Restore IBM Thinkpad to Factory!

[tim5ny]

Hi Guys!

I know there's a way to restore all IBM computers to factory settings without any discs. I have done it once before, but I forgot how it's done. Does anyonr know? I don't have any discs. None came with it I believe. Anyway.. someone talked me through it over the phone before, but I didn't write it down. Can anyone help?

[alacrityathome]

Restore and Recovery 4.2

[tim5ny]

I don't have any discs. I know there's a way to do it without them. Please explain if you know!

[Arki]

Hit the blue button when you boot up your computer at the ThinkPad splash screen. You'll know what to do from there.

[jaxxx]

ok heres a kinda dumb question, whats the difference between a clean install and this?

[eatbuckshot]

That's not a dumb question if you don't know!

A clean install is when you install just the os. In other words if you just buy a retail windows xp cd, pop it in, reformat, and install. It has nothing else except all the regular stuff.

Rescue and recovery will restore your laptop to factory state. It has an image of their default installation with all their software, settings, and drivers already on there.


The reason why many people prefer to perform a clean install when they just received their laptop is because the factory state includes too much bloatware and it slows down the computer and fills up memory.

[jaxxx]

but during RandR does it give you the option to whether install these bloatware or not?

[bsodder]

Yes, 4.2 gives you a selection menu for bloatware.

[jaxxx]

ok and using the blue thinkvantage button when you boot up wont let you chose the option to install bloatware or not right?

[Arki]

ok and using the blue thinkvantage button when you boot up wont let you chose the option to install bloatware or not right?

Using the blue button on startup will give you the option to do a custom install, which will present you with a list of preinstalled software and you can decide which ones you want to keep.

For some reason, this is not as good as a clean install per say; I think it may have to do with the fact that it is not a clean wipe of the HDD. That or background services.