HELP - Reinstall of Vista (Any Version) on IBM X61

Hey guys
Big problem. I am a tech support/network admin for a local university and I was helping an asian student rebuild her X61 laptop (not tablet).

What happend is that when she came to Canada she asked the store that sold Lenovo and IBM products to install Win XP Pro on her X61 instead of the pre-install Vista Home Basic. Well she hadnt been doing updates for like over 6 months and I told her its a good idea to go with the valid Vista key she had on the bottom. Looks like the store put on a pirated copy of XP Pro and when I wanted to double check the install using Genuine Advantage it came up as Pirated and she had to call MS to get a valid license and key.

Well I was able to download an OEM Vista install image to use for the install so that I can use her key at the bottom of the X61. About 40-50% into doing the expanding files an error comes up stating that there is an issue with the cd rom drive (X61 comes with an expandable USB DVD rom).

see link for explanation http://support.microsoft.com/kb/930984


Well I used a different USB drive and different vista install DVDs and same thing.

Questions are:-

1. have any of you seen this before?
2. Can I do a flat install where i put the DVD contents on HD and boot off that HD?

Thanks in advance.

 

Why not install it on another machine then swap the drive into the X61?

 

According to the Flat Install document. It sounds like you need to have a working version of Windows (can be XP, Vista, or something like Bart PE).

You would then copy the contents of the DVD to the hard drive, click the installer (while in Windows), and let it take care of everything.

This sounds like the best method (although I've never tried it). Either that, or you can try and procure recovery disks from Lenovo (this most likely will not be free).

 

Yeah,
that was one of my ideas....problem is that the closest model i have is an x60. not sure the differences etc.

I was doing this to be helpfull to the grad student and now, I am afraid I can't get her up and running.

I already formatted her hard drive and its is blank. The thinkvantage button would not function because when the store put on XP they nuked the partition that would properly be initialized by the think vantage blue button.

Could I boot off a usb HD that has the DVD's installer files?

 

I would try to find a recovery disc from ebay or other forums members, and restore the entire hard drive. Or, u can try to call Lenovo service center and purchase the original recovery disk.