Thinkpads Forum

Hi Thinkpadders,

I have the X200 with no DVD drive. I need to do a "Complete PC Restore" on my computer: this is an option on the Business edition.

I used to run this restore by booting from my Vista OS Disc during startup and instead of installing a new copy of the OS, the disk had a "Repair" option, inside which it allowed me to use the "Complete PC Restore". This Restore CANNOT be run from inside Windows after it has started up.

The issue now of course is I don't have a CD drive to boot from-- how do I use this restore option?

FYI just to emphasis, this is not the file backup / restore function. This option is only available on Business and Ultimate editions and is a complete image of your computer.

Thanks in advance for your help!

I use this USB external optical drive. It's inexpensive, small, light, and very handy.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6827151177

Cheers...

uh, are you saying there no way to reinstall windows other than buying a drive?

i was under the impression my laptop had a hidden built-in restore function that eliminated the need for a cd

Using the hidden Lenovo preload partition cannot repair a setup, it can only restore the factory content of the laptop original HD, which is basically the same as reinstalling the system. That´s all about it.

Hope this helps

Marin

Hm. How do I access the hidden section to start the re-install process?

Do you know that the "restore" option does not exist in there or are you just not sure? Are all my image backups useless now =(

You can access the R&R predesktop area by pressing the ThinkVantage button right after powering the laptop on. From there on you will be presented a few restore options, most of them referring in some way to the Lenovo hidden partition and thus restoring parts of the original Lenovo preload (you can select what programs of it will be installed and which not). Maybe I don´t understand completely your initial post or your last reply, but all I can tell you is that, unless you prepare a windows image for some external media (like external HD or USB), there is no other possibility (for you as you don´t have an external DVD/CD drive) to (re)install windows than by using that Lenovo hidden partition. The hidden Lenovo preload partition is a part of the ThinkPad package, so I don´t believe it depends upon the Vista edition.

Marin

got it, I'll tinker with it when I go home if I need to, thanks!

mooingmooseman wrote:uh, are you saying there no way to reinstall windows other than buying a drive?

i was under the impression my laptop had a hidden built-in restore function that eliminated the need for a cd

No, I'm not suggesting that at all.

Somehow I got the impression that you had a larger problem, which required you restore from disk. You do indeed have a rescue and restore option that is activated by the ThinkVantage button, as you boot up. It gives you several choices. One of which is to do the complete restore, which will wipe the drive and re-load the OS, and return your computer to the "as new" state it was in when you first took it out of the box.


Cheers...