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    X220 - Windows CD?

    Discussion in 'Lenovo' started by m11xx, May 18, 2011.

  1. m11xx

    m11xx Notebook Guru

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    hi guys,
    my x220 just arrived and i was going to put in a ssd but can't find any windows cd, only the preinstalled os on the hdd :-(

    how am I supposed to get windows onto the ssd?

    please help
     
    m11xx, May 18, 2011
    #1
  2. hitman_36

    hitman_36 Notebook Consultant

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    I think you need to make recovery disc from the laptop and then do the installing on the SSD in which you need to call Microsoft to activate again your copy of the windows.
     
    hitman_36, May 18, 2011
    #2
  3. Tsunade_Hime

    Tsunade_Hime such bacon. wow

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    As stated above, you need to create your own recovery media or order it from Lenovo directly. Nobody ever ships recovery media anymore except for Dell.

    Also you can legitimately download Windows 7 iso and do a clean install on the SSD and just activate the COA on the bottom of your machine.
     
    Tsunade_Hime, May 18, 2011
    #3
  4. larryf

    larryf Notebook Guru

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    That's correct, they do not come with any media. There are several ways to install your SSD and put Windows on it.

    The way I did it was that I had a Win 7 Pro DVD and just did a fresh install from that, reinstalling all the drivers and Lenovo/ThinkPad items I wanted.

    Another way is to download a Win 7 ISO file from here:
    http://forum.notebookreview.com/win...-7-download-links-just-like-vista-before.html
    and use the Win 7 key that came with your X220 (under the battery). You will still need to reinstall all the drivers and Lenovo items after installing Windows.

    You could also go through the initial setup process of the X220 and then create the recovery discs (1 CD and 3 DVDs for me) and then use those to reinstall the OS as it came from the factory. For this, you would create the recovery discs, power down, pull the factory hard drive and install your SSD drive. Reboot with the recovery discs using the external USB DVD drive and follow the directions. This way, all the drivers & software are installed when you're done.
     
    larryf, May 18, 2011
    #4
  5. Tsunade_Hime

    Tsunade_Hime such bacon. wow

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    I would prefer on an SSD you do a clean install as using recovery media may not always have SSD aligned eventually causing significant performance degradation and excessive writes on the cells causing premature failure.
     
    Tsunade_Hime, May 18, 2011
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  6. m11xx

    m11xx Notebook Guru

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    Clean install as of:

    ?

    Thanks!
     
    m11xx, May 18, 2011
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  7. PatchySan

    PatchySan Om Noms Kit Kat

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    Yes Tsunade meant using the original Windows 7 discs and install the operating system yourself for a clean install.
     
    PatchySan, May 18, 2011
    #7
  8. bogatyr

    bogatyr Notebook Evangelist

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    I'm not sure how much I would trust an OS ISO from a non-standard source. It's trivial to add in unknown "extras" to the image.
     
    bogatyr, May 18, 2011
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  9. KCETech1

    KCETech1 Notebook Prophet

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    The legal windows 7 link above is actually from digital river wich IS a microsoft subsiduary. it is safe as almost every tech dept globally has downloaded them from there or Technet subscriptions
     
    KCETech1, May 18, 2011
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  10. pcunite

    pcunite Notebook Enthusiast

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    When I've bought MS software before the download link was from Digital River.
     
    pcunite, May 18, 2011
    #10