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    Backup/clean install/ultimate upgrade

    Discussion in 'Lenovo' started by mapemberton, Jun 29, 2008.

  1. mapemberton

    mapemberton Notebook Enthusiast

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    Hi.

    I have a several month old t61 that came with Vista Home Basic. I purchased an Ultimate upgrade through my school, and now I'm ready to install it. I have not yet done a clean install or made my recovery discs and I don't really know what either of those are - I have just read about them here. So here are my questions. I've got 140+ gb of stuff on my HD right now. If I make the recovery discs, does it put everything currently on my HD on the discs, or just the OS and other stuff I would need in order to reformat?

    Next question, is what is the best procedure for getting the recovery discs made, upgrading to Ultimate, doing whatever I need to do to get a "clean install," and getting everything on my HD backed up and then put back on after the clean install/Ultimate upgrade.

    fyi - I have a 320 gb external to use if I need to wipe my t61's hardrive somewhere in this procedure.

    thanks!

    Mark
     
    mapemberton, Jun 29, 2008
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  2. rypic7

    rypic7 Notebook Geek

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    The recovery discs will NOT contain all of your files. The recovery discs will, like you said, contain only the files necessary to restore your system to its current settings - drivers, etc. But frankly, you will not need to make recovery discs. It will probably be a waste of time. It would be much more efficient to just download the drivers from the website and install them that way. The recovery discs will probably have all of the lame factory loaded software that you don't want as well. So just get the drivers from the support section of the manufacturer's website.

    In the mean time, back-up all of your files onto your 320 gb external. That's for sure the safest way to back-up everything if you're going to do a clean install.

    And for future reference, so you won't run into issues with loosing files and be able to reinstall an OS worry free, partition your hard drive when you install Ultimate. Set aside about 40 GB for your OS and programs, and then put all of your files on the other partition. It's the way to go.

    Good luck and enjoy Ultimate! I love it!
     
    rypic7, Jun 29, 2008
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  3. Renee

    Renee Notebook Virtuoso

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    " Set aside about 40 GB for your OS and programs, and then put all of your files on the other partition. It's the way to go."

    Excellent advice. I have about five other partitions. When you blow a system disk, all of your data, including your email store in on another disk. I am a software developer and use lots of installed software do 40 gb for a system disk would be a little small.

    I find that the Vista Complete PC Backup has a very efficient compression ratio. So two Dual density DVD's is sufficient to to back up about 32 GB before going to a third.

    Complete PC backup has saved me many times. I recommend doing a clean install and then adding your layered products and wating about two weeks to do a Complete PC Backup. Two weeks will be you enough time to add all those downloads you don't remember that you need, to create a nice "baseline" copy.
     
    Renee, Jun 29, 2008
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