install windows

[niloc]

hi, I want to do  a  full factory  reset,  but  I am being asked  for  the recovery  disk, which I don't have as I bought it second hand  a couple of years ago,  what  is  my  option  cheers 

[Paul_Tikkanen · Accepted solution]

Hi:

Without having a recovery disk, your only option would be to clean install W8.1 by downloading the plain W8.1 64 bit installation media from the link below.

Download Windows 8.1 Disc Image (ISO File) (microsoft.com)

Use the Microsoft tool that I zipped up and attached below, that you will need to transfer the ISO file to a DVD or USB flash drive so that it is bootable.

After W8.1 has completed installing, you can install the drivers and available software from your notebook's support page.

HP ProBook 650 G1 Notebook PC Software and Driver Downloads | HP® Customer Support

[niloc]

thankyou very much  

[Paul_Tikkanen]

You're very welcome.

[niloc]

Hi  again   I have  downloaded   8.1  onto a USB  flash drive    as  you can see on the  attachment,  no I'm not sure  what  you  mean  in the second  part

"Use the Microsoft tool that I zipped up and attached below, that you will need to transfer the ISO file to a DVD or USB flash drive so that it is bootable."   cheers 

[Paul_Tikkanen]

Hi:

You can't just copy and paste the ISO file to a USB flash drive, or it won't boot.

You need to use the tool I attached, which will automatically transfer the ISO file to a flash drive so that it is bootable, or you can use a different free utility such as Rufus.

Rufus - Create bootable USB drives the easy way

[niloc]

hi  i have opened  te rufus  page  but nothing  happens  when I click  start ?    and I have  just  seen the attachment  tool  

[Paul_Tikkanen]

Hi:

Here is how to use the Microsoft tool that I zipped up and attached on my first reply.

You download the zipped file from my reply, unzip it, and run the program in the folder.

How to use the Windows 7 USB/DVD Download Tool to install Microsoft Office ISO's | Dell Guam

The instructions to use Rufus are on the link I posted just before.

The actual Rufus program to install is at this link on the webpage.

https://github.com/pbatard/rufus/releases/download/v3.14/rufus-3.14.exe

I would not be able to help you further with how to use either program, because I install all of my Windows operating systems from DVD's, and have no experience with Rufus and only used the Microsoft tool a couple of times.

[niloc]

ok  I am  much obliged  for  your help    cheers 

[niloc]

hi I didn't  "copy and paste"   I saved it in my  downloads then  I  installed it  to  my flash drive, I know you said  you couldn't helo me further but this isn't something new I just need  to know how to do things  as I am not  very  techno,  do I delete  what I have  saved  to my flash drive  and  start again  using the "  tool"  and  when I have downloaded "the  tool "  do I install it on the flash drive  with  the ISO ????? then  restore my  laptop  back to  factory   settings then  insert the flash drive