Do you have the Lenovo ThinkVantage One-Key Recovery small button next to your Power Button? If so hold it down to access the BIOS, report back the Secure Boot, UEFI, CSM, or legacy BIOS settings choices which are available for your to choose.
You will boot the installation media using the same Recovery button. If it is not present you'd tap the F12 key at boot, unless you are entering via Windows 8 in which case you'd use Startup Options Menu - Boot to in Windows 8
I do have the button (I think)... what I don't have is ANY recovery media (CD/DVD). There are three other partitions, one with quite a bit of data on it - I would guess that's the recovery partition.
I held the button down twice on startup, nothing... you didn't specify, so I thought that's what you meant. I'm on Lenovos website right now trying to figure it out.
Keep in mind, I am running Windows 7 Pro right now, not Windows 8. 8 is what came installed. I still can't get into the BIOS no matter what button I press... Once or twice I saw it on boot up without me having to press anything (IE: the press f2 for setup, f12 for boot, etc).
How can I get into the BIOS running Windows 7, on this Lenovo I guess is the next question.
And I don't know if it's the OneKey button or not. It's a square box with 5 little lines coming out (like the sun) if that makes sense. It's too dark to take a picture where the PC is.
Try rebooting and holding the F12 or F1 key, then try rebooting and tapping it vigorously. Have the DVD in the drive. Watch for prompt to Press Any Key to boot.
This failure is almost always a user failure, bad timing, bad luck.
If it absolutely won't boot a known-good DVD (boots in another PC OK) then try the flash stick method.
If that fails, reset the CMOS by another method: How To Clear CMOS (Reset BIOS) [Easy, 10 to 15 Min] to see if it will now boot the media.
Last edited by gregrocker; 15 Oct 2014 at 19:19.
LOL - I have screwed up enough computers in the past to know to press it so many times that the keyboard almost breaks.
I know the DVD works because I can see it in my Computer folder... it was burned appropriately. The Lenovo screen pops up, I hit F2/F12 a hundred times... one white blinking cursor pops up in top left, then one more (other one goes away), then it goes to the Windows screen.
Bing shows up now when I open a new IE tab... I have my home page set to Google. Did a quick search and this is associated with a virus? Is it possible my computer is still infected after the install since I did not format the drive? Might be a dumb question... I'll try to reset it one or two more times, but Ive been hammering away on the keyboard.
Is there a way to format the drive, from Windows 7 and then force it to boot to the DVD player? Because I can't get it to open the BIOS setup using any method....
...correction, I did not try to reset the MB manually which I will do now.
And I'm a freaking moron.
I'm on a keyboard that has a function lock button. Here I am, during boot, hitting F1 / F2 / F12, essentially telling my computer I want to open email, print screen and open folder.
So I can get into boot mode.
CSM - enabled.
Boot mode - Auto
Boot Priority - Legacy First
Now that I can boot to the DVD. Should I just do a fresh install of Windows 7? If so, do I need to change any settings in the BIOS BEFORE I do (besides boot priority)?
That's a very common mistake we'll need to remember more often.
If you want a normal Legacy Install to a MBR disk which is likely what you have, then you can boot the installer to do the Clean Reinstall - Factory OEM Windows 7. Delete all partitions to get it cleanest. It discusses in the tutorial how to decide on a partitioning scheme, or you can just click Next to have the installer create and format one install partition.
You will get and keep a perfect install to the exact extent you stick with the tools and methods in the tutorial, like a million others have without a single complaint.
The tutorial explains how best to handle drivers. Put your network driver in your backup so if it doesn't start up connected you can install it to get online, enable Automatically deliver drivers via Windows Update (Step 3), then Check for Updates to install all Important and Optional except Bing. After reboots, go back to check for more Updates until there are no more. Only import drivers still missing in Dev Mgr after all Updates are done.
Last edited by gregrocker; 15 Oct 2014 at 17:27.
Thanks brother... I appreciate it. Felt like an idiot once I realized it.
I have all my drivers backed up to a thumb drive. Took me walking to my neighbors yesterday when I realized, like a dumbass, I copied them to Dropbox and then, couldn't get online. LOL
Needless to say, it's been a very frustrating two days.
I'll report back when I'm done.
Thanks again!
I'm completely done. Formatted the drives. Deleted the other partitions. Installed Win 7 Pro with SP1 and have all my 'necessary' drivers and plug-ins installed...
...and I ran a speedtest before. I was getting around 8mbpg, I'm getting 24mbps now.
Computer seems so much more responsive it's not even funny.
One hour - start to finish... and I cooked dinner.
THANKS AGAIN!
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