I got my T400 in hand. What next ?

Hi Guys,

Some of you would remember, I've been posting updates about my T400 order here.

Now that I have it in my hands, the question comes. What next ?

The laptop looks solid (i dont have a problem with flex) but as some of you mentioned - the keyboard could have been a little better.

But that aside, I wanna know about clean install.
Surprisingly Lenovo hasnt given *any* CDs with the pack, Is this normal ?

if I were to do a clean install, there are lots of brilliant tutorials and walkthroughs here, do I need a CD/DVD ? .

I have a Vista Business 64, So should I back up the activation as mentioned in one of the tutorial ?


I know, I've asked a lot of question. I hope someone would be kind enough to answer some of these ..

Thanks !
Jeff

PS : Please suggest me a partition manager for vista 64. Disk Management of Vista has some issues with shrink size. Partition Manager (paragon) doesnt work for x64 and Partition Magic has compatibilty issues with Vista.

 

Yes, it is normal Lenovo do not ship any CDS with their unit.

 

The first thing you should do is create restore DVD's. Yes lenovo doesn't include them, there is a hidden partition and the rescure restore software can create one set of disks. It is always recommended to make the set of disks should anything happen or if you buy a new hard drive. Even though wiping the HDD clean and doing a fresh install of windows is a good idea, it is also a good idea to have a backup of the factory install.

Just my .02c

 

thanks a lot !

So I need a Vista CD/DVD for doing the clean install ?

 

Yes. OEM, retail or anytime upgrades discs all work.

 

Hold on, so I paid for this Vista crap and I don't even have a **** CD/DVD for it to install from. Meaning that i will have basivally download the iso for vista from torrent or something and just use my product key.

When I am going to do the recovery disk can I first uninstall all the bloatware first and then do the recovery disk, thedisk can be without any bloatware?

 

I take up this oppurtunity to echo the same sentiments !!

But there has to be another way out. What if I call Lenovo ?. Will they send me a DVD/CD ? I paid for it!

 

Lenovo will only send restore disks...however something I just thought of is to call Microsoft. I know that if you have an x86 vista you can call and they will send you a x64 disk. So that is a method that may work.

 

you have the ability to make your own disks. Click on Q:

make sure you do that before trying ANYTHING with your partitions

I would recommend against resizing your partitions unless you know exactly what to do: GParted
http://gparted.sourceforge.net/download.php

 

They give you Vista - you just have to make the restore discs yourself. Make the discs for Recovery Manager and Product Recovery Manager.

Do this first. You do not need to download and iso, etc.

I recommend you look at the "Clean Install Guide" that is in this forum.

 

Unfortunately this will not work. The upgrade to x64 is only for people who bought retail versions of Vista. Vista bought with the Lenovo laptop is an OEM version. These are the reasons I dislike MS. You are forced to pay for their OS and then when you do they can't even give you a disc. Yeah thats fair..

I agree with the other posters, this does suck and is the new trend with computers right now, anything they can do to save a buck. They don't even want to send any discs out, you make your own. And the discs you make have the OS and and bloatware on it. You can't even make a disc that is just the OS. The days of customer service and catering to the customers is gone. The attitude these days is if you want the product you go by the companies rules(not speaking of just Lenovo here). It stinks...

I had to hunt for a disc for quite a while, but finally got one and then did the clean install. Just a pain for something that should be easy.

There is a way to do a clean install using the Lenovo rescue and recovery program, where you uncheck the software you don't want installed. I am not familiar with it; have never done it, but I hear it is still not as good as a clean install.

 

Watch the potty mouth and the torrents discussion. Both are frowned upon here.

It's been this way for years and years on ThinkPads. In fact most manufacturers won't give you a recovery disc, but a recovery partition and often a way to burn off the recovery discs. It saves them a few bucks and allows you to acquire your notebook at a more reasonable rate.

If you ask Microsoft, they'll tell you to buy another copy of Vista, at full retail price of course. The best way is if you can find a disc to somehow install it. It used to be you could get a copy of the anytime upgrade disc pretty cheap, but they're hard to find right now.

 

You can't do a clean install from the recovery discs. Thats the problem. The recovery discs are good to bring your machine back to day one status with bloatware and all, but you can't do a clean install with them. You need the Vista OS disc for that.

 

Do you have any more info?

 

Not really. I have done the clean install using the Vista discs, never with the rescue and recovery. I think Zaz knows more about it.

If you need more info about the clean install with the Vista discs, I can help you there....

 

Would buying a Thinkpad at least give us a serial number for Vista? That way if we can borrow a disc from someone we can do a clean install?

 

Well, if you need to do a clean install, then you need a clean version of the OS.

I used to religiously wipe my laptop clean and install the OS myself. Then the drivers, etc. I thought this would make it run better. In some cases that was true, but it took a lot of time. Also I ran into odd problem, which wasted time chasing down.

Then I decided that is the OS was okay, I would just take out the bloatware and cleanup the registry and defraged. I did that, and viola, the machine ran just as good as a clean install. And it took less time to do.

Obviously, if you want to whack hidden partitions and such, then some find the clean install the better way. However, and huge drives, they are a small portion, and no big deal to leave there.

To each their own -whatever works for you. I just think the bloatware complaints are a bit overdone - it's there, and you can remove it, clean the registry, and you are good to go.

 

You can do this using the ABR tool noted in the Clean Install guide in this forum. It copies off your key number, and then will overlay it after you install Vista.

 

I have done this on a friend's T60. Very simple, just uncheck the thinkvantage stuff you don't want, picasso, office trial ect.. and in the end you get the OS with essential drivers only.

 

its called a custom factory install it may or may not be an option at boot when you press the thinkvantage button and go through whole process...ask strangesweet

 

I could not find this option on my T400, either with F11 or the recovery disks.

 

Thanks a lot guys. If you have more info on how to do it, please ..

 

I've heard, I don't have any firsthand knowledge because I've not seen any of the new ThinkPads, that Lenovo has removed the custom install option in the Rescue and Recovery software shipping on the new ThinkPads. ThinkPad are supposed to be made for business users and be about giving them the tools to do their work. I would say this goes against the traditional ThinkPad way.

All of this puts you back where you started. You're going to need to find a disc to do a clean install.

 

You can't just use the serial to reinstall Vista. Make sure you do the ABR thing. Do this first. I didn't and after I got a clean install of Vista back up and running, I realized having just the OEM key wouldn't work.

Plus, after my experiences, I'm not sure a clean install with the Lenovo is all that necessary. They only have a couple extraneous programs, both of which require you to click links to install them (the McAfee and Office). I don't believe it's worth all the time an effort just to install Vista cleanly. (I had to do this because of faulty backup media). Now, if you were to do a clean install of XP or something...that's a bit different. But I'd understand the desire to have total control and satisfaction of the lightest, cleanest install...

Also, people complain about the nickel and diming of not shipping disks, so I'll throw this in. You get pretty much a top of the line laptop now for about $1250. A decade ago, the same laptop with point-in-time specs would have been 3,000. So, I don't mind having to burn the DVDs myself. However, the customer support I find appalling and manufactures return policies, out-sources support centers that don't speak my native language well, etc....But, even this, I can semi-deal with knowing that I'm no longer spending 3K for a lappie.

 

I am sorry, I was quite surprised and angry. Won't happen again.

 

Maybe there are different circumstances depending on what version of OEM vista you have and what DVD you use to reinstall, but just an FYI, I bought 64bit Vista Business with my T400, and reinstalled using a retail Vista Ultimate DVD.
I used my key on the bottom of the laptop, and activated windows once it was installed. I did not have to do the ABR deal.

 

what happens to those of us that got vista with the xp downgrade?

do i get license keys for both? how the heck does this work?

still no cd's i'd imagine.

 

I just realize that the free space of the HD (200 gb) of my T400 is 150 gb

15 gb's goes in recovery, and the rest goes Lord knows where

 

Same Here, I have a 250gb and I have 92gb used up already. The only programs I have installed are WOW, Office 2k7, CS2, and 10gb of pics and music. What the crap?

 

Just wondering. Assuming Windows 7 ships this year, is there a chance that those that purchase a new Lenovo with Vista might get a free upgrade to Windows 7? If yes, does MS provide the disk and is the disk only an upgrade, which would mean having to install over an existing Vista install, or is the disk complete, which would allow for doing a full clean install, such as deleting the Lenovo partitions, etc. in the process?

 

You probably should've started a new thread, since your question doesn't really pertain to the discussion in this thread. More people will usually answer a new thread with an appropriate title.

Usually, I think the disk allows you to do a clean install or upgrade, but only on the machine for which the disk is prescribed. I don't think Windows 7 is shipping until early 2010, so don't get your hopes up too high.