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    Oops, Forgot to Get DVD-RW!!

    Discussion in 'Lenovo' started by laptopbuy131, Sep 16, 2007.

  1. laptopbuy131

    laptopbuy131 Notebook Guru

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    Hey everyone,

    I just realized I should've got the DVD-RW instead of the CD-RW so I could burn the recovery discs onto DVDs instead. So my question is, is it possible for me to buy a DVD-RW drive to replace the CD-RW drive I have now? If so, can some one point me to the link please? I looked on the Lenovo website and there's a bunch of DVD-RW drives and I'm not sure which one to get for my ThinkPad T61.

    Also, if I used CD's for now to burn the recovery discs, then perform a custom factory install. Could I then be able to burn it onto DVD's and toss out the CD's?

    Thanks all.
     
    laptopbuy131, Sep 16, 2007
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  2. mathx

    mathx Notebook Geek

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    forget, wrong link...
     
    mathx, Sep 16, 2007
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  3. knightingmagic

    knightingmagic Notebook Deity

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    Usually you can only burn one copy of the recovery discs, so I recommend you decide and act quickly.
     
    knightingmagic, Sep 16, 2007
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  4. MonsterMaxx

    MonsterMaxx Notebook Evangelist

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    Tons of them on ebay. WAY less $ then buying from Lenovo for the same thing.
     
    MonsterMaxx, Sep 16, 2007
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  5. ooxxoo

    ooxxoo Notebook Evangelist

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    http://shop.lenovo.com/SEUILibrary/...35BAB3C417CA9D77F5867D31462&model-number=8891

    It's ridiculously expensive.
     
    ooxxoo, Sep 16, 2007
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  6. laptopbuy131

    laptopbuy131 Notebook Guru

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    The recovery discs are recommended but not necessary right? I assume you don't need the recovery discs to perform a custom factory install? Other than that, you can factory custom install as many times as you want because of the hidden partition on the system?
     
    laptopbuy131, Sep 16, 2007
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  7. Daniel L

    Daniel L Notebook Guru

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    Yeah, but if your partition gets messed up, you're out of luck. All it takes to mess up the recovery partition is loading up a different bootloader (dual booting).
     
    Daniel L, Sep 16, 2007
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  8. mh454

    mh454 Notebook Guru

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    I just made recovery discs for my T61P with Vista Premium and I don't have a DVD burner. It took 10 CD's total and maybe 2.5 hours to do.
     
    mh454, Sep 16, 2007
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  9. knightingmagic

    knightingmagic Notebook Deity

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    If your hard drive dies, you're out of luck. Besides, having recovery discs is nice because then you can delete the recovery partition.
     
    knightingmagic, Sep 16, 2007
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  10. laptopbuy131

    laptopbuy131 Notebook Guru

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    If I delete the recovery partition, does the blue thinkpad button still work?
     
    laptopbuy131, Sep 16, 2007
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  11. knightingmagic

    knightingmagic Notebook Deity

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    I don't know. I don't think so, but you can always use the CDs to fully restore the computer.

    The point of deleting the recovery partition is to make your main C:\ partition bigger.
     
    knightingmagic, Sep 16, 2007
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  12. panteedropper

    panteedropper Notebook Deity

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    lenovo sent me a set for free. You can also burn them onto regular cd-r's
     
    panteedropper, Sep 16, 2007
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  13. eyecon82

    eyecon82 Notebook Deity

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    check out stallen's clean install guide...it should answer all of your questions

    you would need to download and install thinkvantage productivity center...that will allow you to use ure blue buttom
     
    eyecon82, Sep 16, 2007
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  14. eyecon82

    eyecon82 Notebook Deity

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    maybe you can try calling lenovo and tell them you forgot to upgrade to dvd burner and perhaps they can send you out a dvd burner and you can send back ure cd burner...and only have them charge you the 'upgrade' price...
     
    eyecon82, Sep 16, 2007
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  15. Tailic

    Tailic Notebook Deity

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    Recovery disks are overrated, just use a clean install with a regular vista dvd and install the rest of the Thinkvantage software from the internet.

    Now if you need a DVD-RW drive for other things then buy one from ebay, the same ones used for T60s are used in T61s.
     
    Tailic, Sep 17, 2007
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  16. knightingmagic

    knightingmagic Notebook Deity

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    They're not. Your Lenovo Vista license doesn't work with retail Vista disks.
     
    knightingmagic, Sep 17, 2007
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  17. ooxxoo

    ooxxoo Notebook Evangelist

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    Yes it does. That's what people use to clean install.
     
    ooxxoo, Sep 17, 2007
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  18. Tailic

    Tailic Notebook Deity

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    If you try to activate it by the retail way it probably wont work but if you do the way the clean install guide says then it will work.
     
    Tailic, Sep 17, 2007
    #18