Thinkpads Forum

I have a T400 on its way. I assume, like the T61, there will be a service partition from which I can do a custom factory restore to eliminate pre-installed programs that I don't want.

If someone has done this and could post the steps, that would be most helpful. Also, do you recommend doing this on first boot before the OS even loads the first time, or is it better to boot to the OS once to create recovery CDs?

Many thanks.

I can't seem to find the custom restore option which makes me think they removed it. on the plus side, there is far less crapware on my new T400. the LED-lit 1440 x 900 panel is MARVELOUS. I have never been happier with a notebook.

I posted a message a few days ago. I tried the custom restore. I tried to use the "Base Software Administrator" which was needed for the T61. I downloaded it from Lenovo, and I was able to select which peices of junkware was installed.

I tried it with the T400, and it said that it was incompatible, and wouldn't let me use it.

The screen is awesome. I was in a car today using it, and after a while, I realized that the sun was shining right into the screen, and I could still clearly see everything, brightly too.

I have T500 and the custom factory restore worked smooth

just press F11 at bootup, then select restore and follow instructions until it asks whether you want a full restore or custom

I haven't bothered to wipe mine clean and start over again with a fresh or custom install. So far it's working fine so I'm not sure if I'm going to go through the trouble.

Has anyone figured this out with a T400?

My T400 is a disaster. I have it for a month, and I have to already format the whole thing. One problem after another.

Hopefully, after the factory restore it will be better.
However, I would like to use the "base software administrator" or the custom factory restore. But there is no custom factory restore available on the T400 (at least my t400).

Any ideas?

kingweb wrote:But there is no custom factory restore available on the T400 (at least my t400).

I think you are mistaken. All new thinkpads have custom restore and I've tested bunch and all had it, but you need to restore from HDD not from the CD/DVD set.

Yeah, but if this means what I hope it doesn't:

kingweb wrote:I have it for a month, and I have to already format the whole thing.

He might have deleted the original partition.

732 wrote:

kingweb wrote:But there is no custom factory restore available on the T400 (at least my t400).

I think you are mistaken. All new thinkpads have custom restore and I've tested bunch and all had it, but you need to restore from HDD not from the CD/DVD set.

Trust me I am not mistaken.
I don't have the CD/DVD to do a restore. I am using the blue thinkvantage button at startup.

The second UPS delivered it to my house and I took it out of the box, I tried to do the custom factory restore in order to remove the jukware that I knew would be there. The option DOESNT EXIST. I am not missing it, it isn't there. I know what it looks like, as I have seen it with my T61.

I also tried installing BSA, but it says that my version of RR isn't compatable. I have seen other posts from people saying the same thing that there isn't a way to do a custom factory restore.

Now would be a good time to make the recovery disc set. You never know when you will need them.

What exactly do the recovery discs recover?
The C drive with the windows installation I assume.
But what about the service partiontions?

Also, I got the custom factory restore to show up by installing the latest version of R&R. However, now it doesn't work. I can't do any (normal or custom) factory restore. I get an error that c:\preboot\utils\convert.cmd is missing.

Any ideas? I tried reinstalling R&R again, but no help.

The restore disc set will wipe all partitions from the disc and reinstall the service partition. Then the computer reboots and you restore windows from the service partition. Pretty handy after a hard disc failure or a partition tragedy.

kingweb wrote:I get an error that c:\preboot\utils\convert.cmd is missing.

Any ideas? I tried reinstalling R&R again, but no help.

Try uninstalling R&R and it's upgrades if available, then try again. If it still doesn't work, it's probably easier to use the CD/DVD set to restore it when you need R&R.

carbon_unit wrote:The restore disc set will wipe all partitions from the disc and reinstall the service partition. Then the computer reboots and you restore windows from the service partition. Pretty handy after a hard disc failure or a partition tragedy.

When you have more partitions, it will ask whether you want to clear all or just C: partition.

732 wrote: When you have more partitions, it will ask whether you want to clear all or just C: partition.

Only when restoring from the restore partition via the blue button at startup.
If you run the discs you do not get a choice because the discs remove all partitions and then create the restore partition. When it reboots and starts Rescue and Recovery there is only one partition to restore.