Hi everyone...,

I just bought 4 units T410 2522-MP2 for my client, since they're using Win 7 Enterprise, I have to change the preinstalled Win 7 Pro 64-bit with Win 7 Enterprise they have. Just in case one day they want to get back the original preinstalled Win 7 Pro 64-bit, I tried to create the recovery media using Factory Recovery Disk inside the ThinkVantage Tools Box, but it said: "You can have only one copy of the Microsoft Windows operating system. The Product Recovery Media Creator will exit now". All of them have the same problem, Is there any solution to get the recovery media?

I installed 1 of the notebooks using Win 7 Enterprise, I didn't change the partition, just format the C Drive hopefully it can be restored later from the recovery partition (which is Q Drive), after the installation, I installed the whole drivers I downloaded from Lenovo support website, then I tried to restore back to factory default, but it can not restore to factory default, just ended with Windows Recovery, not Lenovo Recovery. Can some one help how to get back factory default?

Thanks...

The only way to get back to factory default is with recovery CD's or a working recovery partition. On the (3) machines that you didn't mess with, are they bone stock out of the box? Nobody tried to create recovery media on them already? You only get one chance to do that before the utility shuts you out. By the way, if they are bone stock you need to call Lenovo and get them to send you recovery CD's...what you've described would be a manufacturing defect.

Hi,
I have the same problem as Duace. I recently purchased a Thinkpad x1 (which is a lovely machine .
- I wanted to upgrade to a SSD HD and created a recovery disk using a 16GB USB stick.
- I installed the SSD HD but the X1 wont boot from the recovery USB.
- I went back to create some good old fashioned recovery DVDs but no joy. I now have the same error as the person that started this post.
- I replaced the original HD.

It took me days to set up the latop and transfer my data. However, now without a way of creating recovery media I am too nervous to use the machine to store important data.

Every other machine I have (HP, ACER, ASUS, Toshiba etc) allows me to create multiple number of recovery disks. This makes sense because the recovery disks can only be used with specific laptops which all came with legal copies of Windows.

My current plan is to backup all 200GB of data and use the onboard recovery facility to return the laptop to factory settings. A right royal pain in the .....

Does anyone know if this work or if lenovo has put a block on this as well?

Thanks in advance.....
Peter

hello peteruk..
i've been to kingston upon thames.. nice place but you guys drive on the wrong side of the road which makes my abitily to gauge the distance to the parked cars a bit, shall we say, fun..?!

now, to the OP and peter, i have not had anything newer since an X300 so my thoughts might be a little out of date, BUT..
can you not just copy the recovery CD's you have made..?
and barring that, it was possible at one time to make a set of recovery CD's, run the recovery and recover the entire HDD and then just make another recovery CD set..

all this said, its quite possible that M$ and lenovo have conspired to prevent this sort of activity since my last go at recovering T60's, T61's and the X300..

If you cannot burn the recovery discs just call support and they will send you a set free of charge.

Hi all,
Well I used the recovery partition to restore my thinkpad to factory settings. I went through the same setup that was presented when I first powered up the laptop. Everything looked pretty good until i tried to create the recovery disks and saw the same error stating that I could only have one copy of Windows.

I'll try contact support and let you know how easy it is to get some sympathy and perhaps some help too.


Peter

Hi everyone,

I have the same problem that peter (peteruk) has.

- purchased a lenovo thinkpad x1 recently.
- created a system recovery media on a 16 GB USB drive using lenovo's "Factory Recovery Disks"
- tried to boot from the USB drive (F12 at windows start up) to see if recovery media was created successfull
-USB won't boot.
- I also tried changing priority settings in BIOS but it didn't help.

haven't found any solutions on the web and have no second chance to create a recovery media, for microsoft won't let me.

@peteruk
have you solved the problem?

Best, Emitt

OK, I solved the problem! (on my Thinkpad X1)

Creating Recovery Media / Disk on USB drive / stick for Windows 7 using lenovo software


1) [delete Q:\FactoryRecovery\service_done.ini]
Microsoft will only let you create one recovery disc/media. If you tried to create a recovery media using lenovo's software (Lenovo Thinkvantage Tools - Factory Recovery Disc) but your recovery media is corrupt, delete Q:\FactoryRecovery\service_done.ini and you will be able to create another recovery media without getting the following message "You have only one copy of the Microsoft Windows operating system. The Product Recovery Media Creator will exit now.".

2) [make USB drive bootable]
If you want to create a recovery media on a USB drive using the lenovo software, you need to prepare the USB drive to make it bootable.

Start-> run: "cmd" enter.
A new window opens: Type "diskpart" enter.
A new window opens: Type "list disk" enter (to see all drives. Identify Disk No. of USB drive by size of the listed drives.)
Type "select disk <USB drive number>" (to select USB drive, for example "select disk 2")
Type "clean" (to delete all files from USB drive)
Type "create partition primary" (selfexplainatory)
Type "select partition=1" (to select the partition you just created)
Type "active" (to activate the partition)
Type "format fs=fat32" (to format partition into file system Fat32)
Type "assign" (to be able to see the partition in windows explorer)
Close open windows.
Your USB drive is now bootable (like a DVD).

3) [create recovery media on USB]
Run Thinkvantage Tools - Factory Recovery Disc and follow instructions. (Further Reading: Lenovo Thinkpad X1 Manual page 68 I think)

Voilá, there is your recovery usb for Windows 7. (Use a USB that's bigger than 8 GB)

4) [check if recovery usb is working]
Insert USB drive. Restart your computer. Repeatedly hit "F12" while computer is booting. Chose USB drive to start from. If Windows recovery screen appears, it's working. Click "cancel" to cancel recovery.

Best,

Emitt

Sorry for digging up an old post, but... I have literally misplaced my recovery media which I made when I first got my T400 and I can't recreate the media.

I deleted the "Q:\FactoryRecovery\service_done.ini" file, I get to select "Boot Media" and "Data Media", OK. But then I get "The files required by this program cannot be found" error.

Any ideas?

I have the same problem and have yet to figure that one out after searching all over. Your best bet is to find someone that already has the discs and burn a 1:1 copy of them.