TL;DR Using Lenovo's recovery tool is recommended for restoring or setting up a new SSD in Lenovo laptops, as it ensures all necessary drivers and software are installed.
Lenovo Recovery Tool
The Lenovo Recovery Tool is specifically designed to restore your laptop to its original factory state. This tool installs all the necessary drivers and Lenovo-specific software, which might not be included in a standard Windows installation [1]. Users have reported that attempting to reset or restore using other methods can lead to missing drivers and software, negatively impacting the laptop's performance
[1:2].
Creating Recovery Media
To create a recovery USB stick, you need to download the Lenovo recovery tool from their website and follow the instructions to make bootable media [1:1]. Once created, you can use this USB stick to boot your laptop into recovery mode and reinstall the operating system along with all required drivers
[3:1].
Recovery Process
When using the recovery media, the process will revert your laptop to the state it was in when shipped, including pre-installed bloatware [3:2]. It's important to note that this method will erase all personal data on the device. After recovery, updating drivers through Lenovo Vantage and Windows Update is recommended to ensure everything is current
[5:2].
Setting Up a New SSD
If you're installing a new SSD, the Lenovo Recovery Tool can be used to set up the operating system and drivers correctly. This method is particularly useful if you're worried about missing essential drivers, such as those for WiFi [5:1]. The recovery tool automatically recognizes all devices and partitions the SSD appropriately
[5:4].
Alternative Methods
While cloning the old drive to the new SSD is an option [5:3], using the Lenovo Recovery Tool is often preferred for ensuring a clean setup with all necessary components. Additionally, if facing issues like boot loops or errors during updates, accessing the Novo button menu can provide further recovery options
[4:7].
Hi all!
Just a PSA: it's is absolutely REQUIRED to ONLY reset/restore this system using the Lenovo recovery tool that you can download and then install on a bootable USB stick. Any other method I have tried of resetting and restoring this laptop has ended in abject failure and jankiness that detracts from the very unique properties and features it has because Windows does not find and install all the special Lenovo drivers and tools unique to this machine.
You said " Any other method I have tried of resetting and restoring...".
Did you try to install Windows 11 from scratch?
Uhm yes. That includes both cloud download and local reinstall. My point is that there are so many drivers and specialized software by Lenovo to make this laptop work as intended that if you don’t use the restore media that they provide you basically end up with stuff missing which then wreaks havoc on the whole experience of this unique laptop. Running windows update and even driver booster for example does nothing to replicate the actual restore media from Lenovo.
So i was actually going to make a post on here because i bought an open box from best buy and it's a buggy mess. I've done factory reset from the device but i noticed all the 9i specific software is missing that I've seen mentioned in this sub.
How exactly do I reset from a USB stick?
Exactly the same situation as me! Follow the link I provided, enter your serial number to identify your model and choose recovery usb stick creation, follow the prompts. Obviously have a USB stick ready to make the recovery media.
Once the USB stick is ready and already plugged in, shut down the laptop and power it on as follows:
Toggle the camera shutter just after pressing the power button to turn on the Yoga Book 9i, it shows the Boot Interrupt menu. (Useful feature since the laptop has no physical keyboard to press DEL or F11 etc. during boot.) Doesn't matter if you toggle the camera from Off to On or vice versa, as long as this is done before the YOGA logo splash shows up.
You then select the boot menu and you choose to start up from the USB stick you just created. It is all automated from that point on, just set up side an hour or so for the recovery. You then set up Windows as usual, and everything will work so much better than doing vanilla windows, reset or reinstall.
Lemme know if any questions!
Bigger issue is finding a usb c flash for me. Though maybe a dongle with a normal usb drive will work?
Appreciate your help
That's my experience also.
Lenovo are fucking useless and don't even know their own product when you contact them.
Keeps crashing when I’m not doing much and then showing blue screen and putting me onto windows recovery - I need to put recovery key in a few times and it’ll let me log on but then crash again very soon
then i’ve tried to factory reset and been given this screen
did a virus scan and nothing came up
Download bluescreenview and check which hardware driver is causing the blue screens
Check your Network Drivers and uninstall and re install them. Also check if all your drivers are up to date
I had the same issue with Lenovo Thinkpad. After I reverted it to Win 10 from 11 and changed 3200 mhz RAM to 2666 physically, never happened again.
I need a clarification. What is Lenovo Recovery Media? What is it supposed to do? Is it the same as windows reset option in settings or clean install?
If anyone had tried reinstalling windows with the Lenovo Recovery Media then pls share your experience.
I used it a couple of days ago, it reinstalls/resets Windows to the state it was shipped in. You'll lose all your data and get all the bloatware back. Doing a clean install of Windows might be a better idea honestly.
But u get it with all drivers pre installed right? For a clean installed, drivers need to installed separately, Am i right?
Yes on both. The recovery media will install all the drivers for you, although you might have to update some of them. For the clean install, you can just download Vantage and use it to install the missing drivers.
Due to an error with windows and changing internet providers I can’t boot up the laptop. It will say “we couldn’t complete updates” it will restart and then try again it’s a constant loop so is there anwya to just to wipe the entire thing
Edit: problem solved thank you. Had to go through the novo boot up menu after
How often have you allowed the machine to go through this loop? After 3 times it should automatically kick into recovery mode, from there you can do repairs/remove the update.
Ok sorry I’ve got to the novo button menu what do I do from here
Is there a recovery option?
It hasn’t done that After a lot of hours waitinf
That weird but not unexpected from windows... Do you happen to have any recovery media for the machine? You can use that to get into repairs and also to do a complete wipe if you really want to do that.
There are 2 ways to do this:
Go to settings --> update & security --> recovery --> reset this pc
Do clean install (thought i doubt you would know to how to grab all the required files so i suggest just doing #1 cuz I'm too tire to instruct ppl on how to do it)
I can’t get into the laptop at all
Like it won't turn on or as in it stuck in a boot loop?
Oh i see then option 2
There are videos on yt to help you
Is using Lenovo's downloadable recovery USB tool a good way to get my laptop running with a new SSD?
Looking to upgrade my Thinkpad with a brand new SSD, but worried that if I just do a clean install of Windows, it won't give me all the drivers I need. (For example, I'll be stuck with dysfunctional wifi)
Not worried about the contents of the old SSD.
Any advice?
I used that method instead of a clean windows install when i got my t480 a few months ago. I feel it takes a bit longer to install, it keeps rebooting and logging in on the default administrator account and opening command prompts and shite, but it installs all the drivers and stuff (and even the default wallpapers), although they are a bit outdated; it installs windows 10 1909 i think. I really recommend manually updating the windows version first (microsoft offers a tool for it), then update the drivers with lenovo vantage, and lastly let windows update find the remaining updates and software and shiet. The first time i just used windows update, and updating the windows version + the drivers on a single reboot seems to be too much for the computer since it BSOD'd lol.
In theory you could do a clean install and then install the drivers yourself (i think lenovo has a tool to detect missing drivers and updates), but i think its just better to use the recovery tool just in case
Can you not clone the old drive over to the new? (you should be able to mirror the contents of your old drive over)
Yes it works perfectly for this purpose
I used the Lenovo Recovery Tool because I had no choice. Mine is a Snapdragon-based ThinkPad and it wouldn’t boot with Microsoft’s “clean” Windows 11 image.
As another user already commented, it restarts way too many times and keeps installing stuff from the Command Prompt. But when everything was said and done, it recognized all devices, and even repartitioned my 2TB SSD correctly.
Have you used Lenovo Recovery Media on a USB drive?
You can try a clean install by reformatting. If that does not work your SSD is likely dead.
To do a clean install you will need to make a bootable USB flash drive using the media creation tool from Microsoft. You can boot from that, format the drive and install windows clean.
if it works don't fix it!
That includes BIOS updates that the entire internet screams from!..
Clean install, make a Windows bootable USB and boot from it
Have you used Lenovo Recovery Media on a USB drive?
Howdy, I'm trying to do a factory reset on this computer. I got to the troubleshoot area, but it skips straight to the advanced options without offering the reset option? Any ideas?
It does say Reset your PC under Troubleshoot...
Yes, but when I hit the button it takes me straight to advanced settings instead of the two options
Is the Windows installation corrupted? You can do a reinstall using a USB or through Windows reset if you can still access it
I accidentally downloaded a virus. When I log on it starts clutching out so I can't do it from there. It works fine before I log on. My model does not have the one key button either. I can't tell what model mine is so I'm completely lost. Please help.
Does your PC have a sticker on the bottom of it with the model number, maybe under a removable battery?
You can reset windows without knowing what your laptop is.
After googling (how to reset windows 10), you find this: https://www.laptopmag.com/articles/reset-windows-10-pc which you'll want to look at how to boot into recovery mode without logging in.
Most laptops that have recovery partitions will have a button you can press while booting it up that will open a menu to allow you to do a factory reset, usually one of the F1-F12 keys, Escape or Backspace. Other Lenovo laptops apparently have a small pinhole button instead of a visible button that's easy to press. If you can tell us the exact model, we might be able to find out what the recovery key is, if there is one.
If there isn't, though, there's always the option of creating installation media to do a clean install, but you probably won't have any of the usual built-in software and utilities that way and will need to re-download them from Lenovo's support site.
Will you be able to tell the model if I took a photo of it?
I'm not exactly familiar with all the Lenovo models, but it'd help! Like /u/fakingitandmakingit mentioned, if there are any Lenovo stickers on the bottom, they'd probably help too.
Hey everyone. Just found my old laptop with MX and for god’s sake i can’t remember the password. I saw that you can change the password from recovery mode on reddit.
I can access GRUB without any problems. but when i go to the advanced settings there’s no recovery mode option, only xxxxxx(systemd). what exactly am i doing wrong that the xxxxxx(recovery mode) option is not showing? I tried to enable secure boot in BIOS, but immediately ended on a window saying “ Kingston……… is blocked by current security policies” or something like that. I saw another answer saying to change line starting with “linux” and ending “ro quiet splash” to “ro single” to access single user mode. ended up on black screen for a very long time. can somebody tell me what exactly is going on a why am i not able to access the damn recovery mode? i’m not into linux, I installed it because friend of mine recommended it, cause my laptop was running slow with windows. it’s an old Lenovo laptop. thank you so much and have a great day.
So this process is for RHEL but is generic enough that it should also work with MX - https://www.redhat.com/en/blog/recover-root-passwd
I need help. My laptop’s still in a loading phase like that ever since last Sunday after I made a complete factory reset on it.
try booting from external windows 11 boot media on USB, try a whole fresh install, probably a corrupt OS.
Should I power it off pressing the power button for now? Or don’t?
Yeah, powering off should not damage more, as the system is already gone, try a fresh install of windows 11 from USB, and keep the laptop plugged in at all time to avoid more damage due to power failure. Let me know if you have any more questions!
lenovo laptop recovery mode
Key Considerations for Lenovo Laptop Recovery Mode:
Accessing Recovery Mode:
Recovery Options:
Backup Important Data: Before proceeding with any recovery options, ensure you back up important files to avoid data loss.
Create Recovery Media: It's a good practice to create a recovery USB drive using Lenovo's Recovery Media Creation tool. This can help you recover your system in case of future issues.
Recommendation: If you're experiencing persistent issues, consider using the Reset This PC option to start fresh. If you can access your files, back them up first. If you're unsure, using System Restore might be a safer first step, as it retains your personal data while fixing system issues.
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