Format and rebuild HP?

My roomate has an HP desktop system (less than a year old Pavilion), and she's having a hell of a time with viruses, CD and DVD not reading, not accepting DHCP stuff from the router ... basically the whole system is screwed. She's got nothing important on it, so I want to blow it away, format, and re-install everything from the ground up.

Since its an HP system though, I'm a little concerned that there's some proprietary HP crap on there that won't let me install regular (ie. non-HP issued) operating system, drivers, etc.

I have a Dell system, and I've been able to do my own thing with it in terms of software, but I've heard HP systems are not so easy.

Anyone out there have any experience with this?

 

I've done just what you want to do with 2 different Pavillions. It definetly "do-able" but I would recommend saving all the drivers with this: http://www.majorgeeks.com/download3982.html
or something similar. You shouldn't have any problems though, but good luck if you end up having to deal with HP "overseas' support to get a proprietery driver.... This is why I'm building my own from now on.

 

Also, both HP's I had came with a disk to re-install all the original software that it shipped with. I've never tried it though because I came with ALOT of uselss crap and I switch operating systems anyways. Good luck.

 

Generally speaking, OEM hardware can be used for any kind of generic software. You should be able to wipe the disk and install a new copy of XP and have no problems finding drivers for all the hardware.

There may be some specific software you'll lose access to (something that shipped with the laptop) but I've generally been able to find better freeware replacements for most software.

The only problem you might encounter is if you try to use the OS liscence from the laptop on another machine. The software is occasionally locked to only function with that particular model of PC. The copy of Windows that came on the laptop, for example, can probably only be installed on that laptop due to liscencing restrictions.

 

Turns out the process was a total bust.

I ran that app that Tater suggested below, and it collected a bunch of different drivers for video card, keyboard, yadda yadda yadda.

At that point, I put in my own XP Pro CD (generic, not OEM), booted from the CD, deleted all the partitions, created a new partition, and formatted that completely (ie. not the quick format), then installed XP Pro. On first reboot, it came to a choose your operating system screen, XP Pro and XP Home were in the list. Pardon? I blew away all of XP Home. Apparently there must be some HP crap still in there telling it XP Home is on there.

Anyway, tried to install drivers and what not, but it wouldn't even find them. For example, the video card was operating at 640x480, 16-bit color. I had my XP Pro CD in the CD drive, and the collection of drivers from Tater's app on a CD in the DVD drive, and when I told it to search for a driver for the video card, it told me no drivers could be found. When I pointed it right at the folder with the driver, it told me there was no driver there. You'd think even if it didn't find the specific driver, it would at least find ONE that would boost the video performance a little.

Thought maybe I'd try the internet to get drivers. Put in the driver CD for the wireless card, and it would start reading, and there would be a flicker of the setup screen opening, then it would disappear and go back to the desktop.

At this point I gave up and decided I might as well try again and just re-install the OEM crap. I asked my roomate where she keeps her CDs that came with her computer. She says "what CDs?". Every complete system I've ever bought, Dell or otherwise, has always come with a bundle of discs. Turns out, HP has this nasty habit of sending NO software at all along with their computers. I took a look in the manual, and it says right there that if I wanted to re-install software, I would have to call HP and "for a minimal shipping and handling charge", they will send me a disc (sounds like an image disc). Rat Bastards.

Fought the machine a little longer, then after 3 hours of getting no where, I told my roomate to call HP and get the damn disc. Either that, or go to Staples (where she bought it) and see if they happen to have one they can loan her for a day so she can get her computer up and running again.

Never dealt with HP before, and now that I've seen my roomates computer, I never plan to EVER. Total bull-shakespeare.

 

Sorry I didn't read this earlier. I had the same problem. Ordered the disk from HP. $12.95 recieved 7 disks. Have been trying to find out if I can just install the os. or do I have to install all the junk that came with it. I have a HP. Pav. 520w. I can restore it to the way it came from the store by

start>programs>accessories>hp tools>hp pc system recovery>yes>back to recovery program>advanced>next>yes>yes>system recovery. reboot​

If you have any problem this is the phone # where I got this from 1-800-474-6836. Hopefully this may help someone else

AMEN.

 

Ok, here's my suggestion. If the HP has a "recovery partition", theres a chance the XP disk did not delete that partition. Find and download a HDD diag tool, for your particular hard drive. Run the tool. I know the Samsung and WD tools, have an option to erase the entire drive (by overwriting with zero's). This will wipe the drive clean for you. Then install XP after that. I've had the situation before. I think the "recover partition" is protected against being deleted somehow. Using the drive tool, is the best way to go.

 

No. You will have to install all the junk too. Due to the way the O/S is licensed with HP, they only send the disks out, that will work on you're machine only, and with all the shipped bundled software. It will set up EXACTLY like it was the day you bought it. Recovery partiton and all. There is no choice in the matter. But hey, it's not really that hard to uninstall all the junk. What I did, was after I took out all the junk,I created a restore point, and named it "Install minus junk Day one". That gives me a fresh point to go back to, if something gets severly messed up along the way. Your only other alternative, is to buy an XP retail version.

 

Sorry it went rough Fredikium. Just a long shot not knowing what model it is, but both of mine have a "hidden door" on the top of the case that's supposed to hold the recovery C.D. so check for that. Also, maybe try downloading the driver for the cd rom to a floppy on another P.C. This might make it possible the install the network card and then download a new video card driver. Hopefully someone more knowledgable can help out here.