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    Can it be done?

    Discussion in 'Lenovo' started by sisqo_uk, Jun 8, 2008.

  1. sisqo_uk

    sisqo_uk Notebook Deity

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    Hi, i not long bought my T61p and knowing i would resinstall i, i thought id check the manual about recovery before i decided to back up on to discs to save me. reading it lead me thinkin i dont need to cos it stated if you already have discs thn you dont need to. So i assume they are good as i hear some people never got any discs. i was given 3. 1 rescue and recovery, a supplement disc and a XP disc.
    I dont want to down grade to xp. but im asking can it actually use the discs to get back vista business? any help cos i dont get this as its my 1st thinkpad. cheers in advance
     
  2. The Fire Snake

    The Fire Snake Notebook Virtuoso

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    I just got my thinkpad the other day. I did not get any discs of any kind. I just made my recovery discs. It looks like they included recovery discs for you, but why not just make a backup set, can't hurt. You should have a recovery partition on the drive and you should be able to use the Thinkvantage utilities to create your recovery discs. If you have a DVDRW drive and use DVD media, you should get 3 discs. It is a pretty quick process and it even tells you what to label the discs! I really liked that... Good luck.
     
  3. Paul386

    Paul386 Notebook Evangelist

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    Come again? Hard to understand the OP. Try working on the grammar a little!
     
  4. sisqo_uk

    sisqo_uk Notebook Deity

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    sorry about the grammer. basically i got 3 recovery discs. 1 an xp downgrade, 1 the rescue recovery disc and the last one a supplement disc. ive already deleted the partion and wiped my hard drive with the recovery disc so i can make back up discs cos the manual said if i got some recovery discs then i dont need to.
    The thing is i dont no how to use them to get a clean install of vista x64 back on. what do i do?
     
  5. darylo

    darylo Notebook Geek

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    Download the drivers off of the lenovo website and you will be fine
     
  6. rec630

    rec630 Notebook Geek

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    Sorry, but those 3 discs were probably all for the XP downgrade and aren't going to help you get back to Vista Bus. If you've already wiped your HD and blew away the service partition I believe you're SOL. You should have created a recovery set of media from the service partition before starting.
     
  7. mziol

    mziol Notebook Consultant

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    Go here and order a disc, you could then use that disc to install what you need. I think it's cheap, something like $10. Synic is the one who showed me this link when I said I may want to go from my 32-bit Business to 64-bit. The $10 should be for shipping.

    EDIT: Heh, forgot to paste the link. Here you go: http://www.microsoft.com/windowsvista/1033/ordermedia/default.mspx
     
  8. sisqo_uk

    sisqo_uk Notebook Deity

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    i suppose ill try it. but as for the other reply. i have used a copy and used my vista key underneath and now windows is saying after it was accepted that my key is invalid so i have 20+ days to sort it. but i have downloaded the drivers.
    My new problem is how do i use the back up and recovery now cos i donbt have any partitions and setup and create and back up and it used just one DVD, about one discs worth infact. What i dont get is everyone else has used 3 DVDs. So where am i going wrong. thanks in advance
     
  9. synic

    synic Notebook Deity

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    you can download and make your own copy of vista by reading this thread: http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=240320

    you can read this thread if you want to do a clean install of vista:
    http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=144783

    or if you're going to install xp i'd read this one:
    http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=188992

    did you already format and reinstall?

    and as for everyone using 3 dvds: 1 CD and 2 DVDs and needed for the recovery discs, and 1 CD is needed for the rescue media.
     
  10. sisqo_uk

    sisqo_uk Notebook Deity

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    i have formated reinstalled with a copy already but the key undrrneath my laptop i used, windows is saying that the key is invalid after accepting the code to install it(dont no y)
    my back up disc after using a copy of windows was only one disc, not one an 2 dvds. but i do have an original rescue recovery and supplement disc. so might that count as 1 disc and 2 dvds? or the back up i made was not done correctly? :confused:
     
  11. Mtnbiker

    Mtnbiker Notebook Consultant

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    For future reference, you may want to do some research on how to do a clean install before deleting recovery partitions, etc. The key underneath your laptop is different from the key actually used in the original installation, as is explained in the many links you were provided.

    You have a couple of options, if I've deciphered your posts correctly. The first option is to call Microsoft and provide them with the key underneath your laptop so they can authorize the install.

    If you purchased the machine through Lenovo with Vista pre-installed, your second option would be to call Lenovo and convince them to send you a Vista recovery set for your machine.
     
  12. sisqo_uk

    sisqo_uk Notebook Deity

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    thanks for your reply. yes i purchased the laptop through lenovo. but upon doing so do i have to pay for cds. isnt there anyway to recieve the discs without a cost? ive already paid $2450 dollars for my laptop maxed out nearly. quite a bit i no. :(
     
  13. TP_FAN

    TP_FAN Notebook Enthusiast

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    TP reserves about 6 GB space for system recovery. If you need that in case just press ThinkVantage button and get into the recovery pape, and just follow the instruction. You dont need so called recovery disk at all.

    Wanna have a total fresh installation of Vista? Get one from store, just under 200 bucks... also.. you could get a copy from the web without proper support...
     
  14. justin_c

    justin_c Notebook Geek

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    Well if you want to activate you need to import the right certificate (xrm ms file), then use slmgr to activate. If you wiped your HDD completely, you are SOL; if you want recovery disks, you'll have to buy them from Lenovo.
     
  15. Mtnbiker

    Mtnbiker Notebook Consultant

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    If your system shipped w/ Vista preinstalled, then Lenovo tech support should be able to send you a Vista recovery set free of charge. Although they may charge you if they learn that your recovery partition was deleted through user error. I know they'll do it for folks who have HD issues, etc where the normal recovery route didn't work.
     
  16. Mtnbiker

    Mtnbiker Notebook Consultant

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    I think OEM copies are selling at NewEgg for ~$99...