Disk Partitioning and OneKey Recovery Feature

[Mark_Lenovo Administrator]

Why does my Hard Disk Drive (HDD) capacity appear to be smaller than expected?

(This tip applies to Lenovo 3000 Y410, IdeaPad Y510, IdeaPad Y710, and Lenovo 3000 K100 Desktops)

Lenovo creates three partitions on the installed Hard Disk Drive:

1.     The smaller drive commonly known as the C drive which contains Windows and your pre-installed software. The C drive should NOT be resized otherwise your OneKey recovery may no longer operate.

2.     The larger drive known as the D drive which is ready for storing your personal data files such as videos, music, pictures etc. Both the C and D drives are visible in Windows but the D drive is MUCH larger to hold all your personal data. The C drive should NOT be resized otherwise your OneKey recovery may no longer operate.

3.     The Service Partition (the partition without a drive letter) is used by the OneKey recovery system to backup and recover the C partition. This invisible partition requires only 18GB to 20GB of HDD space. The service partition should NOT be deleted otherwise your OneKey recovery will no longer operate.

One advantage of having these partitions is the protection of your personal data. In the event you need to use the OneKey recovery system, the personal data stored on the D drive will not be erased as the files on the C drive are restored.

Disk Management is an installed tool which will allow you to view these three partitions. You may access Disk Management by selecting Control Panel -> Management Tools -> Computer Management -> Disk Management.

* Actual size of the invisible partition may vary based on the model and preload.

 

[lita_g]

Why didn't Lenovo advise on the user's manual that resizing the C: partition would stop OneKey Recovery from working???? I even CALLED Lenovo support before resizing it and asked them if doing something like that would affect my warranty as long as I don't mess with the hidden partition and they said NO, and I even ASKED THEM if they could advise me on how to resize it and the guy I spoke with told me to look for some resizing software, which I later did because I don't think it's smart to keep my C: drive so small if I decide to start installing several applications.

Now I know why after I started OneKey Recovery to get a backup, my OS stopped working. Why wasn't there any warning of this before this post??? And why are customer service representatives misinforming the public? Now I have to spend an extra couple of hours setting up my OS again, and I don't even know if I'll be able to install Vista again considering everything I've been reading so far on this message board (i.e. problems).

[buddinggeek]

i too had the same problem my one touch recovery solution is lost for ever may be lenovo should indeed had provided a warning about loosing that partition or atleast give product advisory to use it in a correct manner.lenovo should improve a bit or rather a lot on supporting for software apps.

[Bear72]

I have had superbly terrible experiences with Lenovo support.  It took me almost a week to talk to someone who didn't tell me that Lenovo did NOT make the pc I had bought.  Be sure to use the contact info at the www.consumersupport.lenovo site as opposed to the contact info presented at most spots on this main site.  I had much better success with the service reps at those numbers, even though I still ended up solving issues myself instead of being provided a solution through Lenovo.

[buddinggeek]

all these leads to the fact that that there is some short sight by lenovo on software support.it would be better if it start product advisories well in advance all people who use computers may not have ample knowledge about it

[jasonhockeyguy]

I do plan to install some larger software titles, but only to an external drive...... I noticed on my 3000 j200 there was only a C drive and an E drive. There is an invisible partition on a drive ive never heard of before but I am going to leave this alone.

I plan on buying an SATA burner real soon to make a DVD DL recovery disk.

[Boblink]

Hi, I recently purchased a Lenovo 3000 K-100 Desktop and after loading my programs and apps, I noticed a OneKey warning message on the SystemTray advising that the "C" Drive was getting full so I called Lenovo and they advised me that EVERYTHING (i.e. Programs and Apps) should be installed on the "D" Drive NOT on the "C" Drive (actually one Drive with 2 partitions, 3 partitions if you count the Lenovo proprietary programs).

I see from the previously post that this thread hasn't been updated for awhile and don't know if this "advice" has been posted somewhere else and / or if it is the "offical" Levovo position but I thought that I would mentioned it just the same.

I personally have a few concerns,  if this is what Lenovo wants us to do WHY doesn't the Users Manual or SetUp Process advise that the "C" Drive NOT be used ahead of time (i.e. it was a pain in the &^%$ to move and then reinstall ALL the programs again). 

Further, if this is the case, wouldn't it make sense for Lenovo to place the Documents, Pictures, Music... folders on the "D" Drive since I believe that most people would use the Pre-Set folders for these types of files.

I would like to Partition the "D" Partition of the "C" Drive but I don't know if this would void my warranty and Vista does not support PartitionMagic and Symantec hasn't done much with PM since buying PowerQuest.

I am still playing around with the Lenovo system and need to understand the difference(s) between OneKey and Windows Restore (if they are both needed and / or which is between to use), as well as learn some of the changes / new functions in Vista.

I currently have 8.78G Free Space on the "C" Drive which hopefully will stop the "C" Drive warning message from popping-up again.

Any information, experiences, advice,...... would be appreciated.

Bob

[Boblink]

Hi guys, let me restate my situation.
After installing my programs and apps on the Lenovo 3000 K-100 system, I started receiving error messages adivising me that OneKey Recovery needs more space and noticed that the "C" Drive was only 30Gigs (The system has 300Gigs) so I set up various partitions (Programs, Data Files, Photos, Back-up) and moved the programs that I installed to the newly partitions "D" Drive, the data files to the "E" Drive, photos to the "F" Drive and any backup files (that I created) to the "F" Drive and noticed that the "C" now had approximately 9Gig FREE.
I have a couple of questions, first can I  resize the "C" Drive without  voiding the warranty and / or effecting any other program (like OneCare)?
Second, the Lenovo 3000 K-100 came with a lot of trial programs and other "garbage" that is probably not needed. Can someone please advise which factory installed programs I can safely delete without creating additional "problems"?
Thank,
Bob

[tomwilly]

I seem to have the same problem with my 3000 k-100 desktop. Patrtition "C" will not hold the bits that the system tries to put into it. I always choose drive "D" to load files, programs and recordings if I get the chance. That does not happen in many applications resulting in a warning that I have "insuficent dynamic buffer" and to reset my one key recovery point to free disk space. If I could keep all applications working in "D" I believe the problem would be solved. Plus when I am forced to recover to factory settings, as instructed by Lenovo support, I will not loose everything that has been installed into "C". I asked support how to do this and they sent me to Windows for support with software. Windows states that if i got Vista preinstalled on a new machine that I would have to go to tha manufacturer for support. Why can not someone take responsibility and give us a solution for a well known and documented defect. Thaks Tom.

[Ribbit50]

If you get a answere please post .