If you use the HP recovery DVD then you do not have to put in a key as it is tied to a certificate and the BIOS. The easiest thing is to just ininstall all the bits, and then create a recovery disk using the recovery process then you can roll it back again later.
Mike From: Jon Harris [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: 19 August 2009 17:05 To: NT System Admin Issues Subject: Re: Generic Vista install without OEM shovelware I know you have thought of this but Add and Remove Programs? I don't know but my guess is that if the COLA has the same SP as the OEM it may work. I know when I am unsure I just try it and so far I have not been disappointed. Jon On Wed, Aug 19, 2009 at 11:54 AM, Ben Scott <[email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>> wrote: Hello all, Per management order, I just picked up a side-client. They just bought an HP Pavilion desktop PC. It came with a Vista Home Premium OEM license. HP pre-loads tons of shovelware that I'd rather not have. It verges on coming pre-installed with malware. HP's restore kit will only restore to "factory condition", i.e., shovelware. Even if you order the discs from HP. I called HP, and their customer support (quite craptacular, BTW) said I couldn't order just an OS install disc. I'd like to just tell them "return the HP and buy a Dell" (even Dell's home PCs come with a vanilla OS install CD), but they've already tossed the box and everything. Sigh. I'd forgotten how much I *don't* miss this aspect of SOHO IT. Does anyone know of some way to get a clean, vanilla, generic Vista install on this? Short of buying a whole 'nother license, I mean. It has the COA sticker with Product Key on the side of the chassis. Can I use an OEM CD from a Dell with that Product Key? Is there a way order generic Vista Home Premium OEM media from Microsoft? advTHANKSance -- Ben ~ Finally, powerful endpoint security that ISN'T a resource hog! ~ ~ <http://www.sunbeltsoftware.com/Business/VIPRE-Enterprise/> ~ ~ Finally, powerful endpoint security that ISN'T a resource hog! ~ ~ <http://www.sunbeltsoftware.com/Business/VIPRE-Enterprise/> ~
