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Laptop. What are my options?


Fr33m4n

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I recently ordered (not arrived yet) a new laptop that comes with Vista Home Premium 32bit pre-installed. I'd like to slap a vLited version of the OS on there but I am not sure what my options are. The system will come shipped with a recovery DVD but most likely not a regular Vista setup disk. Does that mean that I'm screwed or are there any ways to work around this?

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My Toshiba laptop came with a TWO DVD recovery disc set for Vista Home Premium only. That gives you an idea of how much bloatware was included! lol It also came with the Windows Upgrade Anytime DVD from MS. I did a web search on "clean install vista over OEM" or something like that and found a great guide for doing this. A very small Activation Backup/Restore app can be downloaded that the guide recommends. This allows you to reactivate your clean install with your OEM product ID. I think this is completely legal, as long as you install exactly the same version you got with the laptop. MS has validated my install a few times, and I know my product ID is the same OEM ID as it was for the 20 GB OEM install. Vlite came in around 5.5GB OS + 2GB hibernation file, but I didn't get very carried away when I vLited it.

dd_wizard

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ummm Most laptops that come from reputable dealers have underneath a windows serial number that you can use to re register a new install of windows. So just download or get a friend to borrow his vista cd, vlite the version your laptop is meant for i.e Business, Home Premium or Ultimate. Than flip the laptop and write the serial number into preintergrated options in Vlite. Done :)

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ummm Most laptops that come from reputable dealers have underneath a windows serial number that you can use to re register a new install of windows. So just download or get a friend to borrow his vista cd, vlite the version your laptop is meant for i.e Business, Home Premium or Ultimate. Than flip the laptop and write the serial number into preintergrated options in Vlite. Done :)

To quote this post:

Why not use the key on the bottom of the laptop? That key is not "pre-activated" and you will have to call Microsoft to activate it. (some people have mentioned that you cannot activate online with this key) And you will have to call them again if you decide to do a reinstall... and again if you reinstall... and every time hope that you have an explanation that they will agree to, even though you already have a license for it and shouldn't be treated like a criminal suspect.

...BUT if you have no problem calling Microsoft to get your system activated, you can use the key that's on your laptop. But that method isn't what makes this guide special .

It's not a good idea to use the key on the bottom of your laptop. Backup and restore the OEM key that was activated at the factory. This is the key that would be used if you reinstalled from your recovery disc(s), the one on the bottom is kind of painful to use as described above. You will need a USB memory stick or disc drive to backup and restore the OEM key, though.

dd_wizard

Edited by dd_wizard
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Hello everybody ! I am a chinese boy My English is not very good .

Do you mean how to back up your original system ?

If you do, you just need to back up your system partition with ghost before you install the new system,and then do whatever you want.

Please do not laugh at me if I misunderstand your words . thanks !

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