The Notebook Review forums were hosted by TechTarget, who shut down them down on January 31, 2022. This static read-only archive was pulled by NBR forum users between January 20 and January 31, 2022, in an effort to make sure that the valuable technical information that had been posted on the forums is preserved. For current discussions, many NBR forum users moved over to NotebookTalk.net after the shutdown.
Problems? See this thread at archive.org.

    Lenovo 3000 V100...can I restore XP Pro w/o Lenovo junk?

    Discussion in 'Lenovo' started by Mazda 3s, Dec 10, 2006.

  1. Mazda 3s

    Mazda 3s Notebook Guru

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    59
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    15
    I've had my Lenovo V100 for a few months, but I'd like to do a clean install without all of the Lenovo crap that comes installed by default. Is there anyway to restore my machine w/o all the Lenovo stuff and preinstalled software?

    I performed the system back to DVD the day I got my laptop, but AFAIK, it only restores back to the factory defaults and doesn't give you the option to install just the OS/drivers.

    I could be wrong, but I dunno...
     
    Mazda 3s, Dec 10, 2006
    #1
  2. vespoli

    vespoli 402 NBR Reviewer

    Reputations:
    1,134
    Messages:
    3,401
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    105
    You'll need a Windows XP OEM CD.
     
    vespoli, Dec 10, 2006
    #2
  3. Greg

    Greg Notebook Nobel Laureate

    Reputations:
    7,857
    Messages:
    16,212
    Likes Received:
    58
    Trophy Points:
    466
    You might be able to contact Levono and ask for an OS CD with just the OS. After all...you paid for the software.
     
    Greg, Dec 10, 2006
    #3
  4. vespoli

    vespoli 402 NBR Reviewer

    Reputations:
    1,134
    Messages:
    3,401
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    105

    I called Lenovo a few weeks/a month ago and asked for a disk--they refused. What they will do is send a CD/DVD called a "restore" disk-this contains all of the same stuff which is on the restore partiton. I later read that M$ doesn't require companies to give out discs as long as the company provides a way for the user to restore windows. I'd suggest borrowing a friend's OEM CD-as long as you have a license it's legal.
     
    vespoli, Dec 10, 2006
    #4
  5. The Oatman

    The Oatman Notebook Consultant

    Reputations:
    21
    Messages:
    227
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    I am investigating this myself. Would a Dell OEM XP Pro SP2 cd work with the lenovo supplied key?
     
    The Oatman, Dec 10, 2006
    #5
  6. dietcokefiend

    dietcokefiend DietGreenTeaFiend

    Reputations:
    2,291
    Messages:
    3,023
    Likes Received:
    2
    Trophy Points:
    106
    Do the full system restore, right before it starts the process, it asks you if you want to install everything, or customize the programs it installs. Here you can unselect all the extra crap you dont want put on.
     
    dietcokefiend, Dec 10, 2006
    #6
  7. Mazda 3s

    Mazda 3s Notebook Guru

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    59
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    15
    Ahhh, thanks! I'll try that.
     
    Mazda 3s, Dec 10, 2006
    #7
  8. kf_man

    kf_man Notebook Consultant

    Reputations:
    14
    Messages:
    158
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    Another option, that I have yet to try since my current laptop came with an OEM XP Home CD, is to build your own OEM disk using the I386 folder that is most likely hiding on your C: drive. I don't have the instructions off-hand, but there are at least a few places online that describe how to do this process. If Lenovo does in fact let you choose options to install, that would be outstanding! If not, this might be a viable option.
     
    kf_man, Dec 11, 2006
    #8
  9. Mazda 3s

    Mazda 3s Notebook Guru

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    59
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    15
    Well, spent about 4 hours last night messing around with this thing. I performed the restore hoping that it would give me option to restore with just the OS/drivers -- no such luck. It only gave me the option to restore from backup or perform a fresh from factory install.

    I also tried an OEM XP Pro SP2 CD, but it wouldn't even recognize my hard drive (WTF?).

    So I ended up waiting through the what seemed like 2 hour process of letting the system restore. Then I had to uninstall about 95% of the crap that Lenovo had installed by default.
     
    Mazda 3s, Dec 11, 2006
    #9