Recovery CDs and clean install of Vista

I have the X200 and Lenovo's recovery CDs for Vista.

My question is can I do a clean install of Vista using the recovery discs that I have? Is there some way to install my Vista without all the other crap?

Thanks

 

If you don't want your system to work properly, then by all means, use an OEM copy of Vista that doesn't have "All That Crap" that makes your system work properly. Of course I'm sure they'll be some "expert" along to disagree and tell you all the greatest ways how and reasons to do it, but in the end you'll likely wind up bringing it to someone like me to fix it for you. The difference is that here I don't charge for the same advice I do elsewhere, and those other "experts" don't give a ratza$$ if your system works or not, since the bulk of their experience comes from the systems they've dealt with at home or have used in their life, and not the hundreds and thousands those like me have.

Most manufacturers don't really add too much stuff these days that you don't need - the days of crapware overload have be gone for some time, yet every day I see someone else who believes that everything on their system which isn't Microsoft must be worthless. Think again.

Notebooks and desktops are designed to work with components of other manufacturers, but in order to work with the different configurations and designs, each system series has its own set of certified drivers, software, even specially custom designed software (like HP's QuickPlay Media Player program - it's actually a modified version of Cyberlink's Power DVD). Each of those components, along with the copy of Vista that's used to run it, is licensed to run on a number of system series configurations. When you use an OEM copy of Vista (or XP, etc.) you immediately remove all of the certified drivers and programs that were there specifically for your system's designed configuration. And people always wonder why when they wipe out their installed manufacturer's Vista copy and all the stuff on it, why it just doesn't work right any more. Same with XP downgrades on machines designed for Vista - all companies explicitly warn users not to do it, but someone always thinks they're smarter than those dummies who designed their system and does it anyway, then gets mad when they can't find the drivers for them which they were told were'nt going to be available.

Stuff I consider crapware are things like AOL or ISP offers, Messengers, anything with Symantec or Norton on it,etc. Most programs that come with your system you can of course remove, but with todays systems they really don't take up that much space, but you'd better be sure about it's need before doing so.

Do what most people don't - actually go to your system's support site/page, and read the documentation there about your system, and realize it's their for a reason, not just to make a website look pretty.

 

Yes, you can do a selective restore, and pick the items you want to install. Look for it on the restore menu when you start the process,,,

 

Thanks for your advice. I didn't mean to sound harsh when I wrote "crap"... it's just that I'm installing a new hard drive in my X200 and was thinking of a totally clean install.

In the end I think I'll just reinstall everything off of recovery discs including Lenovo's stuff and just tweak Vista a little bit.

 

Congratulation on your new x200 King Arth. I'll be doing the same when I replace my X200s' hard drive when the laptop comes.

Cheers,
Gnimble

 

where can i find this "selective restore" option at?

 

Lenovo has an entire page dedicated to drivers for every component they offer. As long as your machine is still supported there is no reason to have missing drivers. This is the same thing as building a car from scratch. Sure, car companies include lots of stuff in their cars, but if you are looking to build a car that can go even faster with the bare minimum, you can strip it down and start over. All you have to do is research and follow guides to the T (i.e. downloading all drivers they tell you to in the Clean Install Guides).