Questions RE: Using System Recovery Discs on HP G71-358NR (Options?)

Question

I bought my HP G71-358NR Notebook in Dec 2009. It has Windows 7 Home Premium x32/x64 ). I am on my second hard drive (had to replace in Feb 2012), and I do have the HP System Recovery DVDs (there are 2 of them), and the HP Driver Recovery CD (1 disc).
Short version (my actual question) - obviously I did a "clean re-install" the first time, since it was a brand-new hard disk, so everything on the Recovery Discs was used, and I don't remember exactly what happened during the install. But is there a way to do a "short version" - re-installing JUST the Windows OS (or "repairing" just that) - so that I don't have to also re-install everything already on my laptop (which all seems to be working fine - the only thing is I can't do the Windows/MS security updates, or any of their updates at all - but everything else seems to be working as normal - I did get my HP Support Assistant back, which runs and always tells me there are no problems to report). I don't remember if the Recovery discs ask you if you want to "ire-nstall or repair only the OS" or "do an entire, clean re-install" or not.
Here's the long version - as to what happened - in case anyone cares to read it - because it may give some insight, and since it involves 3 original HP software programs being "Uninstalled" - even though the HP Support Asst. is now back and seemingly running, maybe my problem stems from one of the other 2, and there IS something simpler I can do to fix this - I will tell you what I found that is "now wrong" in my laptop, how it got that way, and what I've already tried, obviously to no avail): 
About 2 months ago my niece's boyfriend decided to "help me out" and make my computer faster, by looking at things - he looked at my programs, and for some of them he would ask me what it was and/or if I used them at all. He did not bother to ask me about the HP ones (which, up to this point, I had not removed because I did actually like them and find them useful - I had no idea he wouldn't ask me about them first, before arbitrarily uninstalling them). I wasn't exactly sure what he deleted at first (as I was busy chatting with my niece and sister). Right before he "cleaned things up," he also installed a new keyboard and screen. I dropped my laptop on cement a few weeks prior, and the screen broke (it was "blank" when I turned the laptop on, and completely unuseable). Also, I had gotten water in a few of the keys approx. 1-1/2 yrs ago, so a few keys didn't work right, so for any "major" writing, I used a wireless keyboard - so I figured that since I had to replace the screen I may as well also buy the keyboard to replace at the same time.
Everything worked fine after he replaced the screen and keyboard - I used my laptop for a few hours afterword, then turned it off. Before it turned off, it installed 28 updates (there were so many because I had not used my laptop for about 2-3 weeks, from the time my screen broke until I got it replaced). The next day it was working fine, but suddenly I was getting the message that I needed to Activate my Windows 7 Home Premium (that I may be using a "pirated" version, etc.). In trying to figure out what happened, I noticed that he "Uninstalled" 3 HP programs/software. The reason I know exactly which ones is because I decided to just do a "System Restore" to the time right before he messed around with things. At some point in my "looking around" in my laptop, I noticed that the BIOS wasn't right - I don't know a whole lot about it, so I rarely go in there, but I did notice one thing - that a lot of information was "missing" - info I KNOW should have SOMETHING there. When I ran the restore from the function key (F10?) I think it worked the first time - I believe that may be how I got my HP Support Assistant back - but when I tried it again a week or two later, it kept running the same 2 things (the "hard disk scan" and something else, I can't remember off-hand) over and over and over - each time saying that there were no problems. 
The 3 he "Uninstalled" each had a "Restore Point" (I'm not sure if he put them there, of if HP automatically does it, as a "precaution"). The 3 are: 1) HP Setup, 2) HP Update and 3) HP Quick Launch Buttons. I tried using the System Restore several times - each time, it went through all the motions, but at the last step, when it "restarts" the laptop, it restarts and I get the message that "the System Restore was NOT successful," etc. And it tells you to try turning off your antivirus, etc. I did whatever it says to do, and it kept being "unsuccessful."  I tried (again, several times) putting in my Product Key - which I KNOW for a fact is correct - but MS won't accept it. I cannot make out about 3-4 digits/characters of the COA - it's on the bottom of my laptop and they are "worn" to the point that I'm not sure exactly what they are (just those 3-4 ones, the rest I can read). I now know that there is a difference between the OEM-SLP and the COA-SLP keys (which I DO have a copy of the OEM-SLP key, from running a Belarc Advisor shortly after receiving my new laptop - mistakenly thinking that that was the only "Product Key" I ever needed - I was not aware of the COA-SLP, or the importance of saving it somewhere, until just recently, after all this happened). I don't really want to "change the Product Key" to the COA-SLP one, anyway, because during my research, I found one website that said:
“COA SLP: This is the Product key that you see on the sticker on the side or bottom of your computer. It is a valid product key, BUT SHOULD ONLY BE USED IN LIMITED SITUATIONS (such as if the OEM SLP key stops self-activating for whatever reason). The key must be activated by Phone. (Note: All manufacturers that use the OEM SLP system are required by contract to include a Certificate of Authenticity (COA) sticker, that has a COA SLP key, on the computer.”
(Note, other than those 3-4 digits/characters of the COA-SLP key, I can read everything else - Model #, Serial #, etc. - nothing else seems to have rubbed-off)I have been troubleshooting (researching and), ever since this happened approx 2 months ago. I have run the MS Genuine Advantage Tool (have the printout), ran the "scannow" (whose results said, “Windows Resource Protection did not find any integrity  violations.” - ? Go figure), and even one solution that said to "Rebuild the license store" - which again did absolutely nothing. I have tried every "fix" except reinstalling via my Recovery Discs. At some point I became suspicious that my problem, was, in fact, due to him uninstalling any or all of those 3 HP programs. Then I found an answer to just about my same exact problem on an MS Windows troubleshooting page - they said:
“the HP OEM OS requires information in the HP motherboard to cause the OS to activate”
then it also listed WHY - it gave a couple examples from what the person's "Microsoft Genuine Advantage Diagnostic Tool" printout says - and those examples/results are EXACTLY what my printout says.
So I'm concerned that one of those HP programs contained information crucial - that communicates with BIOS/Motherboard, and tells them that my Windows 7 Home Premium x64 not only exists on this laptop, but is also LEGAL. If that's correct, is there a way to remedy it (and putting back those programs/software) via the HP website, without having to do a clean re-install and lose everything? Again - don't forget, the System Restore won't work, either (which I assume has something to do with the BIOS info being gone?)

Answer 1

If your BIOS is missing critical info which id's it as an HP machine, such as model,serial,etc it usually requires service from HP to correct it. I will try a contact I have to see if he can help. He stays quite busy so it may take a few days before I know anything.
The fact that your Windows is requiring activation would cause the failure of Windows updates, etc since MS thinks you re running pirated software. The info in BIOS is what defines whether or not you are legally running OEM Windows. This is when the COA license would help, since it would replace the OEM key used to install at the factory -which "appears" to be running illegally now if pertinent info is missing in BIOS.
I have seen it suggested that sometimes you can make out all of the numbers by focusing a bright flashlight on the COA label
Removing the HP software you mentioned should not have any affect on BIOS info. However you can install/reinstall most software/drivers from your Support page:
http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/softwareCategory?os=4063&lc=en&cc=us&dlc=en&sw_lang=&product=4080...
OR-by using Recovery Manager-Reinstalling Drivers/Software>> Windows 7
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