Thinkpads Forum

I have a new E540 -- unused so far, except for registering Win 7PRO and stopped auto updates

• I prefer manual updates -- to much MS w10 hanky panky for my liking.

Some where I read (cannot find it again) ... we only get one shot at creating a recovery disc on Lenovo machines
- is this true ?
- because I have never made a recovery disc in my life ... so I want to get it right
- how do I make a recovery disc ?
- the only discs that came with the e540 are upgrade to Win 8.1

Would appreciate any help, my first Lenovo machine ... thank you

BUMP

Am I being ignored for reasons I don't know about. ?
- ten weeks is a long time to wait for any response

bawldiggle wrote:Am I being ignored for reasons I don't know about. ?

I don't know, but I don't believe that's the case.

I can't provide any knowledge regarding Lenovo's recovery software, as I primarily use Linux.
And even though I install Windows, I prefer making a clean install rather than using an OEM recovery disc.

The instructions can be found here: https://support.lenovo.com/us/en/documents/ht004960
You need a few blank DVDs and of course a working DVD writer.
I suggest getting maybe ten discs or so just to make sure you have spares in case one disc is bad/defective.
Get the best discs you can find (not the cheapest). Verbatim DVD+R is the usual recommendation.

Thank you "axur-delmeria" for your reply and suggestions

The Lenovo Creating Recovery Media in Windows 7 link was very helpful, but was short on some details for me
- (a first time experience I have been putting off for 5 months.
- like how many discs and of what type ?
- in another place number of discs suggested was 26x CD's or 3x DVDs ... WRONG!
- recovery to USB ThumbDrive felt too risky (they have a habit of failing when least expected, especially after a few years)
-------------
INFO for other readers of this thread
I opted for 4x DVDs and glad I did because the recovery media process used 4x DVDs
- Verbatim DVD+R 4.7GB, 16x, 120 mins -- did not skimp on good quality discs, they have to last several years in storage
- DVD-RAM is not suitable (especially for the Boot Medium )
- the thought of 26x CDs was impractical, and from experience with the DVDs -- 26 CDs would have not been enough

The process took 75+ minutes (more than an hour)
- as I understand it we only get one chance to make Recovery Media , so this exercise was stressful for me. (I am 70)
Safest approach is to do nothing else on the PC while creating the Recovery media
The Lenovo looked like it was ready for "Sleep" mode, on several occasions, moving the mouse stopped that.
- in hindsight temporarily changing the Power Options to never sleep might be a good idea

PC MUST be connected to reliable mains power
- do not attempt Recovery process on Battery only

Followed the steps in Lenovo Creating Recovery Media in Windows 7

• each disc took about 20 minutes plus
  Disc #1 was Boot Medium -- subsequent Discs are created as Discs #1 to #3 ... very confusing
  I labelled them all as ...
  • 1. Boot medium
    2.1.
    2.2.
    2.3.
• the verification process of each disc indicated 100% completed for up to 10 minutes,
  at first I thought the process was hanging ... ! It was not.
• BE PATIENT -- DO NOT be tempted to Cancel or fiddle with the CD/DVD tray
  This is not a fast process
• label each disc after each verification, label each disk not just the DVD jewel-boxes

SUCCESS ... a white knuckle ride for me

Thanks the update.