> Hi,
>
> HP commonly shipped their systems late last year and early this one with XP
> still installed and provided for an offer to upgrade to Vista. The original
> system ships without any disks, just a recovery partition. Even if it
> shipped with Vista, this would be the case. The Vista disk comes as a result
> of either choosing the upgrade offer (in which case the disk comes from HP
> along with an additional driver and program disk) or from using anytime
> upgrade (where Microsoft provides it). But, normally no disk is included
> with the system at all, so the original owner had to have followed one of
> these two paths. Either way, it's the product key that determines which
> version is installed, not the disk itself (which contains all versions).
>
> Since HP does not normally included disks, the recovery partition is a
> necessity for those that don't have them. If you have them, then it is not
> necessary to maintain it. The recovery disks from HP generally wipe a drive
> clean and lay down a fresh image, so formatting ahead of time is rarely
> necessary. Backup any data files that you do not want to lose before
> beginning.
>
> --
> Best of Luck,
>
> Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP
>
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com/> Windows help - www.rickrogers.org
> My thoughts
http://rick-mvp.blogspot.com>
> "gkdiamond" <gkdiamond[ at ]discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:166D4C79-859E-4473-B0DC-F1D0231B4D40[ at ]microsoft.com...
> > Hi Rick,
> >
> > Once again thanks for your help and answers. I have a couple more
> > questions.
> > I'm a bit confused. The original owner did not upgrade the PC to Vista,
> > this
> > model comes with the Home Premium version installed. Even at his password
> > prompt, before I reinstalled the OS, it showed "Windows Vist Home
> > Premium". I
> > assumed that the upgrade disk came with the PC from MS as an easy way to
> > upgrade to Vista Ultimate for those who may wish to do so at some time. I
> > also assumed it contained the Home Premium version on it [since it is the
> > only disk that came with the PC], which is why I used it to reinstalled
> > the
> > original OS (Vista Home Premium). I did not get the driver/programs disk.
> > Do
> > I need it or will the recovery disks have everything I need? Also, since
> > the
> > recovery partition is no longer of use why waste over 6 GB of space. Can I
> > reformat the harddrive to erase it before using the recovery disks or will
> > that just cause other problems?
> >
> > "Rick Rogers" wrote:
> >
> >> Hi,
> >>
> >> Once you have the recovery disks, the recovery partition would be
> >> immaterial
> >> as it accomplishes the same thing.
> >>
> >> When the original owner received the Vista upgrade disks (there should be
> >> both an upgrade and driver/programs disk), it carried with it the warning
> >> that using it would wipe out the recovery partition and that they should
> >> make a backup of it before proceeding (HP provides for this in their
> >> original installation). They either chose not to do so, or not to provide
> >> you with the disks.
> >>
> >> --
> >> Best of Luck,
> >>
> >> Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP
> >>
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com/> >> Windows help - www.rickrogers.org
> >> My thoughts
http://rick-mvp.blogspot.com> >>
> >> "gkdiamond" <gkdiamond[ at ]discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> >> news:5B3B77A7-86B9-424B-AC7C-9BDD080422E5[ at ]microsoft.com...
> >> > Thank you Rick for your time and help. I was actually hoping there was
> >> > a
> >> > way
> >> > to edit the appropriate files under the Windows.old folder to change
> >> > or
> >> > delete the old password before doing the Restore. It seems like that
> >> > should
> >> > be doable.
> >> >
> >> > I also didn't realize that reinstalling the OS overwrites the Recovery
> >> > Partition, it doesn't make sense to me why since it contains the
> >> > original
> >> > programs. It also doesn't make sense to me why I can not even invoke
> >> > the
> >> > Recovery Manager even if the partition has been overwritten.
> >> >
> >> > Looks like the easiest fix is the Recovery Disc from HP. Do you happen
> >> > to
> >> > know if the HP Recovery Disc will also overwrite the Recovery Partition
> >> > so
> >> > that it [the Recovery Manager] works again? Thanks again.
> >> >
> >> > "Rick Rogers" wrote:
> >> >
> >> >> Hi,
> >> >>
> >> >> You can recover the original install from the Windows.old folder using
> >> >> the
> >> >> steps here, but it comes with the password - there's no way to isolate
> >> >> and
> >> >> remove it as part of the recovery:
> >> >>
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/933168> >> >>
> >> >> The programs would have to be reinstalled under the current OS
> >> >> installation
> >> >> in order for them to work. You can't simply drag them out of the old
> >> >> install
> >> >> folder. The system recovery partition would have been overwritten as
> >> >> part
> >> >> of
> >> >> the Vista install, so the only real way to regain the original OS
> >> >> without
> >> >> the password would be recovery disks from HP.
> >> >>
> >> >> --
> >> >> Best of Luck,
> >> >>
> >> >> Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP
> >> >>
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com/> >> >> Windows help - www.rickrogers.org
> >> >> My thoughts
http://rick-mvp.blogspot.com> >> >>
> >> >> "gkdiamond" <gkdiamond[ at ]discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> >> >> news:661BB8ED-267E-4981-9679-08D4407E99A3[ at ]microsoft.com...
> >> >> > Carey, thanks for the quick reply and the link but I have already
> >> >> > tried
> >> >> > a
> >> >> > system recovery from Windows Vista and a recovery from power up. As
> >> >> > I
> >> >> > stated, I never get or see the 'PC Help & Tools' option from Vista
> >> >> > and
> >> >> > the
> >> >> > F11 key does not respond from power up. If nobody can help me here I
> >> >> > may
> >> >> > have
> >> >> > to order the recovery disc from HP and try a system recovery from
> >> >> > the
> >> >> > recovery disc. I'm hoping that I can just do a restore of the
> >> >> > Windows.old
> >> >> > folder, but without the old password, if someone knows how to do it.
> >> >> >
> >> >> > "Carey Frisch [MVP]" wrote:
> >> >> >
> >> >> >> Performing an HP System Recovery in Windows Vista:
> >> >> >>
http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/genericDocument?lc=en&cc=us&dlc=en&docname=c00814731> >> >> >>
> >> >> >> --
> >> >> >> Carey Frisch
> >> >> >> Microsoft MVP
> >> >> >> Windows - Shell/User
> >> >> >>
> >> >> >> ---------------------------------------------------------------------------Â-----
> >> >> >>
> >> >> >> "gkdiamond" wrote:
> >> >> >>
> >> >> >> Hello,
> >> >> >>
> >> >> >> I have issues that I would like your help with.
> >> >> >>
> >> >> >> I purchased an HP Pavilion a1730n on ebay as "brand new sealed in
> >> >> >> box"
> >> >> >> but
> >> >> >> as it turned out it had been used for approximately 4 days (judging
> >> >> >> by
> >> >> >> the
> >> >> >> file dates). It came with the Windows Vista Home Premium operating
> >> >> >> system
> >> >> >> installed on it. The previous owner had it password protected so I
> >> >> >> had
> >> >> >> to
> >> >> >> reinstall the operating system to get access. I reinstalled Vista
> >> >> >> using
> >> >> >> the
> >> >> >> disc labeled "Windows Anytime Upgrade" which is the only disc that
> >> >> >> came
> >> >> >> with
> >> >> >> it. Everything seems to be working fine but the original bundled
> >> >> >> software
> >> >> >> that was installed with the operating system is no longer there. I
> >> >> >> can
> >> >> >> see
> >> >> >> all of it in the Windows.old folder under Program Files.
> >> >> >>
> >> >> >> I want to restore/recover these programs, such as Adobe Acrobat
> >> >> >> Reader,
> >> >> >> Realtek, Roxio, etc. but I can not. I tried to recover them by
> >> >> >> selecting
> >> >> >> 'Start' and then 'All Programs' but the 'PC Help & Tools' option
> >> >> >> which
> >> >> >> activates the Recovery Manager does not appear as it should. When I
> >> >> >> tried
> >> >> >> to
> >> >> >> use the 'Help and Support' option under the 'Start' menu nothing
> >> >> >> comes
> >> >> >> up
> >> >> >> for the topic "PC Help & Tools" or for the topic "Recovery
> >> >> >> Manager"
> >> >> >> which
> >> >> >> seems strange to me. I did a search for "PC Help & Tools" at the
> >> >> >> search
> >> >> >> prompt under the 'Start' menu and found its' folder under
> >> >> >> Windows.old.
> >> >> >> I
> >> >> >> clicked on the Recovery Manager Shortcut in the folder to try to
> >> >> >> open
> >> >> >> it
> >> >> >> but
> >> >> >> get the following error message:
> >> >> >>
> >> >> >> "C:\Windows\SMINST\Restore7.exe The Specified path does not exist.
> >> >> >> Check
> >> >> >> the path, and try again."
> >> >> >>
> >> >> >> I also tried starting the recovery from powerup using the
> >> >> >> <F11=System
> >> >> >> Recovery> function key but the system just ignores it. This key was
> >> >> >> recognized before I reinstalled the operating system. The <ESC=Boot
> >> >> >> Menu>
> >> >> >> and
> >> >> >> <F10=Setup> keys still work fine at the startup screen. All I did
> >> >> >> was
> >> >> >> reintstall the operating system using the install disc and
> >> >> >> instruction
> >> >> >> and
> >> >> >> now the Recovery Manager no longer works. How do I fix it?
> >> >> >>
> >> >> >> Another option that might be even better(?) could be to restore the
> >> >> >> files
> >> >> >> from the Windows.old folder because they are the original Vista
> >> >> >> operating
> >> >> >> system files and programs but I do not know how to do it without
> >> >> >> also
> >> >> >> restoring the old password which I do not know what it is [hence
> >> >> >> the
> >> >> >> original
> >> >> >> problem]. Can anyone tell me what I should delete, change or modify
> >> >> >> before
> >> >> >> restoring the Windows.old folder so that the old password is not
> >> >> >> used
> >> >> >> again?
> >> >> >>
> >> >> >> Also, out of curiousity, my system shows 260 GB free of 291 GB on
> >> >> >> drive
> >> >> >> C:
> >> >> >> and 904 MB free of 6.25 GB on the Recovery (D:) partition which
> >> >> >> totals
> >> >> >> to
> >> >> >> 297.25 GB of total disc space. The harddrive is a 320 GB harddrive,
> >> >> >> what
> >> >> >> happened to the other 22.75 GB of harddrive space?
> >> >> >>
> >> >> >> Thanks for any help that you guys may be able to provide, it will
> >> >> >> be
> >> >> >> much
> >> >> >> appreciated.
> >> >> >>
> >> >>
> >> >>
> >>
> >>
>
>