Help with formatting new laptop

Dorham

Estimable
Apr 20, 2014
3
0
4,510
Hey,
First some background:
I've bought a new laptop today (Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 14 59426614, and upgraded the HDD to a SSD). This is my first laptop (I always preferred desktop computers and only bought this for studying) so I don't really understand about laptops.
I tried bringing it to working conditions by 1. removing all things I thought were bloatware and 2. repartitioning all those weird empty spaces into 1 partition (I thought they were there because the store that installed the ssd did a bad job, only later found out it was the recovery partition).
And for the questions:
Is it okay to do a clean install of windows 8.1 (another point is that I can't find the product key, but I guess I can get it) or do laptops do need need all that programs that they come with?
If the latter than how could I get the contents of my recovery partition back?
In general, what would you recommend in this situation for someone that is good with computers but is pretty novice in laptops.
Thanks.
 
Solution
For windows 8 (and 8.1) A LOT of OEMs don't shovel on the crapware like they used to (it still has some but its not as bad as like the peak of windows 7). Just go to your manufacturer's website, download THEIR specific drivers and away you go. For the most part, except for trial software everything that you need to make your normal laptop back into a Lenovo Laptop should be there, chipset drivers, Wifi, display, bluetooth, USB 3.0 Controllers, Keyboard/shortcuts drivers, trackpad, etc. (Though if you do windows update, 90% of this stuff will be taken care of by Windows anyways.)

For me, I had a Windows 7 HP laptop (yeah, the worst company for crapware) and it had literally like over 23 different things from like Cyberlink crap, adobe...

Warukyure

Estimable
First off don't lose your old HDD and don't even wipe it. If you want to be careful, put it back in type in recovery to the start screen (buttons screen) and load up the OEM recovery program. Create the recovery media with whatever medium you want, i.e. DVDs, USB stick, external HDD, whatever. Now whatever happens to the original HDD doesn't matter.

Second, when you install Windows 8 or 8.1 you MUST use the same OS that your laptop was pre-loaded with. If it came with 8, you need to get an 8 disc, if it was 8.1 you must use an 8.1 disc. You CANNOT use an 8.1 disc on 8 and try to skip a step, and you CANNOT use an 8 disk on 8.1 saying you'll just upgrade later. Windows 8 and 8.1 work much like Windows 98 and 98SE (if anyone remembers, the CD Keys were NOT compatible with the other version even if it had 98 on it, must be for the OS its originally for.) Once you get the disk and install, thats it, you're done. You don't even need to punch in a product key.

If you want to know why, its because the product key is flashed into the BIOS so you can never lose it, but in the end it LOCKS the product key to the machine. (No more taking dead laptop product keys and reusing them on another machine.)
 

Dorham

Estimable
Apr 20, 2014
3
0
4,510
Thanks for the answer,
The problem is I don't have the original hdd because the store that replaced it didn't give it to me (only now I realize I should have taken it) and I've already wiped the recovery partition from the ssd.
So if I'll reinstall win 8.1 (that's the OS I have right now) I don't know if the laptop will work correctly without all the OEM programs (and if they are even needed).
 

Warukyure

Estimable
For windows 8 (and 8.1) A LOT of OEMs don't shovel on the crapware like they used to (it still has some but its not as bad as like the peak of windows 7). Just go to your manufacturer's website, download THEIR specific drivers and away you go. For the most part, except for trial software everything that you need to make your normal laptop back into a Lenovo Laptop should be there, chipset drivers, Wifi, display, bluetooth, USB 3.0 Controllers, Keyboard/shortcuts drivers, trackpad, etc. (Though if you do windows update, 90% of this stuff will be taken care of by Windows anyways.)

For me, I had a Windows 7 HP laptop (yeah, the worst company for crapware) and it had literally like over 23 different things from like Cyberlink crap, adobe trials, to the amazingly useless HP updater and etc. Fast forward to 2014, have a newer Samsung Series 5 Windows 8, pretty much only came with like 7 things (8 if you count the Samsung Recovery thing, i guess)
 
Solution