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    new T420. make msata boot up/primary drive

    Discussion in 'Lenovo' started by themogul, Dec 1, 2011.

  1. themogul

    themogul Notebook Enthusiast

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    Hi,

    I finally got on with the program and got a T420. I also bought a 128GB msata which I want to make it as my primary/boot up drive and have the mechanical drive as media store(songs, movies, shows, torrents). They will arrive by this weekend.

    I am bit of computer novice. Could somebody please point me in the right direction and show/post on how to do this. I would want to do this, before I install any apps on the T420 so its a clean ssd. I have searched for threads but I am getting a bit confused as they have a mix of msata ssd instructions and regular ssd HD instructions.

    Apologies for sounding like a newbie, but I am :eek:
     
    themogul, Dec 1, 2011
    #1
  2. Azrielsc

    Azrielsc Notebook Geek

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    Hi there! I just did the same thing with my X220 last evening! But I was using my X220 for about 6mths so mine was a bit more of a hassle in transferring files.

    What I did was:

    1. Create your factory recovery discs
    2. Power off your T420 and remove the HDD and install the mSATA SSD
    3. Boot up your T420 and enter BIOS
    4. Ensure that your DVD-rom is your 1st boot up device, followed by the SSD
    5. Place the 1st factory recovery disc into your DVD-rom and boot up.
    6. Follow the instructions on creating a new factory image on your mSATA SSD.
    7. Once all is installed, start updating your Win7 & Lenovo drivers
    8. Power off and replace your HDD.
    9. Turn it back on and then proceed to wipe your HDD and do the necessary linkages so that your media are on the HDD and SSD optimisation.

    It was a breeze last night for me and it didn't turn out to be that difficult!

    Good luck!
     
    Azrielsc, Dec 2, 2011
    #2
  3. themogul

    themogul Notebook Enthusiast

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    Thank you :)

    For #9, would you be able to elaborate on what I need to do for HD linkages and what SSD optimizations I need. any links?
     
    themogul, Dec 2, 2011
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  4. Azrielsc

    Azrielsc Notebook Geek

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    Sure! The SSD optimisation guide that I used is The SSD Review-SSD Optimisation Guide.

    Simple steps and it is good to read up before adding the mSATA ssd so that you can plan how you want to configure your programs.
     
    Azrielsc, Dec 2, 2011
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  5. themogul

    themogul Notebook Enthusiast

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    I installed Thinkvantage and it asked me to create a recovery disk. I did that and it created just 1 dvd disc. Is that correct. Just 1 disc?
     
    themogul, Dec 7, 2011
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  6. Azrielsc

    Azrielsc Notebook Geek

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    Sorry, can't help you on that because my X220 requires 4 DVDs for the factory recovery discs.

    Did you run the factory recovery from your default HDD 1st before swapping over to the SSD?
     
    Azrielsc, Dec 8, 2011
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  7. MidnightSun

    MidnightSun Emodicon

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    That can't be right either. For quite some time now, recovery disk sets were 1 bootable CD and 2 data disk DVDs, for a total of 3 disks.

    So themogul, I think that's not really the factory recovery disks. It's likely only a bootable recovery environment disk. Like Azrielsc said, you'll have to have burned the recovery disk set before you wipe away your factory install.
     
    MidnightSun, Dec 8, 2011
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  8. Azrielsc

    Azrielsc Notebook Geek

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    Hi MidnightSun, mine was 4 discs. Just created a set of factory recovery disks for another colleague's X220 (bought last wk) and it was 4 discs too! On a side note, my wife's U260 also required 4 discs!
     
    Azrielsc, Dec 8, 2011
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  9. MidnightSun

    MidnightSun Emodicon

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    Strange. What type of disks are you using? 4.7GB DVDs? Up until now it would seem, Thinkpads have always required 1 CD + 2 DVDs for the recovery media (on the X220, W520, etc). I wonder if it has anything to do with the locale, seeing as you're based in Singapore?
     
    MidnightSun, Dec 8, 2011
    #9
  10. cn_habs

    cn_habs Notebook Deity

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    Did you get some message at the end when you created your only disk? If it allows you to create disks again, then you must have not done it properly the first time.
     
    cn_habs, Dec 8, 2011
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  11. themogul

    themogul Notebook Enthusiast

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    No message at the end. Just finished Burn disc. Maybe I am doing the wrong thing here.

    ThinkVantage -> Advanced -> Create Recovery -> choose disc option . Put in a blank 4.3GB DVD init. and it burned the disc. Finished with no error message.

    Obviously doing something wrong. Just not sure what :$
     
    themogul, Dec 8, 2011
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  12. cn_habs

    cn_habs Notebook Deity

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    Try if it lets you to create them again to know whether you got it right.
     
    cn_habs, Dec 8, 2011
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  13. brian5

    brian5 Notebook Evangelist

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    I can confirm that my X220 required 4 DVDs (4.7GB). (I know now that the first could have been a CD.)
     
    brian5, Dec 8, 2011
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  14. Azrielsc

    Azrielsc Notebook Geek

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    Yup, 4 x 4.7GB DVDs! :) I noticed that the size difference of the burnt files are:

    1. 1st DVD - 200MB
    2. 2nd DVD - 3.88GB
    3. 3rd DVD - 4.15GB
    4. 4th DVD - 289MB

    Not sure about how the locale would affect the size unless we have additional language packs, which I doubt so, though...

    And to confirm, the factory R&R discs are the same size regardless of how long we have used the laptop. I compared my X220 (used 6mths) and my colleague X220 (brand new) factory R&R discs.

    Yes, I am anally retentive! :)
     
    Azrielsc, Dec 8, 2011
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  15. Azrielsc

    Azrielsc Notebook Geek

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    Shouldn't you be going to:

    Lenovo ThinkVantage Tools > Factory Recovery Disks
     
    Azrielsc, Dec 8, 2011
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  16. MidnightSun

    MidnightSun Emodicon

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    Ah, interesting, it would seem that the recovery disks are now 1 bootable CD + 3 DVDs. My T500's recovery disks (Windows Vista Business 64-bit) were 1 CD + 2 DVDs. My X120e's recovery disks (Windows 7 HP 64-bit) were the same. Wonder when the change happened, and why...
     
    MidnightSun, Dec 8, 2011
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  17. themogul

    themogul Notebook Enthusiast

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    I tried again and this time it did create 4 disks - 1 bootable + 3 disks(all dvd's, didn't check size). All better now and now i have got a weekend project to make my msata drive as my primary HD :)

    Thank you all for the help.
     
    themogul, Dec 9, 2011
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  18. Azrielsc

    Azrielsc Notebook Geek

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    Awesome! Finally you got it solved! Was it because you chose "
    Lenovo ThinkVantage Tools > Factory Recovery Disks"?

    Cheers!
     
    Azrielsc, Dec 9, 2011
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  19. themogul

    themogul Notebook Enthusiast

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    Yes. All Programs -> Lenovo ThinkVantage -> Tools. instead of pressing the thinkvantage button on the notebook.
     
    themogul, Dec 11, 2011
    #19