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    Question: upgrading Vista/clean install w/o an optical drive

    Discussion in 'Windows OS and Software' started by strangesweet, Aug 7, 2008.

  1. strangesweet

    strangesweet Notebook Deity

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    I will be getting Lenovo X200 w/o an optical drive. However, I have an USB external DVD drive.

    1) If I were to upgrade from Home Basic to Ultimate (I have a retail full version CD), do I simply plug the external DVD drive onto one of the usb and do the install?

    2) If I were to do a clean install or my laptop goes wrong and I need to reinstall them, does USB external DVD drive still work under those condition? What I mean is, is the laptop able to read USB drive when the OS is completely deleted for example?

    Thank you very much in advance.
     
    strangesweet, Aug 7, 2008
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  2. Icewalker

    Icewalker Notebook Consultant

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    The answer is yes to both questions. I don't see why either of those options won't work. Do try upgrade or install from an external USB drive, and post back your experience.
     
    Icewalker, Aug 7, 2008
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  3. ScuderiaConchiglia

    ScuderiaConchiglia NBR Vaio Team Curmudgeon

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    An upgrade will go fine. The OS is running and all the drivers are in place to access the DVD drive.

    For a clean install, there MIGHT be an issue. If the BIOS supports booting from a USB device and recognizes the DVD player as such a device, you will be fine. If not you will be unable to do a clean install since it requires booting from the install media.

    Gary
     
    ScuderiaConchiglia, Aug 7, 2008
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  4. swarmer

    swarmer beep beep

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    Most modern BIOSes should support USB booting. Especially a business system such as Thinkpad. I'm not familiar with their BIOS... but I would be really surprised if it didn't.
     
    swarmer, Aug 7, 2008
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  5. ScuderiaConchiglia

    ScuderiaConchiglia NBR Vaio Team Curmudgeon

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    Yep, you are right. Most do support this. I just wanted to point out that the OP needs to try it out before he does anything rash.

    Gary
     
    ScuderiaConchiglia, Aug 8, 2008
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  6. strangesweet

    strangesweet Notebook Deity

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    Thanks for the replies.

    So in BIOS, I select USB booting as first priority then hard drive as second priority?

    Then plug USB external drive, insert Windows CD, run clean install.. once it's done installing, switch the booting priority?
     
    strangesweet, Aug 8, 2008
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  7. ScuderiaConchiglia

    ScuderiaConchiglia NBR Vaio Team Curmudgeon

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    Yes, that should work fine.

    Gary
     
    ScuderiaConchiglia, Aug 8, 2008
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  8. oldgraygeek

    oldgraygeek Notebook Consultant

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    I strongly suggest you invest the whopping $80 or so in another hard disk.
    Pull the OEM drive out of the ThinkPad, put the new one in, and install Windows as described above.

    That way, you will have all the drivers & files preserved on the OEM drive, and you won't need to create a "Where do I get the widget driver for my ThinkPad?" thread...
     
    oldgraygeek, Aug 8, 2008
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