Reverse OEM Unattended

[John Phoenix]

Hi,

I am having problems with all the software built onto my Hp Presario install disks. I'm pretty familiar with Windows and I like to monitor the app usage. I don't wish to have any software that is not stock with my windows installation. By the way, the OS is Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005. As it is, I didn't get Restore CD's with my PC, I had to make them from a locked off 8 gig partition and burn them as iso's. I want my 8 gig's back. I wish to rebuild the iso's after stripping the unwanted software from the disks and reformat my hard drive and partitions (to reclaim the 8 gigs) before installing the OS again.

Is there any easy way to do this? A set of instructions perhaps from someone who has done this before?

[Bezalel]

Hi,

I am having problems with all the software built onto my Hp Presario install disks. I'm pretty familiar with Windows and I like to monitor the app usage. I don't wish to have any software that is not stock with my windows installation. By the way, the OS is Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005. As it is, I didn't get Restore CD's with my PC, I had to make them from a locked off 8 gig partition and burn them as iso's. I want my 8 gig's back. I wish to rebuild the iso's after stripping the unwanted software from the disks and reformat my hard drive and partitions (to reclaim the 8 gigs) before installing the OS again.

Is there any easy way to do this? A set of instructions perhaps from someone who has done this before?

If you have access the a generic Media Center CD Set you can follow these instuctions to modify them for preavtivation. http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?showtopic=63258

[John Phoenix]

Bezalel, that looks interesting, but I don't have any need to make an installation pre-activate. Once I reinstall the OS I can activate Windows the normal way.. It IS a fully registered copy of MCE 2005 registered to me.....

All I really need to do is remove all the bloated added bundled software HP has added to the MCE 2005 install disks.. (but I don't know how to do that without screwing up critical installation parts/programs/pieces of the install disk's install procedure.) Er.. In other words.. I don't wanna break the thing by accidentally removing a component I shouldn't while trying to remove the bundled software.

Or perhaps I'm missing your point?

[severach]

The only difference between HP's windows and an OEM or Retail you buy is that HP's will preactivate on select HP/Compaq hardware and match the license already afixed to your case. If you don't care about preactivation buy a new copy at the computer store and afix a second license next to the first. If you want to install the Windows that matches the license you already have build the preactivated CD.

You can't remove the bundled crap from the system restore but you can restore your system if formatted already, extract the key and OEMBIOS files with the scripts provided, then produce a perfectly clean Windows XP install CD that matches your OEM hardware.

[John Phoenix]

Sevrach,

I think I understand what you guys are saying.. Please correct me is I'm wrong.

I'm going to put this in non geek speak. (sorry but I have never messed with re-building an OS or slipstreaming -anything like that- Just ghosting drives)

Since there is no way to safely remove the bundled software from my install disks, the work around is to extract the key and oembios files from my disks/system, and use the info on that page

( http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?showtopic=63258 )

To build a fresh copy of the OS (using another copy of Media Center 2005) that will install and activate just as cleanly as the HP disks do with my system.. I assume this is because the oembios files have information about my Motherboard and bios and their settings that is critical to the correct installation of the OS..??

Is this correct?

If this is correct, therein lies the problem. I cannot afford to purchase a new copy of the OS.

Thats why I wanted to strip and re-build my OS from the install disks I already have.

Well, also, thats not exactly true... A friend has a 'generic' copy of media center 2005 But I didn't want to try to install that because it seems it does not have 'some' of the things I do want to keep.. For instance, my MCE 2005 came with not only the needed Sonic Encoders that all MCE's need but is came with Sonic CD/DVD Burning software also. My friends does not have this software, only the encoders. I do not know why, I assumed the burning software itself (not the encoders) was added by HP. This made me wonder what other added software I want to keep and what I didn't want.

I was kinda of hoping to get a list of the bundled HP software that they themselves added, and be able to pick and choose what to keep then rebuild the install disks...providing of course there was an easy way to do this.

I have compared the running processes for my machine and his, and his uses lots less. I assume my machine is running so many more processes due to so much HP bundled software running. He runs about 30 to 35 processes, and I run about 40 to 55 - I have seen this go up to 80, which is unheard of in my book. This is one major problem I sought to correct by rebuilding the OS with some or most unwanted bundled software removed. Also, the less processes running the more system resources and memory I have to do the jobs at hand, as well as makes it easier to know when a process starts running due to a virus or other malware.

Like how they teach a cashier to spot counterfeit bills.. They teach you to get to know the real bills so well that when a fake bill pops up, you can easily spot it.

Perhaps I'm wanting to go about fixing my problems the wrong way?

Any other thoughts are appreciated.

John

[uid0]

will install and activate just as cleanly as the HP disks do with my system.. I assume this is because the oembios files have information about my Motherboard and bios and their settings that is critical to the correct installation of the OS..??

Not critical to the installation, but will allow it to activate without any phone calls.

I assume my machine is running so many more processes due to so much HP bundled software running. He runs about 30 to 35 processes, and I run about 40 to 55

If you want to keep some of the bundled stuff, I'd try just uninstalling the bits you don't need. You could use autoruns and process explorer from sysinternals to see what is running, and reduce the load that way.

Alternatively, you might find the HP support site allows you to download the software individually, and you could add the bits you need on to a clean install.

[severach]

>Is this correct?

You got it.

>A friend has a 'generic' copy of media center 2005

That's the disk you need but if it is a Retail copy you'll need to make a quick mod to Setupp.inf before writing the new CD. Instructions are all over the web.

>Thats why I wanted to strip and re-build my OS from the install disks I already have.

You can write CD's from the I386 folders from your hard drive but it is less likely to produce a working CD and harder to do if you don't know what a CD looks like. You won't get the apps either. Those were added by HP staff after install before ghosting.

>But I didn't want to try to install that because it seems it does not have 'some' of the things I do want to keep..

That is an impasse. You need to find the installers for these apps. Most of what they supply is trial or crippleware which is why I don't want any of it. I'd rather use the full program or none at all. If you need the trial programs you can just uninstall the stuff you don't need from a system restore or hunt around for the installers. Sometimes HP provides the installers on the disks or in hidden folders on the hard drive. A few might be on the HP support website.

>Perhaps I'm wanting to go about fixing my problems the wrong way?

The problem is solved if you decide the freebies are bad and go looking for the good versions. Sonic MyDVD is $50 and Easy Media Creator is $80 and that's if you don't go looking for sales.

They don't make it easy to get rid of their bloated installs.