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(Solved) Problems with Lenovo bloatware
Boggin:
I've seen where others have created system images on additional external HDDs as a belt and braces safeguard, but while I have two external HDDs I only save them on the one.
This system image that you have created after cleaning all of the bloat off, you may want to put that into a folder on one or more of the HDDs as that can be used to restore with instead of a factory reset with all of the bloat that you have just cleaned off and then create another one that will be overwritten with each subsequent new image.
Obviously anything thing that you've added since creating this image would be lost just as it would with a factory reset - but saving/storing your main personal stuff onto one of your HDDs will prevent that.
Lady:
Four questions:
1.
--- Quote from: Boggin on August 30, 2015, 08:20:13 am ---...you may want to put that into a folder on one or more of the HDDs.
--- End quote ---
When making the image backup I can't make my own folder and if I put it into a specific folder, say "SystemImageBackup basic" I would be moving the folder around again, which I learned was not advisable.
2. What kind of data added after the backup would be a reason to make a subsequent new image backup? Programs? Specific settings? I have no idea.
FYI Personal data (Word, notepad, new music files, pictures etc.) I always backup every day on at least two external HDs.
3. I still don't know if I'm able to make a clean installation of 8.1 with my licence key. No idea how I should do that but just to know if I can get 100% rid of anything Lenovo next time.
4. This Lenovo Service Engine: just to be absolutely sure, can I do their BIOS update for the Z41-70/Z51-70 (I have Z50-70) or can that be harmful if it doesn't apply to my laptop?
Boggin:
To do a clean install of any Windows version on an OEM machine requires a valid retail key as a Win 8.1 ISO would be different to your Lenovo OEM install.
However, this article will walk you through doing a repair install of Win 8.1 https://www.winhelp.us/non-destructive-reinstall-of-windows-8-and-8-1.html but that wold only be necessary in extreme cases.
The idea behind putting your bloatware free system image into a folder is to protect it from subsequent images as it would be overwritten.
Normally with the files open on an external HDD you would right click in an open area and select New where you can then click on Folder, but you could also use DVDs to save the clean system image and keep those safe so that you can continue to overwrite with new images on the HDDs.
I think Lenovo will also afford you to create a set of Recovery Disks which will be a copy of your D: Recovery partition.
I don't have a lot on my laptops but I have a Wordpad doc where I keep my tools and as that is added to, I back that up onto a Flash drive.
Other than that, I only create a system image once a month on my Win 7 after the various Adobe and Windows Updates after running Disk Cleanup as an admin to remove any obsolete Windows Updates - a defrag and virus scan.
Generally speaking there is only a need to update the BIOS if you are having problems, but it may be best to contact Lenovo Support for clarification on that BIOS update, its benefits and if you need it.
Lady:
--- Quote from: Boggin on September 04, 2015, 04:50:10 am ---To do a clean install of any Windows version on an OEM machine requires a valid retail key as a Win 8.1 ISO would be different to your Lenovo OEM install.
However, this article will walk you through doing a repair install of Win 8.1 https://www.winhelp.us/non-destructive-reinstall-of-windows-8-and-8-1.html but that wold only be necessary in extreme cases.
--- End quote ---
I kinda understand your first line but the article is way too difficult for me. Don't bother explaining further, Boggin. I'll let it be.
--- Quote from: Boggin on September 04, 2015, 04:50:10 am ---The idea behind putting your bloatware free system image into a folder is to protect it from subsequent images as it would be overwritten.
--- End quote ---
Yes, I understood that perfectly, but you told me to not copy and paste the system image to another place. That's what confused me when you told me to put the basic image in its own folder. But I gather I can make its own folder for safekeeping. Okay. I will then.
--- Quote from: Boggin on September 04, 2015, 04:50:10 am ---I think Lenovo will also afford you to create a set of Recovery Disks which will be a copy of your D: Recovery partition.
--- End quote ---
I have no clue what you mean by this. :S Isn't the recovery partition on D: the same as Lenovo's Recovery Key or my system image backup?
--- Quote from: Boggin on September 04, 2015, 04:50:10 am ---I don't have a lot on my laptops but I have a Wordpad doc where I keep my tools and as that is added to, I back that up onto a Flash drive.
Other than that, I only create a system image once a month on my Win 7 after the various Adobe and Windows Updates after running Disk Cleanup as an admin to remove any obsolete Windows Updates - a defrag and virus scan.
--- End quote ---
I'm afraid you totally lost me now. I'm SO confused that I don't understand any of it anymore. Can I just drop this and backup my personal files like I do all the time and just have one systembackupimage? I'm getting a very awful feeling of overload now.
--- Quote from: Boggin on September 04, 2015, 04:50:10 am ---Generally speaking there is only a need to update the BIOS if you are having problems, but it may be best to contact Lenovo Support for clarification on that BIOS update, its benefits and if you need it.
--- End quote ---
Well, I tried several times to get in touch with Lenovo directly or find an answer online but their FAQs and automatic question systems don't mention the Search Engine AT ALL. So now I asked the question whether I have it or not on their (English) forum. I'll let you know.
Can you help me wrap this up in the easiest way possible, Boggin? It's getting too much for me now. Don't forget I'm a laywoman and not a native speaker of English. Although I have a Master's in Translation Studies with English as my major, with all this jargon and IT expertise i'm now in over my head. :S And I was doing so well..... :cry:
Boggin:
First of all, on my Toshiba Win 7 laptop in All Programs there's a Toshiba folder and in that is Recovery Media Creator'
Running this, Toshiba allows you to make one copy of Recovery Disks which is a copy of the D: Recovery Partition which you can factory reset the machine with should your system get so messed up or the HDD goes.
They provide this facility because they no longer supply install disks with the machine and yours may have the same provision.
When I'm talking about Tools - have a couple of Wordpad Documents where I copy & paste useful URLs which have various fixes for computer problems and I back up these Wordpad docs onto an USB Flash drive stick.
Once a month in addition to Windows Updates, Adobe have been updating Flash Player and occasionally Shockwave and after they have been installed I'll do those preparations I've mentioned prior to creating my monthly system image.
When Disk Cleanup is run as an admin by right clicking on it, it will delete outdated Windows Updates and when run initially can clean out ~3GB.
This is only for Win 7 though.
As for the jargon etc. I think you have done very well in cleaning up your laptop :)
A tip - to get a smiley, type the : with ) or if you want a grin then use D instead of )
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