Partitioned HD question

[SeaSteve]

I'm the new owner of a Vista Home Premium/2GB/500GB 3000 K100 and enjoying it so far.

The PC has the 500GB hard drive with 2 partitions.  C: is 30 MB and D: is 418MB...and I’m not sure why! 

I have run the "One Key Recovery - Update Base Backup" which creates the first user system partition backup.  Is this Lenovo software using and managing the partitions?

[north450]

30 MB is your rescue and recovery partition.

[eng223]

Is it possible to reinstall Windows Vista and have one 500g drive as C: and then do the recovery as D: drive?  Also should I wait till I put in a second internal drive 500g or 1T and then install the OneKey and have the recovery drive as say K: ?   Thanks.

[SeaSteve]

I contacted Lenovo Support...nice to hear an "english is my first language" person.  (Nothing against anyone else on the planet but it makes the experience much faster.)

If you look at disk management in the administrative tools you will see a third hidden E: drive.  The E: drive is the One Key backup partition.  C: is only the system drive.  Lenovo assumes the customer will store data on the large D: drive.

It's a GREAT idea but problem is nothing is said up front so the day after Christmas you spend hours installing game after game and all the other software you need into C:\programs and moving all your files into C:\Users\Documents and Settings... thinking you have room galore!

I recommend moving your "User" directories to D: as soon as possible.  It creates some Vista confusions so search Google for advice.  Also create a D:\programs directory and remember to install new software to this location vice the "default" C:\programs... directory.

If you need to use the One Key software to restore Vista on the C: drive your programs and data SHOULD be intact on the D: drive.

[eng223]

Hi SeaSteve,

Just to confirm then with Lenovo is that if I reformat the 500g drive as one C: drive and install the one recovery part will be put on a seperate e: drive  or some other free drive because I do have the Media readers that take up the other letters. Also did Lenovo say that we could back up the one recovery onto an external drive instead?  I am waiting till I get the other components installed first before I Frankinstein the K100 into a gamer. Thanks !

[SeaSteve]

The Lenovo rep was NOT very clear.  I am making assumptions about the backup software.

When I "Explorer" My Computer I can only see C: and D: partitions.  When I use Disk management under the management Console I can see a hidden 18GB partition.  It's my GUESS that the Lenovo One Key Recovery software is "backing up" to this partition.  The data has to go somewhere.

I have no idea how to re-create this configuration. .  This is the only other software I received with the computer, besides the Vista Home Premium CD was the "Lenovo  Drivers Pack V1.7 For Vista" disk which may or may not have the Lenovo One Key back up software on it.

Message Edited by SeaSteve on 01-07-2008 06:57 AM

Message Edited by SeaSteve on 01-07-2008 06:59 AM

[eng223]

Thanks for the know. I will try to reformat mine in a few days after I get some hardware in so that I know it works. Then off to clean the drive. I'll keep you posted on what the out come is and thanks for the know.

[RealBlackStuff]

From what I have heard, the auto-backup stores it's files on the regular main partition, but as 'hidden' files, that eat up space.

You can hide/unhide files/folders like this

That 18GB partition could be the restore-partition for Vista. XP does not need more than about 5-6GB.

[SeaSteve]

ens223, I can't wait to read how re-installing goes for you.

To clarify my post...

MY Lenovo One Key Back-up is NOT automatic.  It requires a re-start and actually runs in DOS before Vista loads.

The hidden partition is an actual partition.  I can use the Administrative Management Console it shows up.