Need Advice - Lenovo Rap Top

Rockrz · 07 Aug 2012

OK, so I got this k00L, brand new Lenovo 12.5 in screen laptop with Win 7 Pro 64bit, i5 Quad 4 2.6gig, 6 gig DDR3 Ram... nice little portable machine.

But, I hate the crap that's on it that Lenovo put on there. It didn't come with just Windows, it has numerous manufacturer programs that I don't want on there.

So, I called Lenovo and gave them a song-n-dance about how I needed the Windows install discs in case I ever needed them (I got the guy to admit that a few years from now they will not support this thing anymore).

So, do you think the Windows install discs will install just Windows only being that these are the Lenovo install discs?

There are two other discs that are labeled "Recovery Media for Windows 7 Products", so I figured these are the ones that install all the Lenovo crap.

I just want straight Win 7 Pro 64 bit on there and then I'll build my software collection as I want.

So whaddya think... should I try using the Lenovo install discs, or plan of buying a retail version of Win 7 Pro 64 bit? (I'm buying a larger HD and will leave the OE drive unchanged so I can always put that back if needed.)

Also, I found a Windows 7 Ultimate 64bit "Promotional Disc" from 2009 (X15-60567-01)... could this be installed and run as normal?

Advice from resident experts would be appreciated as I've got just enough knowledge to screw some stuff up

but still have fun doing it!

TVeblen · 08 Aug 2012

You can get very good results from just going into the Control Panel > Programs list and uninstalling all of the unwanted software, then running CCleaner to clean up any stragglers. I just completed that job on a new laptop for someone. You can get the system pretty clean by doing the job thoroughly.

Just be sure you know what utilities are actually drivers (google is your friend). I always considered the Intel Management Engine Interface to be an unnecessary utility until I saw that removing it resulted in an unknown device in Device Manager. Even so, reinstalling it from the driver folder on the laptop fixed that little glitch.

You can clean install W7 from any installation media and then just use your Product Key from the sticker on the bottom of the laptop to activate Windows. You own one license for W7 on that laptop so re-installation is a common method to get a truely clean system.

Clean Install with a Upgrade Windows 7 Version
Clean Install Windows 7

Do not use the Lenovo recovery disks. That will only reinstall the exact same system you are looking at right now.

Rockrz · 08 Aug 2012

Do not use the Lenovo recovery disks. That will only reinstall the exact same system you are looking at right now.

I'm hoping that the first disc will just install Windows and the second disc will install basic hardware drivers.

There are two other discs that are labeled "Recovery Media for Windows 7 Products", so I figured these are the ones that install all the Lenovo crap.... I won't use these and see what happens.

I'm buying a 500gig hard drive (it takes a drive that is 7mm thick), so I'll keep the OE drive in tact so I can always put things back if needed.

Rockrz · 20 Aug 2012

I'll just use the OE disc from my new desktop computer that came from a company
that installs straight windows, no bloatware.

Then I'll use the OE key from my laptop to activate. Both computers have Win 7 pro.

Think this'll work, or will Bill's swat team come bustin me door down at 3am?

TVeblen · 21 Aug 2012

In my opinion you own one license to install that one version of Windows on your machine. You bought it with the PC.

It should not matter from where the Windows installation came from: OEM image, retail disk, or downloaded ISO. As long as you are following the rules: one version of the OS on one PC per key then you are meeting every intent of the agreement.

There is some debate about this of course. There always is. But I find the alternate arguments to be overly technical and rigid. I don't believe that any reasonable person would expect anyone to forced to keep the original installation forever.