Bammt73 wrote:
Could anyone explain what happened and how to fix this?
Maybe. For reference see this Microsoft documentation. Normally you would be asked if you wanted to perform an upgrade, which preserves your personal files, settings and programs or a custom installation, which doesn't. However, you wouldn't be given a choice if you bought the full retail version of Vista Ultimate and ran the 64-bit disc, since you cannot perform an upgrade from a 32-bit version of Vista to a 64-bit version. Since the Windows.old folder is only generated during a custom installation, you either chose it while running the 32-bit disc or ran the 64-bit disc.
How you fix it depends on whether you intend to run 32-bit or 64-bit Vista Ultimate (for the record, I run Vista Business 64-bit on my T61). If the answer is 64-bit, you copy over your personal files from the Windows.old folder (unless you have the files backed up somewhere else), install your programs along with the appropriate Lenovo downloads and drivers, and you're done. The only caveat is that if the F11 key is still working, you want to be sure and not do a factory recovery of Vista Home Basic over your Vista Ultimate installation.
If the answer is 32-bit, you can still use the procedure above. You can also attempt to roll back to Vista Home Basic using this other Microsoft documentation. If you're successful, you can then perform an upgrade as normal. If not, you can do a factory recovery of Vista Home Basic using either the F11 key (if it still works) or the recovery discs (if you made them) and then perform an upgrade. This will save you the trouble of installing the Lenovo downloads and drivers, although you will still have to reinstall your programs.
As mentioned in your other thread, the C: drive is named SW_Preload from the factory; apparently, the Vista Ultimate installation did not rename it.
Hope this helps.
Don
