Windows Vista Insatallation

[octagon]

I need to reformat the C drive and install Windows Vista Ultimate SP2 on my HP computer. I need someone to come to my place and do this for me. Please PM me nd I'll give you the details if you're interested.

[Jiu-Jitsu]

Did it come installed with Vista SP2? Is it just a matter of running a Factory Restore?

It is very simple for you to do it yourself.

[octagon]

Did it come installed with Vista SP2? Is it just a matter of running a Factory Restore?

It is very simple for you to do it yourself.

It came with Vista installed, but after the OS totally failed to start up, I reformated C and installed Windows XP (a total disaster since the sound driver available does not work with XP, and the bluetooth mouse is not found). 

[H2oDunc]

It might help if people know where abouts in the country you are ?

Installing Vista is quite easy. You just follow the on screen prompts till the end. If you bought the computer here did you get any discs with it ? They sometimes include a recovery disc that returns the computer to how it came when you bought it. Others have a partition on the hard drive that does the same. If you have internet access then getting the missing drivers should not be a problem. Good luck.

[Jiu-Jitsu]

Did it come installed with Vista SP2? Is it just a matter of running a Factory Restore?

It is very simple for you to do it yourself.

It came with Vista installed, but after the OS totally failed to start up, I reformated C and installed Windows XP (a total disaster since the sound driver available does not work with XP, and the bluetooth mouse is not found). 

Ok, this is not a problem. First we need to ascertain if you have a Recovery Partition. If so, we can use that to restore the OS and Drivers easily.

If not, we can do it manually.

You need to give me as many details as possible, such a the full model number of the laptop. Do you have a Drivers disc or will you download the drivers from the website if necessary?

[octagon]

It might help if people know where abouts in the country you are ?  

Installing Vista is quite easy. You just follow the on screen prompts till the end. If you bought the computer here did you get any discs with it ? They sometimes include a recovery disc that returns the computer to how it came when you bought it. Others have a partition on the hard drive that does the same. If you have internet access then getting the missing drivers should not be a problem. Good luck.

OK. I'm in Bangkok in SV City Condo on Rama III Road. 

No disks from HP.

No sound driver for XP, which is why I need to go back to Vista.

[Jiu-Jitsu]

Full model number?? You have a PM.

[octagon]

Did it come installed with Vista SP2? Is it just a matter of running a Factory Restore?

It is very simple for you to do it yourself.

It came with Vista installed, but after the OS totally failed to start up, I reformated C and installed Windows XP (a total disaster since the sound driver available does not work with XP, and the bluetooth mouse is not found). 

Ok, this is not a problem. First we need to ascertain if you have a Recovery Partition. If so, we can use that to restore the OS and Drivers easily.

If not, we can do it manually.

You need to give me as many details as possible, such a the full model number of the laptop. Do you have a Drivers disc or will you download the drivers from the website if necessary?

The recovery partition is useless since the HP Backup and Recovery Manager is long gone after the installation on Windows XP.

Getting all the drivers for the machine is not a problem, however, as long as you're running Vista and not XP. HP doesn't provide drivers for XP. 

I have the driver download page for my HP model number.

What I'm uncomfortable with is reformatting drive C, and then not being able to install the Vista DVD. I have the Vista CD already.

[Jiu-Jitsu]

Did it come installed with Vista SP2? Is it just a matter of running a Factory Restore?

It is very simple for you to do it yourself.

It came with Vista installed, but after the OS totally failed to start up, I reformated C and installed Windows XP (a total disaster since the sound driver available does not work with XP, and the bluetooth mouse is not found). 

Ok, this is not a problem. First we need to ascertain if you have a Recovery Partition. If so, we can use that to restore the OS and Drivers easily.

If not, we can do it manually.

You need to give me as many details as possible, such a the full model number of the laptop. Do you have a Drivers disc or will you download the drivers from the website if necessary?

The recovery partition is useless since the HP Backup and Recovery Manager is long gone after the installation on Windows XP.

Getting all the drivers for the machine is not a problem, however, as long as you're running Vista and not XP. HP doesn't provide drivers for XP. 

I have the driver download page for my HP model number.

What I'm uncomfortable with is reformatting drive C, and then not being able to install the Vista DVD. I have the Vista CD already.

Three times I've asked for the model number. Is it a secret? Is your Vista disc genuine?

[garyh]

Many HP computers have a hidden recovery partition that will still be intact, if give the model number people can help you a lot easier.

[Pib]

Might be the right time to just switch to Windows 7; Vista was such a disaster, espeically in gettig it setup properly on many computers.

Edited November 25, 2010 by Pib

[Jiu-Jitsu]

Might be the right time to just switch to Windows 7; Vista was such a disaster, espeically in gettig it setup properly on many computers.

It's a single computer. If he already has a licence for Vista, there is really no need to spend thousands of baht on Windows 7 Ultimate.

[octagon]

Thank you everyone for all the suggestions. I held my nose and installed a fresh copy of Vista Ultimate. I cringe at the thought of having to run this nightmare of an operating system, but this HP computer (HP Pavilion dv7-1207tx) basically requires that you run Vista, as the downloaded drivers are only for that OS. I still came up one driver short, but was easy to just download it from their site.

Drive C was a disaster, but luckily the installation DVD gave you an option to format the drive before installing Vista. I couldn't even format the drive from DOS. Missing the Boot Manager or something to that effect.

Overall, it's much better that the factory install that came with the machine, with all 23 HP programs running in the background and always wanting to update this or that.