello!

I have a HP ProBook 430 G3 with Windows 7. I am thinking of installing Ubuntu 16.04 LTS, and wiping the drive completely in the process, including the recovery partition. If I for some reason later on want to "factory reset" the laptop/re-install Windows 7, will a USB with recovery media be enough to insert and boot from?

My thoughts are to use "Create recovery media" in "HP Recovery Manager" to create said USB. Is this sufficient enough to get the laptop back to factory state?

Any help appreciated!

[Paul_Tikkanen · Accepted solution]

Hi:

Yes, that would be the normal procedure to recover the PC when there is no recovery partition, or you replace the hard drive.

You can also order recovery media from HP if the USB recovery drive you create doesn't work.

In the USA/Canada the number to call is:  1-800-334-5144.

Have the serial number of the PC handy to give to the customer services rep.

If your notebook is still under warranty, HP may send you the recovery disks at no cost to you, so you may want to just see if you can order a set for free while you can.

[RandomDude]

Thank you very much for confirming!

My laptop is still under warrenty, so I might just do as you mentioned: Get official recovery disks from HP.

However I am in Europe and the laptop does not have an optical drive. I suppose they deliver recovery disks over here as well, and perhaps they provide official recovery media on USB as well? Or I could get an external optical drive later on if needed.

Is there any reason for why HP does not provide recovery disks with laptop when shipped? Cost related only?

[RandomDude]

Just checked, these recovery disks cost from 50 USD upward depending on laptop model in my country. Insane!

This should really just be shipped with the laptop or stationary as was done years ago.

I'll just make the recovery USB myself.

Thanks for your time and help.

[Paul_Tikkanen]

You're very welcome.

I don't work for or represent HP, so I don't know why they don't supply recovery media with each PC they sell.

Here is an old phone listing by country.  See if the number for your country is still valid and see what they say.

I know in the UK, they ship recovery media free of charge as well if the notebook is under warranty.

http://h50146.www5.hp.com/lib/doc/manual/desktop/business_desktops/6005us_332630_007.pdf

If they only supply DVD's then you can always get an external USB DVD drive to use in case of emergency.

[RandomDude]

Thank you once again! I might just give them a call like you mentioned.

Another thing...

This HP ProBook 430 G3 is brand new, hasen't been powered up yet. Plan is to power it up, make a Windows recovery drive on USB, download Ubuntu, put it on a USB and install it, completely removing Windows as mentioned. (Without doing any updating, etc) Would it be a good idea to check for HP updates via HP Support Assistant before doing so? Most updates from HP Support Assistant are updates that are Windows/HP specific and will be wiped, and are therefor not needed, but some may be BIOS/UEFI/firmware updates. Or do these updates not go through the HP Support Assistant, and have to be obtained manually from HP webpage?

Also, if HP release any hardware updates is it possible to install these when the laptop only runs Ubuntu, or do I have to reinstall Windows to be able to install these possible future updates.

( Seems there are quite a few updates available: http://h20564.www2.hp.com/hpsc/swd/public/readIndex?sp4ts.oid=7834508&swLangOid=8&swEnvOid=4057 )

I'm going a bit offtopic heire, should I create a new thread and to ask this question instead?

EDIT: Will ask this in a separate thread instead.

EDIT: Link to new thread incase someone reads this at some later stage - http://h30434.www3.hp.com/t5/Notebook-Operating-System-and-Recovery/Update-HP-drivers/td-p/5641039

[Paul_Tikkanen]

You're very welcome.

I wouldn't bother doing any updates if you are going to wipe the windows OS anyway.

The HPSA only works with Windows and there is only Windows driver support available from HP.

You may be able to update the BIOS in DOS but you would have to check the download page and see if it can be done.

There would be instructions on the BIOS download file page for whatever options are available.

On some business notebooks it can and on some of the less expensive ones, it can't. 

When you are in Windows, yes the HPSA will look for newer drivers and software for your notebook.

I recommend you set it to notify you of any updates and not full automatic.

That thing will download and install a BIOS update for example while you are working on the PC, which IMO, is not a good thing.

[RandomDude]

Thank you!

[Paul_Tikkanen]

Anytime.

Glad to have been of assistance.