Windows Recovery Manager Broken

[mickeyfmann]

Helping someone fix their computer and it looks like someone upgraded this laptop to Windows 10 even though HP doesn't really support it for this model. Thus there are missing drivers and the system just doesn't run all that well in Windows 10. The original HP recovery partition is intact but I can't seem to find a way to use it. None of the HP software is currently installed on the machine and when I press f11 while booting, I see the recovery text on the screen but then the laptop just boots as normal. Is there a way I can manually install the required software? Would hate to have to pay for recovery media when it's all there.

[Paul_Tikkanen]

Hi:

Here is how you can clean install W8.1 for free by using the W8 product key in your notebook's BIOS...

Install W8.1 by creating the Microsoft installation media, using another Windows PC...You want plain W8.1 64 bit ISO file.

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows8ISO

At the beginning of the installation routine, you can delete every partition on there.

There is no point in keeping the recovery partition if it has one,

If you are asked to enter a product key during the installation process, use this generic key.

This is the generic key for W8.1 'standard.'

 334NH-RXG76-64THK-C7CKG-D3VPT

If you had to enter the generic key, manually change the generic product key to the W8 'standard' key in your PC's BIOS in the PC settings menu.

After you get W8.1 installed, and you had to manually enter the generic product key, you will need to run the free utility I zipped up and attached below, that will show you show the W8 product key in your PC's BIOS.

I have also zipped up and attached below, the Microsoft tool which hopefully will transfer the ISO file to a DVD or usb flash drive so it is bootable.

Then you can install the available drivers and software from your PC's support page.

HP 2000-2d49WM Notebook PC Software and Driver Downloads | HP® Customer Support