Re-install Win11 on HP Laptop? BIOS Key?

[kpic]

I have an HP Windows 11 laptop I purchased last year, I really just use it for subtitle editing and some specific audio editing programs. Every so often it'll crash on me and cause a pain to get back to where I was (some program settings need to be adjusted etc.)

Anyway I thought about doing a clean install with the 'HP Recovery USB' I made but it's loaded with tons of crap that I can't get rid of (currently other than Chrome I only have like 4 programs I use, the rest is bloat-ware) so I thought instead I have a genuine MS Win11 here that I never used, I was going to use it on my 'built-by-me' desktop PC but have kept Win10 on there as I have some older programs that won't be able to run on 11.

I've done clean windows installs for years on my desktops w\no problem, just install and enter in key to activate. As I was looking around for info if it'll be the same on the HP laptop I came across some info about a key being built into the BIOS? So I assume this is something new w\laptops? And if mine has it (I figure it likely does) does that mean I can only install the tied to it HP windows 11 (the recovery version?) Unless I don't think it it what I think it is I figure the BIOS and the windows license keys need to match? So I cannot use the plain generic version of Win 11 I have?

[Fish]

Manufacturers use what's called an OEM version of Windows. Which means the license can only apply to the original hardware. The HP recovery USB cannot be used to install Windows on any other machine.

I don't understand though, why you wouldn't be able to get rid of the additional software included with the HP recovery USB? Can you not just uninstall what you don't want?

[kpic]

Thanks for the reply Fish, yeah I was aware of the OEM versions and that's fine. I guess I made it more complicated than needed;
I wasn't looking to install the HP OEM version on anything else - I was wondering if I could install a retail MS Win11 version that I have on the HP laptop?

The thing that stopped me is the discussions I saw of a 'BIOS key' on the laptop and I assumed? that means that the OEM HP version is the only thing that can be installed to that specific laptop (IE: You cannot install a retail version where the key won't match the BIOS on the laptop)

You cannot uninstall 90% of the HP specific stuff, it's built in much like the MS stuff you cannot uninstall in the retail version. Except now I have both; HP crap and MS crap.

[Fish]

Originally Posted by kpic

Thanks for the reply Fish, yeah I was aware of the OEM versions and that's fine. I guess I made it more complicated than needed;
I wasn't looking to install the HP OEM version on anything else - I was wondering if I could install a retail MS Win11 version that I have on the HP laptop?

The thing that stopped me is the discussions I saw of a 'BIOS key' on the laptop and I assumed? that means that the OEM HP version is the only thing that can be installed to that specific laptop (IE: You cannot install a retail version where the key won't match the BIOS on the laptop)

You cannot uninstall 90% of the HP specific stuff, it's built in much like the MS stuff you cannot uninstall in the retail version. Except now I have both; HP crap and MS crap.

Ahh gotcha. Yes, you can install Windows 11 retail as a fresh install and use your Windows 10 OEM license key to activate it.

[kpic]

Ok, that's good to know - thank you!

[Gravedigger]

Use Revo Uninstaller free version, that'll get rid of what you want to get rid of including registry keys. Just make sure you don't blow anything away that'll break your computer.

[Fish]

There's definitely ways to get rid of the unwanted HP software. But it's easier to just do a fresh install.

[htismaqe]

Originally Posted by Fish

There's definitely ways to get rid of the unwanted HP software. But it's easier to just do a fresh install.

Yep. Much easier to just install base Windows and ignore the HP restore disk altogether.