how to go from lenovo-partitioned vista to new Win7?

I wish to upgrade from my lenovo-supplied vista with its 3 partitions (plus my extra partition for data!) to a win7 that I will guess i will buy at my local store next week. i was wondering how to do it right (I will do a clean install with an upgrade win7). e.g. do i install after a quick reformat of all 3 lenovo partitions (and merge?), or will i best have all the existing partitions in new win7 as i do now with vista? I haven't seen instructions, and it is so soon...there must be clear instructions somewhere. at lenovo? here? lastly, i guess i install new lenovo drivers after installing win7?

 

I was under the impression that you could pretty much follow the Vista clean install guide. Am I wrong?

 

If you have a Windows 7 install disk, I'm pretty sure you can completely wipe the disk and repartition it as necessary in the installation procedure, if that's what you're asking. In that case, your data will obviously be wiped, so you will have to back up your necessary data beforehand.

The drivers will presumably all be available from Lenovo shortly after the official Windows 7 launch.

 

If you purchase an upgrade disk would it be best to use the key provided with the disk or do the thing in the clean install guide where you run a separate program to store/use the current hidden key (or whatever it's called)?

 

Thanks for feedback! Any idea whether lenovo will be offering their own versions? I am surprised there is so little on their web site. There is going to be a big rush for upgrades when win7 is available.

 

Last time I talked to Lenovo the rep said they had no real information about how they were going to handle the upgrade, but he said it would likely be Windows 7 recovery disks. Also he had no idea if I would be able to request a 64 bit disk even though my machine came with 32 bit. I decided to go directly through Microsoft and buy a 64 bit upgrade download and an upgrade disk (for backup) for a decent price.

 

The thought of having the awful Lenovo "recovery disks", and all these extra partitions once more fills me with dread. With Win-7 I look forward to having a real OS DVD, and my own set of recovery disk that are up-to-date as often as I wish to update it. I guess I will try the Win 7-provided imaging system, or if that is not good enough, upgrade from Acronis 9 to 10. The year-zero recovery system that Lenovo provides is worse the more time there is since initial installation.

 

Antskip,
As long as I have had thinkpads, I've had that and I really wouldn't have it any other way. Having a lenovo in this manner demanded that I treat the system in an adult manner which I was used to anyway. I backed the systems up, but I never had to recover them. I hope you do it. I had all of your cringes too but I have yet to loose a disk. Good Luck!
Renee

 

Fair enough. I image my OS partitions (the lenovo-created ones with my added programmes and settings plus the extra lenovo partitions) onto an external HDD (used only for data mirroring and OS and software images) every month using Acronis 2009. I have all data files in another partition, and use Synctoy 2.0 to mirror incremental changes to all data files from data partition every couple of days onto a dedicated data partition on the external HDD . This backup and image-target HDD that I update regularly also has on it a properly functioning original OS and software, to which the backup and image-target partitions have been added - plus the incrementally changed data.

I also have along with the SSD that I use day-to-day I have stored away the original HDD with its original lenovo-provided system plus another copy of data files on an extra partition.

I also created a set of lenovo rescue/restore disk to make the system like new.

First I would attempt to restore the much more complete and more recent acronis image. (plus the data from the data backup on external HDD).

Secondly, revert to using one of the two spare operational HDD's, and mirror any changes to the data files.

Lastly, I would go the way of a year-zero restore through the lenovo rescue disks, and add the backup-up data files.