2 Concerns w/ my new R61

Just wondering if anyone has any thoughts/suggestions on this.

1)Out of the box, the plastic covering over the webcam was bent and scratched. I've pushed it back into place, however; isnt this product supposed to be new???

2) No windows CD (or DVD). What am I supposed to do if the hard drive kicks the bucket or I want to do a clean install? Even if this is an OEM version, lenovo should still be sending an OEM version on CD/DVD. Having a backup on a partition is not good enough; like I said, what if I the hard drive kicks the bucket, or I want to do a clean install?

 

no new lenovo's come with the recovery cd's - you are suppose to burn them yourself with the included software

 

...a little silly... but ok. Should I just follow Stallen's clean install guide for making the recovery discs?

Thanks for the reply!

 

... Bomber - do you have a 14" W SXGA+ or a WXGA+? Is it 1680x1050 or 1440x900? 14" 1680x1050 would be ok w/me, but 1440x900 is just crap - I can't do it My work T61 is 1440x900 @ 14" and it's utter hell when I actually have to use the LCD.

 

sorry.. ill change my signature right away. im wrong. its wxga+ 1440x900. I dont think you can get wsxga+ for 14" screens.
why dont you like your screen? mine looks very crisp and clean, & no glare.

 

Heh - I'm resolution whore. I want SXGA+ in 12", WUXGA in 14" wide, and QXGA in 15" standard lol

 

No laptops will come with OS cds these days.... Burn your recovery discs, if your harddrive kicks the bucket you can use them to restore.

 

what if i wish to do a clean-install of windows (without all the bloatware/3rd party software)?

 

I've never had to do it since my T61 runs great on the factory install, but I've heard that...

Using the recovery media and selecting a "custom install," you can select what you do and don't want from the 3rd party software.

 

Hi Bomber-Stud,

I'm actually looking at the same machine (7744-1AU, right?).
And I'm guessing you bought it off the lenovo visaperks website, right?
It seems they've got a lot of those machines in stock...

I have a question, though - what's the make of the lcd panel (lg, samsung?)
is there a lot of backlight leakage?
and, is the 14" r61 sturdy enough to be carried inside a standard backpack (no padding)?

thanks in advance...

 

yeah its the 77441AU. and yes from visaperks.ca
im not sure on the lcd panel make.. do you know how i find that out?
I dont notice any backlight leakage, and i notice no glare (well very minimal if you look for it), i really like it.

the laptop overall feels sturdy.. but i would never put any laptop in my backpack straight.... i couldnt afford to even chance anything going wrong. why not just buy a slip cover like i did; cuz i carry mine in a backpack most of the time. I guess as long as you dont throw your backpack to the ground when you take it off you should be ok.

 

hi,

the parts lookup website is here:
http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/s...=/partslookup/partsLookup.vm&sitestyle=lenovo



also, did the factory image come with vista business 64-bit?

 

hi, so i bought the same model r61
apparently, mine was assembled on october 7th.
although the body seems quite rigid, the display cover gives me a big concern - it's very flexible, and a bit rattley.

the lcd (it turns out to be a samsung apparently - fru 42T0412) has terrible viewing angles - really only good at +/-5 degrees of optimal angle; otherwise, there's the colours look washed out.

the keyboard 42T3241 (fru = 42T3273) is a chicony.

 

That was my thought exactly when I first got it. But apparently Lenovo has this Thinkvantage Button (blue) that has Rescue and Restore. You can burn once you are in that program. Just follow the direction.

 

The 15" R61 doesn't have a built in roll cage like the t61 so its not as sturdy.
But the 14" R61 has a roll cage and its just as sturdy as a t61.

Oya laptops don't come with recovery discs these days. Some still do like toshiba but i haven't seen a windows CD with a laptop for at least 5-6 years