Format C: Vs Restore to the original factory state

Hi people, how are you doing ??

I'm wondering, what are you doing with you Lenovo laptop when it's time to format ?? A classic format C: and reinstall Windows with the CD or use the Lenovo Rescue and Recovery to ''Restore to the original factory state'' ?? Usually, I try to reformat my PCs (only desktop up to now) two time a year because it feels so great to use a brand new partition. So, what is your opinion ?? What should I do with my T61P. It's my very first laptop so I don't know if I must format it as often as my Desktop..

THX

 

I've done a classic reformat. By the way, every one here is not a guy.

Renee

 

THX, and I'm sorry, edited :S

 

I am not sure I can tell you how often to reformat the machine, as I only do that if something is really messed up with Windows. I did a clean install with my machine and by having my anytime upgrade disc and the clean install guide I can reformat any time I want with full freedom. I didn't want to use the resuce and recovery discs since I don't want the original bloatware on the machine and I dual boot Linux. With the dual booting I want the freedom to do what i want. Check out this clean install guide, I did my clean install using this guide an my machine works great. Let me know if you have any questions.

 

THX, This is a useful link for me

 

I usually reformat, but make sure you make the recovery discs first.

 

A recovery disk to reinstall windows vista ??

 

im too scared to do a clean reformat.... i've read many people who followed the clean install guide and things wouldn't work even though they followed directions exactly

 

I think you are getting confused on some things, so let me see if I can clear some things up. First, these days most laptop manufacturers are not giving out a disc with just windows on it so that you can reformat your machine when you want. Instead many are requiring you to make your own, as is Lenovo. Basically your harddrive has a hidden partition on it called the "recovery partition" which contains Vista, the drivers and all 3rd party programs(some call bloatware) on it. It has all the software that comes with the machine when you first take it out of the box and turn on the machine(i.e. day one). Any subsequent install, deletes, configs etc are your choice and don't affect this recovery partition. The partitions contents stay the same, unless you remove this partition manually.
So knowing this you have different choices to "reformat" your drive.

1.) You can use the Thinkvantage button/Thinkvantage rescue and recovery program to bring your machine back to day one status. It is like reformatting. Basically this program reads the recovery parition and its contents and reinstalls all that is there(i.e. Vista, the drivers and apps that originally came with your machine.

2.) You can( AND SHOULD) make what are known as recovery discs. This process copies the contents of this hidden recovery partition to CDs or DVDs, your choice. It fits on about 2 to 3 DVDs or 9 to 13 CDs. Now once these are made you can put them in your machine and boot from them to restore the machine to day one status like in step #1 above. I strongly suggest you make these discs right away using the Thinkvantage rescue and recovery program. This way if something happens to the harddrive and you lose this hidden "recovery" partition, or the whole disc for that matter, you can drop another harddrive in the machine and restore the machine back to day one status using these recovery discs.

3.) If you don't want to deal with this new way of doing things at all and want just a barebones Vista install without any extra drivers and bloatware, you can go the clean install route that I advised above. This is what I did, since I want complete control of my machine. I still made the recovery discs and put them away in a safe place, without using them(incase you want to sell the machine and bring it back to the way it was from the factory). In order to install Windows this way you will need to buy a retail copy of Windows, get an OEM disc(or borrow), or get an anytime upgrade disc. Using any of these discs and the License key(I suggest you use the preactivated key as mentioned in Stallen's guide) you paid for, you can reformat your machine and reinstall Vista anytime you want. I personally love this method and HATE the new way.

Does that help?

 

Theres nothing to be scared of. It is just a little time consuming and you need to read everything carefully. Not all the drivers are just double click and install. Make sure to read the "read-me" files for each driver before installing them. the only thing that doesn't work for me, as was described in Stallen's guide, is the blue thinkvantage button, which I don't use anyways. And I think somebody found a way to get that back too in Stallen guide thread.

And besides if the clean install doesn't work, you can just bring the machine back to factory settings again using the recovery discs and you are back to the beginning again. Thats why it is so important to make these discs.

 

Wow, THX for you help The Fire Snake.. This info is going to be so helpful for me +1 reputation THX, this is great advice