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Cannot Start Lenovo N500

post #1 of 25
6/1/11 at 4:26am
Thread Starter 

Hi

 

My Lenovo will not boot into Windows Vista.

 

All it seems to do is boot into Startup Repair, where it always fails to repair the boot configuration. I have a rescue disc, but it the BIOS doesn't seem to be configured to boot from the optical drive. I have tried pressing the Lenovo Care button to interrupt startup and access the BIOS, but it seems to ignore the button press. I have tried to press F8 to access Windows' safe mode, but this does not work either.

 

The repair DVD is definitely a boot disc as it works on another laptop.

 

Any advice? Thanks very much in advance.

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post #2 of 25
6/1/11 at 7:49am
F1 won't help either?

cheers ...
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post #3 of 25
6/1/11 at 7:57am
Thread Starter 

Thanks, F1 let me change BIOS options. cool2.gif

 

All my previous Googles suggested it was the Care button or F10.

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post #4 of 25
6/1/11 at 8:00am
Well, we here at NBF can sometimes trump Google on search / tips wink.gif

Glad to hear it works out.

cheers ...
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post #5 of 25
6/1/11 at 8:13am
Thread Starter 

Hmm... when booting from the DVD there doesn't seem to be the option to restore Vista from the recovery partition. Am I missing something? Thanks again.

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post #6 of 25
6/1/11 at 8:15am
Do you have a system repair option? If so it should look into the hidden partition to pull up needed files

cheers ...
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post #7 of 25
6/1/11 at 8:23am
Thread Starter 

There are restore options, but these seem to only restore from pre-made backups (of which there are none), not the factory state.

 

Annoyingly this guy had the same problem, but he doesn't say how he found the option in the end:-

 

 

Quote:
1. "Windows is loading files"

2. Next, a Lenovo screen comes up that says "Rescue and Recovery 4"

3. A window shows up that says "Welcome to Rescue and Recovery". Underneath it lists all the features of rescue and recovery. I click "Continue".

4. Along the left side I see the following options:
Rescue and Restore:
-Recovery overview
-Rescue files
-Restore your system
-Create migration file

Configure:
-Configuration overview

-Access BIOS

Communicate:
-Communication overview
-Open browser
-Download files
-Map network drive

Troubleshoot:
-Diagnostic overview
-Diagnose hardware

-Boot from another device
-Norton AntiVirus

5. I choose "Restore your system"

6. Gives me two options:
-Restore my entire hard drive, including all personal data and settings from a backup

-Restore only the Windows operating system and applications from a backup

7. I choose the first option

8. It gives me a list of backups to restore from. But no option to restore to factory settings.

(pasted from http://forum.notebookreview.com/lenovo-ibm/229014-restore-lenovo-t61-factory-settings.html as this is exactly what I see).

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post #8 of 25
6/1/11 at 8:25am
Thread Starter 

There are restore options, but these seem to only restore from pre-made backups (of which there are none), not the factory state.

 

Annoyingly this guy had the same problem, but he doesn't say how he found the option in the end:-

 

 

Quote:
1. "Windows is loading files"

2. Next, a Lenovo screen comes up that says "Rescue and Recovery 4"

3. A window shows up that says "Welcome to Rescue and Recovery". Underneath it lists all the features of rescue and recovery. I click "Continue".

4. Along the left side I see the following options:
Rescue and Restore:
-Recovery overview
-Rescue files
-Restore your system
-Create migration file

Configure:
-Configuration overview

-Access BIOS

Communicate:
-Communication overview
-Open browser
-Download files
-Map network drive

Troubleshoot:
-Diagnostic overview
-Diagnose hardware

-Boot from another device
-Norton AntiVirus

5. I choose "Restore your system"

6. Gives me two options:
-Restore my entire hard drive, including all personal data and settings from a backup

-Restore only the Windows operating system and applications from a backup

7. I choose the first option

8. It gives me a list of backups to restore from. But no option to restore to factory settings.

(pasted from http://forum.notebookreview.com/lenovo-ibm/229014-restore-lenovo-t61-factory-settings.html as this is exactly what I see).

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post #9 of 25
6/1/11 at 8:38am
http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site.wss/MIGR-4VFUDU.html

Try using the above information in combination with your post and see if it makes any senses. If not, your best bet would be clean install sad.gif

The post does say there is "no option to restore to factory" though

cheers ...
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post #10 of 25
6/2/11 at 1:33am
Thread Starter 

Thanks. I can bring up the "Restore your system" option, but the full factory recovery and custom recovery are not shown.

 

By "Clean Install", do you mean buying a copy of Windows and just installing that?

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post #11 of 25
6/2/11 at 10:29am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Timewarp256 View Post

Thanks. I can bring up the "Restore your system" option, but the full factory recovery and custom recovery are not shown.

 

By "Clean Install", do you mean buying a copy of Windows and just installing that?


Correct. You can just borrow an installation disk or search the net for "download legitimate Windows ISO" - then use your key on the notebook for activation.

cheers ...
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post #12 of 25
6/3/11 at 3:32am
Thread Starter 

Hi

 

Just tried that. I got a Windows Home Premium ISO, installs fine but it doesn't accept the product key on the notebook. ohmy.gif

I'm guessing it's due to the product key being an OEM version of the product. Any suggestions? Thanks again

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post #13 of 25
6/3/11 at 4:35am
Just use the telephone activation on the screen, follow the instruction to re-enter the codes - you should be fine.

cheers ...
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post #14 of 25
6/3/11 at 4:55am
Thread Starter 

This is pre-activation and it won't let me set the product key. It is before it gives you the option of internet or phone.

 

I think the ISO that I installed from had a product key embedded in it, as it didn't ask me during installation, but I want to change it to the legal product key I have before activation.

 

Thanks

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post #15 of 25
6/3/11 at 5:01am
There should be an option to change the product key, and then you should be able to get onto the phone to MS, non?

What type of error message are you receiving? Make sure that 0 and O or B and 8 typo

cheers ...
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post #16 of 25
6/3/11 at 5:24am
Thread Starter 

Yes that's right.

 

On the "Change your product key for activation" screen, I enter the product key on the laptop sticker.

 

The message "Invalid Product Key", "The product key you have entered does not appear to be a valid Windows Vista product key. Please check your product key, and type it again." is shown.

 

There are no 0s or Os in it, and I've triple checked that it has been entered correctly. The sticker and the Windows installation both refer to Windows Vista Home Premium version. Thanks.mellow.gif

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post #17 of 25
6/3/11 at 6:06am
hmmm ... the error message was very clear of some sort of typo. Would you happen to have a magnifying glass and use it to jot down the COA key from the notebook? It happened to me a few times.

cheers ...
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post #18 of 25
6/3/11 at 6:20am
Thread Starter 

I've just checked again and I'm 100% sure that it has been correctly entered. I think it is because the product key sticker mentions OEM version, and the ISO is the retail version. Well that's thrown a spanner in the works...cursing.gif

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post #19 of 25
6/3/11 at 6:28am
One of those OEM block. Rarely seen it, but it is possible.

can you bypass this step and then after installation, go into computer properties and change the product key there?

cheers ...
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post #20 of 25
6/3/11 at 6:33am
Thread Starter 

Sorry, yes Windows is installed. That's where I'm trying to change it from (Control Panel > System and Maintenance > System > Windows activation).

 

It says "30 day(s) to activate. Activate Windows now"

 

"Product ID: XXXXX-OEM-XXXXXXX-XXXXX" with a Change product key (numbers replaced by X by me in this post).

 

Thanks

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