Thinkpads Forum

T61p conversion from Hitachi 60g (7200) to WD 320g (7200)

Did my best to keep within the 60g limit, but it just hasn't got enough space for Vista et al. Alright so the 60g filled up (with just bloatware, mind you), had to replace it.

On Friday Newegg delived a nice new shiny WD 320g, and an ancillary 2.5 SATA HDD kit. Rather than attempt to move the programs over, I figured on doing a fresh install and then updating online. But that turned out to be disaster, beyond just having to call Adobe and Micro$oft for new permissions to reuse my programs (that I already bought and paid for, for quite abit of money... I don't really know how much piracy is an issue, but these major companies, whose CEO's are richer than God, are making me feel like a petty thief. There is a special place in Dante's Hell for people like this, somewhere several levels below corrupt politicians and popes.) Anyway, the Vista reload has been constantly updating, and then not working properly, or this morning at all.

So I called up Lenovo to let know that the (homemade) recovery disks weren't doing the initial install right, and that it wasn't updating properly as a result. I figured that they could send me an official set. Now we're talking run-around!

The first guy I talked to couldn't tell his head from a hole in the ground, but he did know enough to not send me any new anything at Lenovo's expense. He told me he couldn't do or suggest anything because the T61p cannot run a hardrive bigger than 160g. He connected me with technical support (and I thought I was talking with technical support...).

The tech guy promptly assumed lawyer speak, very carefully choosing his words and occasionally correcting himself with "I didn't say that..." At one I even told him I would sue, promise, scouts honor. But he was so deeply concerned with CYA, he couldn't hardly tell what I was asking. He did point out where I could buy a rather expensive 160g harddrive from Lenovo. Gotta admit, he is a company man.

So now, here I am wondering the hay to do. I got a computer that won't work right, and a company that won't provide the technical support I paid extra for when I bought the computer, on a completely bogus pretext.

Let me know what you think of my options:

1. I could buy the Lenovo 160g HDD, and beg for support from that lying, deceptive piece of @#@#&^(%#(Q*&@$)% company.
2. I could send the 320g HDD back to Newegg and get a 160g HDD.
3. I start over from scratch and load Vista again on the new 320g hardrive, and go through updates more carefully this time.
4. I have an old copy of XP for a T42p lying around, I could try and load that, and then download new drivers from Lenovo (not sure if this will work, though).
5. I could load Ubuntu, which I happen to know will work, since I sometimes boot from an external (1t) drive.

I am currently wasting my life by trying door number 3 again. What do you think is the best option?

Sorry this changes the story a wee bit:

"At one I even told him I would sue, promise, scouts honor."

It should read:
At one point I even told him I wouldn't sue, promise, scouts honor.

First: Sorry you are having difficulty replacing your existing drive with a larger one.

Second: Cloning an existing drive onto a larger one is routine, and there is no "tech support" issue there. Essentially, it is no different that asking someone how to use Photoshop. I would not think it is Lenovo's responsibility to teach someone how to use applications, including support utilities such as the ones required to clone a drive or to load a new operating system onto a new drive.

If you search this forum, you will find several threads which answer the question of how to clone a hard drive and then replace one hard drive with another.

Most of the threads suggest using Acronis's True Image cloning program (the free demo version will do the job). The "quick start" is as follows:
- Download Acronis's True Image (free demo version)
- Place old (existing) drive in an external USB enclosure or in the 2nd HDD Ultrabay adapter
- Place the new drive in the T61p's primary drive bay
- Clone old drive onto new drive using Acronis's True Image
Done.
Good luck!

Thanks for your quick comment.

I have already prepped the old hard drive for another use. Cloning it at this point is not an option.

Really, I am just angry at Lenovo for giving me a run-around. I feel that someone ought to know what this company is up to. Had I known, I would not have gotten a Lenovo. Gosh, I have even gotten better treatment from Dell! At least they didn't lie to me.

sitkaa wrote:... Cloning it at this point is not an option. ...

Okay; in that case you must install a new operating system onto a "virgin" drive. I would use Windows XP or Windows 7, not Vista.

Setting aside your "anger" at Lenovo, let's solve your problem. What do you need to accomplish your task: Recovery Disks for a T61p and/or something else? What assistance do you need?

A copy of properly working copy of Vista or Win7 would be my ideal.
Was trying to get a working copy of Vista from Lenovo (which by all rights should have shipped with the machine...). Win7 won't be available until Oct. 22, and I don't want to have to spend the money on an upgrade anyway, since the difference is marginal at best.
So XP perhaps? Will XP run all the functions of a T61p: 3g ram, Nvidia discete graphics, etc, etc? Lenovo would probably be the goto for XP drivers, are these readily in a single package, or do they require extensive hand-holding?

Or maybe it is just time to give up on the whole Micro$oft ecosystem.

1. My T61p works perfectly and has not failed to do so since the day I bought.
2. It came with a SATA hard drive (200Gb) so any reasonable SATA should do.
3. The FIRST thing I do with a new PC is order recovery CD's (I pay, so what!!)
4. The SECOND thing I do with a new PC is run the recovery CD's to make certain they work.
5. The THIRD thing I do is set up the Preload and remove what I do not want. Faster and better than clean install because there are SO many drivers to install for proper operation.

I see no reason why your machine shouldn't work perfectly well with proper recovery CD's. They are worth the money. .... JDH

sitkaa: Check your PM (Private Message).

Problem most likely solved with the help of this board!

Thank you, truly, for the help.

: )

sitkaa wrote:What do you think is the best option?

Lose the attitude and pay more attention to what you are doing.