F11 function not working in Windows 7

[greg30]

Hello to all,

I am having an issue with F11 key when booting up to engage in a recovery of factory partition of Windows 7 as it was shipped from factory, or as Lenovo calls it, Q drive. It is basically an image of Windows for reinstalling as was.

For some reason unknown to me, it will not work. I get no response. This may be better served at the Lenovo forums, I do not know. Can anyone suggest a way to either get my F11 key to bring up the desired screens for a new image procedure, or any workarounds to this? I cannot access this through ThinkVantage either, which is a Lenovo help program. I have not reinstalled any new OS, nor have I reinstalled any previous versions of images of same OS. I have the x64 version.

I guess I could contact Lenovo and buy a new set of disks to do this, but it is too much money right now without trying something first.

I really need to reimage my laptop, as my Windows 7 pro has some serious issues that only a new installation (or new image in this case) will solve. Any and all answers will be greatly appreciated, and yes, the Q drive is showing up in Disk Management as around 6 or 7 GB, yet I have no idea of how to initiate this process at bootup.

Thanks in advance

 

[fireberd]

If you are talking about F11 at power on/boot up, that is NOT a Windows function. Windows is not loaded at that point.
I have a Lenovo Ideapad Z560 and only get F1 and F12 options at boot up.

 

[greg30]

The F11 key is for the Q drive image, or image to bring back to state of when computer was first bought. You will only need it if you decide to reinstall a factory made image and redo all info on computer. I cannot understand why this very important feature depends upon an F11 key to initiate this process. As in my case, I cannot get it to work, as it boots into a normal mode of Windows Startup. I have to use this Q drive as my Windows needs reinstalled and this is easiest way if I can find a way to boot up to allow me to do this.

 

[ignatzatsonic]

Those F keys can be touchy--depending on the individual case. Try holding the key down during the entire boot process; try tapping it once per second or so; try various intervals. I had a hard time getting my Gigabyte motherboard to acknowledge the boot menu key until I got the hang of it.

Of course, I'm assuming you've got the right key and that the functionality is intact on your machine.

Many here would tell you to do a clean install and avoid the factory recovery option, but it's your call. You could do that easily enough and activate with your current Product Key.

 

[Kari]

Before deciding that it is a keyboard / single key issue, boot to Windows desktop if you can and open any browser. Press then F11 to see if the browser Kiosk Mode toggle works. Kiosk Mode = full screen without title, address and status bars, F11 toggles it in most browsers.

If it works we know your F11 key works and must seek the issue elsewhere.

Kari

 

[greg30]

F11 key works properly if using the Kiosk mode. All titles disappeared when pressed.

As to holding or tapping down F11 key, I did try that and that also did not appear to help but all suggestions are greatly appreciated.

I would like to share a link with those who are more apt and capable of solving these issues than me. Please look at this link as it shows what takes place and what happens when the F11 key is pressed in a 2 minute video. Please remember that when I press F11 it does nothing but enters into a normal startup. I think the menus this shows will help others understand what is happening much more clearly than me writing it all down and is only a few minutes long. This shows how a successful reimage is initiated using the recovery disk image put on at time of making computer so one always has a viable way of getting back to a clean Windows version, other than what company has installed.

I would think there has to be another way of getting this screen to do this, but I have yet not been able to find it and am not knowledgeable enough to find it out for myself. Very rarely do I do this, and usually just reinstall Windows, but I get no windows CD on a new laptop buy, and this is how your copy of a Windows backup is packaged. I guess you only lease Windows when it is packaged in a new laptop pre-installed buy. No wonder Mr. Gates is so rich.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j7G93cWDVqo

I am not sure that this solution is applicable here or not, but F11 key should bring up what this video shows. I have a 2011 model year X201 Lenovo laptop. Windows restore does not work properly, and Windows Update stopped working a few months ago. I also cannot install any new USB WD SES drivers for external hard drives or Cruzer USB drives. This is main reason I wanted to reimage this hard drive. I was lucky enough to remove all info I needed through use of an older USB WD hard drive. Go figure, it will install these older WD SES drivers but no new drivers. Time to reimage and yet another problem here, that F11 key to initiate this process. I do not like how this was done at all, as it should be an errorless process to get back an image, as that is the main issue here..

 

[ICIT2LOL]

I found this https://forums.lenovo.com/t5/ThinkVantage-Technologies/Can-t-restore-to-factory-default/m-p/665985 and

https://forums.lenovo.com/t5/ThinkVantage-Technologies/Restore-to-factory-status/td-p/364389

Mind you if you just want a clean install why not use this
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/219487-clean-reinstall-factory-oem-windows-7-a.html#post1839164
This way you get rid of the bloatware

 

[gregrocker]

Don't you have Lenovo One-Key factory recovery, triggered by the small button next to the power button?

If not you can Boot Recovery Partition using EasyBCD to create a Dual Boot menu that includes Recovery.

But these all reinstall the bloated factory install which is grossly inferior to doing a Clean Reinstall - Factory OEM Windows 7

 

[greg30]

One question first. Would an image done by Acronis TI of this Q drive and then reinstalled using Acronis through a USB driver allow me to reimage this Q drive? Just a thought as I have no idea. Maybe best just to do a new re install of Windows 7 Pro X64 if possible.

I found this https://forums.lenovo.com/t5/ThinkVa...ult/m-p/665985 and

https://forums.lenovo.com/t5/ThinkVa...us/td-p/364389

Mind you if you just want a clean install why not use this
Clean Reinstall - Factory OEM Windows 7
This way you get rid of the bloatware

I am now leaning toward just reinstalling a new Windows 7 Pro X64 reinstall. I did not know I could get a OEM download of this. Does the link above for Clean Reinstall show how to do this? I am assuming it should be burnt to DVD and done that way?

I haven't reinstalled an OS for a long time due to imaging backups. Yes, I can reduce all factory bloatware, but to tell the truth, there was not that much on it. Regardless, I may have to go that route and will do it after re-reading that link again. As long as the Q hidden drive is not disturbed, I will always still have that option to do that anyways. I have my product code on back of this laptop so I assume that is all I need to get this properly installed?

I have been reading a lot about this RnR or something like that, partition where Q drive is. I do not see anything like that. Is that necessary to load F11 key for reimage?

As to the Lenovo One-Key factory recovery next to power button, no, I do not have that button on this laptop. It may have been added due to this issue later, which makes a whole lot of sense to me to have a dedicated button for this, and not a F key to do this.

 

[Kari]

If you want to give the factory recovery a try before doing a reinstall, you could try if this works:

• Log in to Windows using your administrative credentials
• Make the recovery partition active (tutorial)
• Reboot, try if the F11 option now works

If this works, you are good to go. If not, I suggest you reinstall following instructions in Greg's tutorial.

Whatever you do, be sure to backup your personal data before starting as both factory recovery and clean install wipe your HDD.

Kari

 

[gregrocker]

Why don't you read the links to see what's involved?

If you mark Active and Recovery doesn't start you may lose the ability to boot into Win7 until you move the Active flag back to where it was. This is why I offered the chance to add a Dual Boot to the Recovery partition from within Win7 which always works.

Post back a screenshot of Disk Management - Post a Screen Capture Image

 

[SIW2]

Probably just need to create a bcd entry.

Post a screenshot of disk mgmt window.

 

[Slartybart]

See the following:
http://download.lenovo.com/ibmdl/pub/pc/pccbbs/thinkvantage_en/tvtvrnr4.52_005en.txt
How do I recover my system using ThinkVantage Rescue and Recovery

Some references note that the old version should be uninstalled first - I do not know if it is required or only suggested.

Also Greg asked about a one-touch button. The documentation I read stated F11 or ThinkVantage button. I don't know if both can be used or only one on certain models. If you have that key - try it.
The label on the button changed over time: Thinkpad, Access IBM, and ThinkVantage.

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What version is your BIOS?