Doing a custom install to remove Bloatware?

Dear All,
I recently ordered a Thinkpad R 61 and was notified today that they shipped it! I am totally excited. However, from reading all the posts here, I am anxious about all the bloatware thats going to be on my system when it arrives. So, when it arrives, I would like to spend some time and remove all the bloatware from it. From what I have read, there are 2 options, either to do a clean recovery DVD or CD reinstall (does Lenovo provide one of these?) or to use the Thinkvantage button during bootup and then do a custom install.
Now knowing me, I know that I will be too freaked out to do a complete reinstall of the OS from the recovery DVD or CD (unless someone can direct me to a step by step guide that tells me how to do this).
So, my question is, can someone please, please provide me with a step by step guide to doing a custom install using the Thinkvantage button (remember that you are dealing with a guy who knows only the very basics of computers)?
I would greatly greatly appreciate any help with this...in fact I will give the person who guides me...half my kingdom
Thanks
CJ

 

Any help is much appreciated people

 

For specific instructions on your particular machine, I can't help, but there are many guides for many brands/models here at NBR, and online (Google!). There probably is a manual available at the Lenovo site, and I'd guess, too, that there will be a guide with your machine, either written or available in the system itself.

The process is actually very easy - I reinstalled XP on an old destop and also installed Ubuntu on the same machine yesterday afternoon. If I can do it anyone can! LOL

 

Don't Double post, and only bump then after 24 hours.
Please follow the forum rules.

 

Try a search if you haven't already, and if you can't find your answer, try posting in the Lenovo forum.

 

I apologize if I broke any posting rules..was not my intention.

 

You should take a look at my clean install guide here:
http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=120228
and the lenovo specific one here:
http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=144783

 

I would suggest that you play with the device for a day or two to get a sense of what you want and don't want such as what software you'll find useful. Make a list of what you plan to keep. Next you can either do a clean install following the guides posted above me and using the drivers and software you decide to use from Lenovo's site. The second option would be to use the Thinkvantage button to do a factory recovery and custom selecting what you want. A lot of options are hidden however, so you may need to download Base Software Administrator from Lenovo to customize the restore further.

The way you're asking is pretty simple -- press the ThinkVantage button at book and you'll load R&R. On the left hand side you should see an option for recovery and you can easily follow the instructions. During the process it will give you a list of optional installs (but not everything is listed, which is why I mention using BSA if you want to be more detailed). That's pretty much it.

On a very important note, I suggest you create recovery CDs before any of this just incase. In Windows, it's under ThinkVantage in the Start Menu. You'll see an option to create them so make sure you do. You can just use a CD and a DVD or 2 DVDs. If you don't do this and you wipe the hidden partition, you may not be able to recover to factory.

 

I don't think you are going to come across much, if any, crap with a Thinkpad. But, a clean install would definitely clean it up.

 

I would try ccleaner before a clean install though.

 

Thanks a lot guys for all your input. Jwy, when you say create recovery discs do you mean recovery discs with al the programs on there or recovery discs of any files that I happen to store on the computer?

 

A "Recovery Disc" is a very specific word that means "a disc that will restore your computer to the point when you opened the box". Recovery discs are usually in the box when you bought the notebook, or there is a tool put there by your OEM to make them yourself. Recovery discs do not backup any of your data or any of the changes you've made since you started using the computer.

If you want to back up your data or your changes, that is something else but not a "Recovery disc". You can make these kinds of backups with the backup tools included with Vista, or you get get 3rd party ones like Acronis Trueimage.

 

Thanks a lot Orev! I apologize..but like I said in my first message..I am not very well versed with computers.
Thanks again

 

It's what orev said. The Recovery Discs will let you restore back to when you got it just incase anything goes wrong with the hard drive or if an installation fails such that you have no operating system. So even in a very bad case scenario, you have yourself covered.

 

I too read all that stuff about clean install. But after getting my R61 recently, I only removed the Norton trial version. Made the recovery discs (in fact, two set, just in case). All other stuff comes with the notebook did not bother me at all. And I don't think it is that big deal for normal use (I consider myself normal user, just doing 3D graphics and C programming)

 

Thanks a lot Wpeter..thats great to hear that being a normal user like me..you did not have to remove anything other than Norton. I have used Norton in the past and I hate it..so will definitely get rid of that. Thanks again.

 

Wirelessman...quick question...I have CC Cleaner installed on my old laptop..now my question was.if I uninstall a program using the CC cleaner does it also clean the related registry entries..so that in effect the program is cleaned out completely? Please let me know.
Thanks
CJ