Factory installed OS questions.

M

MattW

New Member
Sorry about that Brink lol.

Anyway, can the recovery created disc you make at first use of your pc, restore your computer back to the factory defult after you do a complete clean install of another OS? Say, I go from the Vista premium 64bit that was installed in the laptops stock form, to Xp 64bit from a offical OS disc, back to the Vista 64bit factory install.... lol follow that? It sounds way better inside my head then it sounds read out loud. Maybe thats where it should of stayed...? :D


Also, the Vista key that is used on my laptop from the factory installed OS, can it be used If I were to try and use the same OS to do a clean install, but from an offical cd?
Basicly, would my key that I am currently using, work if I use it on a OS disc install?

I just want to make sure I can get this thing back to "fresh out the box" stands if need be. For the windows 7 update, or to return shortly if I can not get issues resolved on my own.
 

My Computer

System One

  • Manufacturer/Model
    Gateway/Acer NV5214u
    CPU
    AMD Athlon™ 64 X2 QL-64 Dual-Core Processor (2.1GHz, 667MHz
    Memory
    4096MB Dual-Channel DDR2 sDRAM Support
    Graphics card(s)
    ATI Radeon® HD 3200
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Generic pnp
    Screen Resolution
    1366x768
    Hard Drives
    320GB SATA hard drive
    Mouse
    alps pointing device touchpad
    Internet Speed
    comcast broadband plus
Chances are, the manufacturer of the PC installed some sort of recovery partition on the computer. If that is the case then, you would be able to recover the factory install that way. I am not sure what type of recovery disk you generated when you first ran your pc... if it was just an OS recovery disk then it probably just will recover the OS and not all the factory software. If it was a factory settings recovery/rescue disk, then it SHOULD bring your computer back to an in-the-box state.
 

My Computer

System One

Hello Matt,

If you created the Gateway recovery discs ( usually two DVD discs with OS and one DVD with drivers and application ) you can clean install the XP and later return to the Vista. The activation key that you have on the sticker won't be needed when you will reinstall Vista from these discs. However you will need the XP key to activate the XP OS. The same apply to the Windows 7.

Hope it helps. Cheers...
 

My Computer

System One

  • Manufacturer/Model
    Gateway P7805u FX
    CPU
    Intel Core2Duo T9600 2.80GHz 1066MHz FSB
    Motherboard
    Intel PM45
    Memory
    8GB 1066MHz DDR3
    Graphics card(s)
    Nvidia GeForce 9800M GTS 1GB DDR3
    Monitor(s) Displays
    LG 17" WUXGA TFT
    Screen Resolution
    1920x 1200
    Hard Drives
    WD 2x500GB
    Case
    notebook
    Other Info
    BT/BD
So the Vista key I found with magic bean isn't needed if I use a actual Vista Home Premium 64bit installion disc? The disc is the same OS as the one shiped with my laptop, but I believe the one that came preloaded on my laptop is faulty.

I just want to be a 100% sure, don't want to end up SOL and have to turn this in to a high tect toilet paper despencer.

Other:
And yes, it's the factory restore disc you make at first use is what I have. It took 3 DVD's last one was quick. The other is a friends Vista premium 64 cd he is going to let me try and use.

Thanks for the help btw.
 

My Computer

System One

  • Manufacturer/Model
    Gateway/Acer NV5214u
    CPU
    AMD Athlon™ 64 X2 QL-64 Dual-Core Processor (2.1GHz, 667MHz
    Memory
    4096MB Dual-Channel DDR2 sDRAM Support
    Graphics card(s)
    ATI Radeon® HD 3200
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Generic pnp
    Screen Resolution
    1366x768
    Hard Drives
    320GB SATA hard drive
    Mouse
    alps pointing device touchpad
    Internet Speed
    comcast broadband plus
Matt,

Well, it hard for me to predict what will happen if you start to reinstall the Vista OS using other discs than created by Gateway recover vizard. I have the recovery discs which I made after purchasing the laptops and I was telling how they work. After reformatting the OS with them, Windows never asked me about the activation key.

Right now, I run the Ultimate edition that I bought from Newegg and after installing this OS I had to activate Vista with Ultimate key.
 

My Computer

System One

  • Manufacturer/Model
    Gateway P7805u FX
    CPU
    Intel Core2Duo T9600 2.80GHz 1066MHz FSB
    Motherboard
    Intel PM45
    Memory
    8GB 1066MHz DDR3
    Graphics card(s)
    Nvidia GeForce 9800M GTS 1GB DDR3
    Monitor(s) Displays
    LG 17" WUXGA TFT
    Screen Resolution
    1920x 1200
    Hard Drives
    WD 2x500GB
    Case
    notebook
    Other Info
    BT/BD
Well, the key I got using the Magic Bean software seemed to work with the retail disc. And seems how the they key is what is registering the windows I am on now, there shouldn't be a problem with that. That I would think atleast....

But, I guess I will just stick it out until windows 7. Keep using Ubuntu so I can use a exturnal mouse.

Anyone know if the the Windows 7 free upgrade will be the full disc, or just upgrade off of of what is already installed on you pc?

Edit: I believe I found my answer on the Seven board.

Thanks to all for the help!
 
Last edited:

My Computer

System One

  • Manufacturer/Model
    Gateway/Acer NV5214u
    CPU
    AMD Athlon™ 64 X2 QL-64 Dual-Core Processor (2.1GHz, 667MHz
    Memory
    4096MB Dual-Channel DDR2 sDRAM Support
    Graphics card(s)
    ATI Radeon® HD 3200
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Generic pnp
    Screen Resolution
    1366x768
    Hard Drives
    320GB SATA hard drive
    Mouse
    alps pointing device touchpad
    Internet Speed
    comcast broadband plus
If you reinstall Vista using an official disk instead of the ones you made, it will ask for the key, but with the key it will install it from the new dvd. The key should work with the official OS disk, but sometimes some people need to call Microsoft because it doesn't work, but I personnally never had to call Microsoft.
 

My Computer

System One

  • Manufacturer/Model
    Custom built (Myself)
    CPU
    Intel Core i3
    Motherboard
    Asus P7P55-M
    Memory
    8GB DDR3
    Graphics card(s)
    EVGA Nvidia GTX 550Ti FPB
    Sound Card
    Onboard
    Monitor(s) Displays
    HP w2207h with Acer H213H
    Screen Resolution
    1680x1050 and 1920x1080
    Hard Drives
    1 TB WD Caviar Black 32mb cache, 750 GB WD Caviar Blue, 500 GB WD Caviar Blue, 320 GB WD
    PSU
    Mushkin HP-550 550W Power suppy
    Case
    Cooler Master Elite310
    Cooling
    Air
    Mouse
    Microsoft Comfort 1000
    Keyboard
    Logitech Access 600
    Internet Speed
    15 Mb/s up and down
    Other Info
    I also have an Asus G53SW-A1
Yeah I found out about the key already. I just didn'y want to go ahead with it yet. My pc is still under warrenty and don't really want to do anything to void that yet. But the problems I am having won't seem to go away, and from other peoples post I have found on the web, all gateway will do if I send it in is just do a fresh install and send it back. The laptop still has the issue and some of them have done it up to three times. I hate scripted repair, it's a bunch of bull.

But, I figured I would do the gateway chat with a tech deal. They said to do what I had already done. Flash the bios, update drivers, and system recovery... I've done all this but maybe something didn't take right. Just flashed the bios again and waiting to see if I need to just go ahead and do the install from disc.

So far so good, about another 7-8 minutes will tell the truth if it freezes.
 

My Computer

System One

  • Manufacturer/Model
    Gateway/Acer NV5214u
    CPU
    AMD Athlon™ 64 X2 QL-64 Dual-Core Processor (2.1GHz, 667MHz
    Memory
    4096MB Dual-Channel DDR2 sDRAM Support
    Graphics card(s)
    ATI Radeon® HD 3200
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Generic pnp
    Screen Resolution
    1366x768
    Hard Drives
    320GB SATA hard drive
    Mouse
    alps pointing device touchpad
    Internet Speed
    comcast broadband plus
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