how to restore win and lenovo partitions after formatting?

[sbarro]

Hi,
My new x201 came yesterday and it seems like a very nice laptop! However, it's my first small laptop (been using various 15.4" ones before) and I'm not sure it'll fit my needs simply because of the size. Thus I might give it to my fiancee or sell it after a few months. Now the crux is that to start using it for work I want to format the hd and install linux on it. How do I then later reset the system to its original state, with Windows and that special Lenovo partition?

Here's what I've done so far:

# I ran the ThinkVantage tools to create Factory Recovery Disks to a usb but I didn't know that you could only run it once - and I deleted that backup. Now I can't run it again...

# If I run Rescue and Recovery from ThinkVantage and choose Backup I have the option to create a Rescue Media to a usb stick. However this fails with the error "An internal error has caused this process to fail". Is there some virtual cd software that would allow me to do write it to an ISO? I tried Daemon-tools and Virtual CloneDrive without success.

# I tried running a program that I have under Start - Maintenance - Create a System Repair Disc. This doesn't work since I don't have a cd/dvd. Again, is there some virtual cd software that I could use?

My final option is just to ask Lenovo for backup cds and then later -- if needed -- deal with the problem of reading them (by buying/borrowing a cd reader or writing the content to usb).

Thanks for your input!

[edit: changed subject]

[j-dawg]

If I'm not mistaken, you should be able to burn off new recovery discs if you do a factory restore from the Thinkvantage partition.

You say you haven't got a CD/DVD...does that mean you haven't got the drives, or you haven't got the media? In either case, you might consider purchasing whatever you're missing to make a DVD backup. Discs from Lenovo cost many dollars that you could just put towards a USB burner and a few discs - well worth the few dollars for a few DVDs so you have the discs on a medium that can't be erased, in my opinion, and if you haven't got the drive it can be useful (though I rarely use mine).

[RealBlackStuff]

An alternative would be to just take the old HD with Windows out and store it in a save place.
Then buy a new HD to load whatever you want on it.

[sbarro]

Thank you for your replies.

An alternative would be to just take the old HD with Windows out and store it in a save place.
Then buy a new HD to load whatever you want on it.

That's a possibility, but ssd's are kind of pricey.

If I'm not mistaken, you should be able to burn off new recovery discs if you do a factory restore from the Thinkvantage partition.

Just tried it, and it didn't work

You say you haven't got a CD/DVD...does that mean you haven't got the drives, or you haven't got the media? In either case, you might consider purchasing whatever you're missing to make a DVD backup. Discs from Lenovo cost many dollars that you could just put towards a USB burner and a few discs - well worth the few dollars for a few DVDs so you have the discs on a medium that can't be erased, in my opinion, and if you haven't got the drive it can be useful (though I rarely use mine).

It's the drive that I don't have. I thought it was sufficient nowadays to have a few usb sticks and a few portable HDs, but I guess not. Quite annoying!

[j-dawg]

It certainly is. There is, however, something to be said for DVDs in that once you've burned off that 4.7GB, you can never use that disc for anything else (besides a coaster, frisbee, or improvised ninja star ). I don't like storing important data on flash drives because when I need that extra few hundred MB, I may be tempted to (accidentally or knowingly) delete something that I really need to keep.

[sbarro]

I've managed to install debian while keeping the win and rescue partitions... I guess we could close this thread.

[AMATX]

Buy a cheap external usb DVD drive off of ebay for $20-40. Very handy when you're stuck.

Probably have to call Lenovo, tell 'em you have a problem(unspecified) with the HD and request they send you CDs with the Recovery/Restore stuff on them. If no go, or they charge too much $$ for the disks, check ebay & this board for copies of these disks. Ebay often has them for decent $$$.

Get a hold of some backup software(Acronis, perhaps?) that'll allow you correctly backup/clone the original hard drive, and either burn some copies of that or clone it to a conventional HD. Boot the HD, verify it, etc., then stick it in a safe. At that point, you can use the original SSD for Linux or whatever...