New HDD with clean install

[CJardine]

OK, I am almost positive this has been talked about as I have found a bit of info on the topic but can't find specifically what I want; and I'm pretty sure its because of my google-fu. I have a new SSD and want to put it in my T420s and do a clean install of win7, the think-vantage software, and keep the 2.0 experience or whatever Lenovo did with Microsoft. I do not have a CD with win7 as it came pre-loaded and activated, however, I do have the recovery discs and the computer is still under warranty (opted for the three year). So how can I go about putting the new SSD in and keep the features? I have done many clean installs on my other PCs with windows and Linux but never on my past two Ts because I never wanted to loose the features. Any help would be great.

[ajkula66]

Welcome to the forum!

If you're interested in the *real* clean install, download the ISO from here:

http://forum.notebookreview.com/windows ... uages.html

Then you can add whatever Lenovo-specific features you feel like...

[jayton4]

If you want the bloated Lenovo Windows 7, then you may be able to use your recovery discs, depending on what kind of discs they are.

[CJardine]

Will I lose any functionality of Lenovo Specific features? I know Lenovo says that they work with MS to integrate the OS with their software/hardware or what ever (is that a gimmick or real). Would I be able to maintain a Recovery (Q:) partition, and how would I go about doing that. I've found plenty of generic walk-through's of how to do a clean install and its straight forward; I was looking more for a thinkpad, or better yet T4xx, specific one that goes through putting the os as well as all of the old think software onto the PC. Thanks for the reply.

Its not that I want a bloated pc, I use a lot of the lenovo software and like the rapidboot, access connection, internet connection, and a few of the other ones, and can I use the recovery discs on a new HDD?

[sktn77a]

The recovery disks you created will load the factory OS install and all the factory drivers and software on to your new hard drive. Just swap out the HDD, insert the recovery CDs and turn her on. Then follow the istructions on the screen. The recovery CDs first put a recovery partition on your HDD and then load the siftware from this.

[Cigarguy]

Will I lose any functionality of Lenovo Specific features? I know Lenovo says that they work with MS to integrate the OS with their software/hardware or what ever (is that a gimmick or real).

Gimmick at best IMO and bloatware at worst. Admittedly Lenovo's bloatware is not as bad as others.