What's the best way to reinstall OS on X30?

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CyberDude · #1 Post by **CyberDude** » Tue Jun 06, 2006 9:34 am

My HDD is on it's way out so I'm going to swap it out for a new one. My options are to either clone the existing disk or install from the IBM OEM recovery CDs.

I don't have an external CD/DVD rom for my X30 and don't want to spend $$$ on an IBM one. So before I purchase one, will my system boot from a non IBM USB external CD/DVD rom drive? I was thinking of getting an ASUS one like this http://www.asus.com/products4.aspx?l1=6 ... odelmenu=1

Should I bother to install the image from the recovery CD's? Can I just install the OS from the recovery CD's and then download the latest drivers etc? I don't have the R&R partition on the disk anymore as it took up too much space.

Cloning is easiest option but then I clone all the cr4p too which isn't ideal.

lowie · #2 Post by **lowie** » Tue Jun 06, 2006 9:47 am

I have a portable drive bay w/cd rom drive; just used that one to install windows xp on it. (you can specify a USB device to boot from at start-up). Just back-up your personal data (and drivers), swap HD, install new HD, boot with external optical device, and install new OS!

It's always save to store your LAN driver on a flash disk or something like that, because when you're LAN device is not supported after the fresh installation, you won't be able to go online and find additional updates...

Good luck!

PS: use IBM software installer aka Lenovo System Update to easily hdownload&install all necessary drivers for your system.

CyberDude · #3 Post by **CyberDude** » Wed Jun 07, 2006 4:03 am

Thanks. So you say you used a non IBM portable USB CD-Rom drive to install the OS?

Also looking at my recovery disks, the OS is all part of the image. Is there any way just to install the OS and use the license key from the sticker on my X30 or should I just install the whole image and go from there?

lowie · #4 Post by **lowie** » Wed Jun 07, 2006 4:10 am

CyberDude wrote:Thanks. So you say you used a non IBM portable USB CD-Rom drive to install the OS?

I used the IBM portable drive bay (with an Utrabay CDROM drive in it) and with USB connection. Should work with non-IBM external optical drive as well though.

CyberDude wrote:Also looking at my recovery disks, the OS is all part of the image. Is there any way just to install the OS and use the license key from the sticker on my X30 or should I just install the whole image and go from there?

Just wizard yourself trough the whole recovery process, entering a windows key is in most cases not necessary (and a new license key can always be entered afterwards, when the installation is finished and WXP is up and running)

Good-luck!

CyberDude · #5 Post by **CyberDude** » Wed Jun 07, 2006 4:30 am

Ok. I don't have an IBM drive bay. I'll just purchase one of those portabe travel USB DVD combo drives and hope it works.

lowie · #6 Post by **lowie** » Wed Jun 07, 2006 4:36 am

CyberDude wrote:Ok. I don't have an IBM drive bay. I'll just purchase one of those portabe travel USB DVD combo drives and hope it works.

Good idea. You'll probably get a better price/quality ratio in that way, and it'll work, don't worry. Just push the right button at startup to specify which location you want to boot from!

CyberDude · #7 Post by **CyberDude** » Wed Jun 07, 2006 6:23 pm

Ok, I bought a USB DVD combo drive. I tried booting from the recovery CD and started the recovery. The thing is that when it completed I only had windows on the system. It didn't install any of the IBM software or drivers. the recovery disks consist of two CDs but it never asked for the second disc.

Has something go wrong with the recovery process? The windows install went through as though I was installing off a MS windows CD. I expected the whole IBM image to be installed.

lowie · #8 Post by **lowie** » Thu Jun 08, 2006 2:23 am

CyberDude wrote:Ok, I bought a USB DVD combo drive. I tried booting from the recovery CD and started the recovery. The thing is that when it completed I only had windows on the system. It didn't install any of the IBM software or drivers. the recovery disks consist of two CDs but it never asked for the second disc.

Has something go wrong with the recovery process? The windows install went through as though I was installing off a MS windows CD. I expected the whole IBM image to be installed.

I don't know what could have gone wrong, but if you want the IBM customizations, just download thinkvantage system updater or software installer and you'll automatically download/install all latest apps for your system. IMO, the IBM customization is nothing more than the installation of all drivers and applications, and of course all those fancy ibm wallpapers

Of course, this doesn't really solve your issue of the non-perfectly-working recovery disks, but it'll help you achieve your goal, ie a fresh install on your X30

CyberDude · #9 Post by **CyberDude** » Thu Jun 08, 2006 2:52 am

Thanks. I did as you said and got the installer from Lenovo. It's only the drivers and a couple of the apps I wanted like Access Connections, battery maximizer and a few others.

lowie · #10 Post by **lowie** » Thu Jun 08, 2006 3:20 am

CyberDude wrote:Thanks. I did as you said and got the installer from Lenovo. It's only the drivers and a couple of the apps I wanted like Access Connections, battery maximizer and a few others.

This forum is here to help eachother out. You're welcome. Enjoy your X30 - I like mine as well

CyberDude · #11 Post by **CyberDude** » Thu Jun 08, 2006 5:52 am

I don't think my problems are over just yet? After my install from the recovery CDs my filesystem is FAT32. I wanted to convert it to NTFS so fired up Partition Magic and it says that the partition is BAD and the partitions drive letter could not be identified.

It shows up fine in explorer and the disk manager utility of XP. This is turning into a nightmare

What's the best way to reinstall OS on X30?

What's the best way to reinstall OS on X30?

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