Hey guys, So just bought a HP laptop. Obviously it comes with ****ty windows 8. It does have a backup partition, so what I would like to do is format drive C, and install my windows 7. However, I would like to know how I can access the backup partition if I want to go back to the default install (windows 8 and everything it came with when I bought it). This is my 2nd laptop I bought, and first one to come with a backup partition. There is also no windows 8 cd-key or anything, so I don't really want to completely lose my winodws 8 copy for which I am sure I paid for it when I paid the price for the laptop. Many thanks
There's a utility that will allow you to make a backup. Everythign you need is in the HP support app. It should be a big blue orb with a ? in the middle of it. as for your cd key, you no longer have one per se. With windows 8, your key is imbedded in the UEFI. So whenver you decide to go back to windows 8, just install those backup discs you should have made in the begining and youll be fine.
I see, so do I require a USB or DVD in order to make the backup? Right now there is a restoration partition that is 22GB used with 3GB free. I assume those 22GB is only the utility which allows me to create the backup, but not the actual image of the system that it came with?
Yes, you'll need blank media to create the backup. All it's doing it creating a factory restore backup. The image will be the exact same as when you first powered on your laptop.
One time I used backup partition (on notebook) like this: - assigned letter to partition; - browsed the partition in Explorer; - found recovery application and launched it.