I was running windows 7, 64 bit on my laptop. It was factory installed (no cd). I realize that I should have chosen 32 bit, as I only have 2GB ram. I tried reinstalling windows from the computer application in windows 7, but it didn't offer me a choice of which system to install this time and instead just reinstalled 64 bit again. How can I reinstall factory settings to 32 bit instead? Thanks!
http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/document?docname=c00859585&cc=us&lc=en&dlc=en&product=3370427 Restore the PC to original condition with the HP Recovery Manager
Follow the steps below to use HP Recovery Manager to return your notebook to its baseline factory condition, then allow the PC to run all the setup programs.
Press the power button to turn on the PC, and press F11 on the keyboard immediately while the computer is starting up. The HP Backup and Recovery Manager window will appear.
NOTE: Depending on the BIOS version, your computer may display multiple prompts during startup including F11 to start System Recovery. Pressing the F11 key on a computer with an HP factory image wiill start System Recovery even if the prompt is not displayed.
Click Advanced options , select the System recovery option, and then click Next .
If the Recovery Manager can access the hard drive it displays a prompt to backup up user files before continuing the recovery. You may either backup your files, or skip the backup and recover the operating system.
If the Recovery Manager cannot access the hard drive to fix the system errors, use the set of Recovery disks that you created to recover the hard drive to its original condition.
After the hard drive is returned to its original condition, restart the PC and allow the PC to run all the setup programs.