Since Lenovo didn't really provide us with this information, I decided to write it down myself. Every new Thinkpad user needs to do these steps. Lenovo should really include an instruction sheet for this in the box. I'm sure many users never create these backup disks.

My process took 2 blank CDs and 2 blank DVDs and nearly 1 hour to comlete.

ONE. Go to ThinkVantage tools, then select Factory Recovery Disks. The first step writes a "Recovery Media - Boot Media". It will easily fit on 1 CD and takes just a few minutes. Once complete it will finish and eject the CD and ask you to provide another blank disc for step TWO. The software doesn't offer much explanation, but I assume this is a boot disc that will boot to a simple recovery menu.

TWO. The second step .. After that boot media CD is ejected it will ask you to provide another blank CD or DVD. I recommend using DVDs for this step. I've read this will consume 7-10 CDs. I used DVDs and it took 2 of them. It wrote the first DVD and promted me to insert another. It wrote to the 2nd DVD and gave me the complete message. This step TWO took about 45 minutes. Again, the software doesn't offer much explanation, but I assume these DVDs are the recovery copy of Windows.

THREE. Once all that is done, go back to ThinkVantage tools, then select "Enhanced Backup & Restore". Then Select "Launch advanced R&R" by clicking the arrow in the lower left corner. Then select "Create Rescue Media". According to the description "this will enable you to access the ThinkVantage R&R even if you can't boot windows". I assume this is another boot disc, which might be identical to what you made in step ONE. Or maybe it is a slightly different version with the ThinkVantage stuff added. Whatever it is, make it anyway, you might need it later. It easily fits on one CD.

And then you're done! Label your discs and store them in a safe place!.

Lenovo should have their tech experts and lawyers write up a better version and include a printed copy in every box. It's a pretty important process that every new user should immediately complete in my opinion.

so those 2 cds and 2 dvds will work as reinstallation cds?

Yes supposedly, but I've never done it!

I'm guessing one of the CDs would boot to a simple menu, and that menu would allow you to get to the bios, format a hard drive, and probably do some other simple diagnostics. I also figure that menu will ask if you have the windows media to install, and will prompt you for those DVDs and take you through the reinstallation process.

But that's just based on recovering some old machines back in the day. I haven't had to do it on any machine in the past few years!

Maybe also something worth mentioning is that you can create the recovery disks only once. So be careful how you create the recovery disks. I tried creating them on an USB drive. Creation seemed successful however when I tried to boot the system from the USB media in order to test the recovery procedure this didn't work, I only got a blinking cursor. I now do not have recovery disks and can't create new ones anymore.

 

Once you have created the recovery disks the recovery partition becomes useless and can be removed (recover disk space).

That's a good point. I haven't tried it, but I've read elsewhere that the system only allows you to make 1 copy of the recovery media.

Just a thought. ... I think the ThinkVantage R&R will let you make multiple copies of the rescue media boot disk. These steps:

ThinkVantage tools, then select "Enhanced Backup & Restore". Then Select "Launch advanced R&R" by clicking the arrow in the lower left corner. Then select "Create Rescue Media".

Maybe if you can make another boot CD from that, you can boot with that CD. Once booted into the ThinkVantage Rescue Media, maybe it gives you an option on where to go looking for the Windows recovery (CD, HD, or USB).

I don't think you need the full Windows running to operate the USB ports, but you probably need some kind of core level bootup (like the ThinkVantage boot disk).

I've never tried it, but I'm just thinking!

I think you only can use ThinkVantage R&R for creating a backup of the current installation and not for factory reinstall. Also it seems when you use ThinkVantage R&R the disk to which you do the restore has to be the same size (or maybe larger don't know for sure) as the original disk.

 

After my problem creating the recovery disks I tried to use ThinkVantage R&R to create backup media in order to restore my system from the standard hard disk to a smaller solid state drive. R&R managed only to restore the system partition and it didn't seem possible to restore the Windows partition to the solid state drive.

 

Finally I used Acronis True Image to create bootable rescue media to a USB flash drive and a image of the system to an USB hard drive. I was able to boot from this flash drive and to restore the image from the USB hard drive to the solid state drive.

I have edge 13" so what cd/dvd? :smileyhappy:

If my filesystem gets corrupted it seems that lenovo is happy with current way of sending computer to them (or they send recovery usb to me). Weird because i think that it would be cheaper for lenovo to make program that makes bootable recovery usb-thumb drive. Yes there seems to be SOME program that MIGHT work. I´m talking about easy usage make dvd/cd recovery program for usb-thumb drive.