49. Windows Vista Backup & Restore Center Review

By: Greg (Greg Ross) From: NotebookReview.com

While many previous versions of Windows include have some type of archival utility, Vista Backup & Restore Center is billed as the first Windows system restore tool that could replace aftermarket data retention software. Does this free utility have what it takes? Or is the Backup & Restore Center yet more bloatware from Redmond? We make the call inside.

INSTALLATION & SETUP

Windows Vista's Backup & Restore Center is included with the operating system, so there is no explicit installation involved with this utility. However, the Backup & Restore Center comes in two flavors. Windows Vista Home Premium's version has the ability to backup only user files and folders, while Vista Business and Ultimate's version can also backup entire partitions and hard drives. (Don't you love Microsoft for gently pushing you towards purchasing Ultimate?)

During this review, we will be covering all of the features accessible from within Microsoft Vista Ultimate.

PROGRAM INTERFACE

Users can access the Backup & Restore Center by clicking on the Start Menu and opening up the Control Panel. From there, clicking on the Backup & Restore Center icon causes the opening window, shown above, to pop up.

The interface itself is simple, compact, and quite informative. Backup and restoration operations can be easily executed by clicking on the appropriate buttons from within this screen. All of the options are self-explanatory. Unlike some tools reviewed in this series, the Backup & Restore Center only contains barebones information about backups. It does not include any kind of task log that indicates the status of previous backups, but simply what time the last backup was completed.

The Start Menu also has a well hidden link to the Backup Status and Configuration window, which also summarizes the status of backups on the computer. The tabbed interface breaks this up a little more for the user, which is somewhat unnecessary considering how few options available in the Backup & Restore Center. The first tab of this window, shown above, is dedicated solely to file and folder backups for users.

The status window also gives the user access to recovery options. Files and folders can be restored from archives created on this computer or created on another computer, but there really is no reason to present these recovery operations as two entirely different choices, is there? If this interface was not so broken up perhaps, Microsoft would not have to look for ways to fill out the window space with extra buttons.

Finally, the last tab reveals information about full computer backups, and provides quick access to the backup wizard.

Honestly, we see no need for the Backup Status and Configuration link in the Start Menu. Why not just provide a link to the full Backup & Restore Center? The interface practically doubles up on everything between these two windows, and it unnecessarily muddies the quality and user friendliness of the interface.

FILE AND FOLDER BACKUP AND RECOVERY

In order to begin the backup process that protects user data, open up the Backup & Restore Center and hit the Back Up Files button. A new wizard pops up that immediately inquires where the backup should be stored. Network locations or physical hard drives are the only allowable destinations, Vista does not allow users to backup files to a rewriteable CD/DVD or a USB memory key.

Once the backup destination is selected, Vista asks which partitions should be included in the backup. By default, the main system partition is selected -- and there is no choice to de-select it. While partition-level backups are certainly useful, it would be nice if there was a way to specifically choose files and folders to be backed up.

While choosing specific locations or files is not possible, Vista's Backup & Restore Center does allow users to choose what types of files are preserved in an archive. This does provide some versatility but Vista is not very clear as to what specific files are preserved. For instance, the window above provides no insight into whether selecting Music files will backup just WMV files, or other popular formats like MP3 or even Apple's M4A iTunes music files.

After selecting file types for backup, the actual backup operation has to be scheduled. Daily, weekly, and monthly schedules are available though Vista limits backup operations to once per week or once per month when the respective options are chosen. No other explicit actions -- like a system error or an application install -- can prompt a backup job outside this schedule.

When a backup job is complete, the destination hard drive will have a new folder named after the computer. Within that folder will be a series of additional folders that containing all of the preserved files, compressed and archived in their native formats. It might be a bit tedious, but by browsing through all the folders we can get a solid idea as to which files were backed up (or not).

When the backup runs on schedule, testing hinted that Vista only stores files that have changed since the last backup. This incremental backup routine definitely saves on hard drive space, though it does require that users never delete the data in these archives!

If any files need to be restored from the archives, selecting the Restore Files button starts up the recovery wizard, shown above. The most recent archive, one of the previous archives created, or an archive from a completely different machine (click on the 'Advanced restore' link to get this option) can be selected as the data source.

The Backup & Restore Center wizard then displays a summary window that provides a list of all the files that are to be recovered. If only a select few files need to be restored but their location is unknown, the wizard is capable of searching through the archive. Specific files and folders can also be chosen from within the interface. The wizard then asks if the files should be restored to their original location or to another destination.

While testing indicated that backing up files (subject to previously discussed limitations) and restoring them worked, we noticed a few quirks during the process. For one, restoring a folder does not actually restore folders to the condition they were in during the last backup. It merely copies the archive files to the destination. Any files that were created in the folder after the backup that were not overwritten will still be there, so Vista does not really recover entire folders, it just dumps old versions of data into them along with any more recent additions, for better or worse. That said, restoring individual files is easy and it works.

SYSTEM BACKUPS AND RECOVERY

Backing up an entire system starts with clicking the Back Up Computer button from within the Backup & Recovery Center. From there, the process basically runs the same way as file and folder backups. Select a destination drive, then select the partitions to backup, and then confirm the settings. However, once the settings are confirmed, the utility archives the entire hard drive as a type of virtual disc drive much like those used in virtual machines (VMware, Microsoft Virtual PC, etc).

The actual backup does not take more than a few minutes with the barebones Vista installation put in our test-bed system for purposes of this review. Other computers in the office did take up to 30-45 minutes to backup the system partition, but those computers needed to archive 40 to 80 gigabytes of files.

Restoring a complete system involves starting up the Restore Computer wizard and reading the heart-stopping warning shown above. Microsoft needs to be a little clearer about what data or partitions are going to be destroyed. At least the wizard tells you what you need to do next; hopefully you have a Windows Vista installation disc nearby, because the process won't work without one. There is no tool included with the OS to make any kind of recovery disc, which is a disappointment considering Microsoft knows a majority of computer owners probably do not have this disc. If you do not have a Windows Vista install disc, try to get a media replacement from Microsoft, beg your laptop manufacturer to mail you discs, or borrow a disc from a friend.

To start the system restore, insert the Vista install disc into the computer, reboot, and when prompted hit any key to boot to the CD. If you have not reinstalled Vista on any computer before, welcome to the Vista installation wizard. Be careful while you are in here, and pay attention to the options presented, to avoid doing something dangerous (like reformatting the hard drive that has your backup files on it).

Choose the language preferred, and then hit the option to Repair Your Computer. You will then be asked to confirm which Vista installation needs to be fixed. More likely than not, there will be only one choice to select.

A few diagnostic utilities are available from this page of the wizard, only one of which we care about right now. Select the option to restore the PC from a backup, and the wizard will automatically search for the appropriate backup file.

If the wizard selects the wrong one, or cannot find it, there will be an opportunity to manually choose a file. In our case, the restoration wizard instantly recognized the correct file.

A summary of the recovery operation as configured will be presented, and one final option will appear. Microsoft really needs to make this part of the wizard more explanatory, because we honestly had no clue which partitions on our test bed system would be obliterated during the restoration operation.

After a few minutes, the recovery operation was complete and the computer was ready to reboot. Vista booted up and started running without any issues, so we immediately checked on all the other partitions on the computer to make sure the recovery had only wiped out the target main system partition.

We selected the option to reformat the disc during recovery, and that reformat only affected the partition being restored. If that option was not chosen, would the recovery wizard merely have copied files over like it did with the file and folder wizard?

So we ran another recovery operation, and did not choose to reformat. Then Vista's boot CD asked to confirm that we understood the recovery would erase the partition.

Once again, we are left clueless with Microsoft's interface. But at least the recovery worked, which is more than one or two applications in our roundup can say.

CONCLUSION

Microsoft Vista's Backup & Recovery Center has most of the basic features needed in a backup utility, but the utility is a mixed bag at best. It can schedule file backups, but not operating system backups. Verifying user data backups is quick but not entirely easy, while verifying partition backups is not possible without maybe some third-party applications. The Backup & Restore Center can be configured to selectively choose types of files to backup, but the program does not inform the user exactly what file extensions are (or are not) included with those choices. The user interface was sometimes friendly, but often confusing when we were running recovery operations. During these operations, some of Microsoft's prompts about reformatting scared us enough to take extra precautions to protect important files on our test bed system. Considering this utility is supposed to be reassuring, not alarming, these warnings did more harm than good.

In the end, Vista's Backup & Recovery Center does work, but you have to fork out the cash for Vista Business or Ultimate to access half of the features of this utility. For those looking for a short-term stop-gap solution, on too tight of a budget to afford third party backup and recovery software, or only need a backup utility for one-time partition backups, then this utility will get you through. But if you are looking for more flexibility and a program that is open about what it is actually doing, look elsewhere.

PROS

• Simple wizards
• Free with Vista Ultimate
• No driver conflicts

CONS

• Requires Vista install disk
• Many wizards confusing
• File "recovery" = copy & paste

48. Gamers Graphics Tuning Guide

By: Pulp (Dustin Sklavos)
From: NotebookReview.com

Even if you've got the latest and greatest CPU, graphics card, widescreen monitor and cutting edge video game, odds are you're not enjoying the ultimate gaming experience. Why? Because you're gaming on the default graphics settings. No matter how old or new your gaming rig, you can probably squeeze even more performance from the system by following the tips in this Gamers' Graphics Tuning Guide.

This information applies to both desktop and notebook users alike. We'll cover how to make your in-game visuals look their best, and how to do some basic performance optimization for your games by slightly (or significantly) tweaking your graphics settings.

BASIC KNOWLEDGE

There are two things you're need to know about your system: What is the monitor's native resolution? and What make and model is my graphics card?

In lay terms, your monitor's native resolution is the number of pixels (measures as width by height) the screen is designed to produce. The specification is available online for either your monitor or your notebook. The model number proper will be on the bottom of the notebook or the back of the monitor. If the specification given by the manufacturer uses a letter abbreviation like WXGA, you can check our How it Works: Screens guide to translate these codes into actual resolution numbers.

Your monitor will deliver its best picture at its native resolution. You can run a lower resolution, but for more information on that (and other tasty tidbits) it would be helpful to go back and check the aforementioned Screens guide.

The model of your video card or "display adapter" is listed on your system's specification sheet. If your desktop was custom-built you probably know this already. To learn more about the fundamentals of graphics hardware, you'll want to check out the first page of our Mobile Graphics Guide for 2009, which is largely applicable to desktop hardware as well. Optimizing your graphics output based on your graphics card is much, much trickier than just changing your software resolution to match your hardware resolution. We'll take it step by step in the sections below.

A BRIEF ANATOMY OF A GPU

Basically, with any graphics hardware -- also known as a graphics processing unit (GPU) or video card -- there are three characteristics that most greatly define performance: Memory size, memory bandwidth, and architecture.

Memory size accounts for how much data can actually fit in the video card's memory, space reserved largely for textures and filtering operations. I want to be clear here: More graphics card memory does not always equal better graphics. Some cards simply aren't fast enough to properly handle more than the currently preferred 512MB of on-card memory. Higher-end cards (Radeon HD 4800 series, GeForce GTX and GTS series) are powerful enough to make use of a full 1GB of on-card memory, but even they see virtually no improvement going past one gig.

With memory size comes memory bandwidth, defined by the type of memory used and the memory bus width. More details are available in our graphics guide, but it basically boils down to this: Higher memory bandwidth improves performance. A GPU equipped with DDR2 RAM or (heaven help you) memory shared from system RAM will be severely crippled in this respect. Lack of memory bandwidth is the single biggest graphics performance bottleneck I continue to see on any system.

Finally, there's the least tangible graphics factor: Architecture. ATI/AMD and Nvidia's designs differ from generation to generation and between one another, and these differences can have a direct impact on graphics performance. Certain games run better on Radeons, others thrive on GeForces, based on how developers structure their code. Dead Space, for example, runs nearly 100 percent faster on some GeForce GPUs. For what it's worth, Radeons still run that particular game beautifully, unless you feel like you can perceive the difference between 60 frames-per-second and 120.

While Nvidia's cards have scaled pretty linearly from generation to generation since they released their 8000 series so long ago, ATI/AMD has a massive break between the 2000/3000 generation and the 4000 generation. Parts from the 4000 generation are far more efficient than their predecessors. I personally own a Radeon HD 4870, and previously owned not just one but a pair of Radeon HD 3850s and the 4870 completely outclasses them in every way. The desktop Radeon HD 4670, even with half the memory bus of the 3850, still performs on par with it.

So how do these three characteristics ultimately shake down when you're configuring your game? Let's find out.

IN-GAME SETTINGS

One of the joys of PC games is that they can look better than their console versions, provided you know how to tune your gaming rig. Most games offer some variants on these settings, some more and some less, but the analogs will be present more often than not. While we may namecheck a few hard limits and settings levels, the best way to tune your game rig is to tweak each of these setting individually and then observe their effects on actual game performance. In most every case, turning these settings down will improve game performance at the cost of visual appeal, so only you can know where your sweet spot for speed-versus-pretty is located.

Resolution

In-game resolution settings can have the strongest impact on your graphics performance. Typically, the biggest limiter of this can be memory size, but if your GPU is equipped with DDR2 memory, shared memory, or a small memory bus (think 64-bit), you will hit a hard limit on available resolution very quickly. The memory bandwidth simply won't be enough to handle the amount of information streaming between the memory and the GPU, and I've seen otherwise decent hardware take a swan dive in performance when game resolution was raised too high. If your graphics hardware is relatively low-end (as in no on-card memory) you may be confined to running at 1024x768 or under.

Texture Detail

Texture detail is affected most heavily by memory size. If you don't have a lot of memory to go around, consider reducing texture detail to spruce up game performance. The game world around you -- such as details on the ground, walls, rocks, and other large solid objects -- will appear a bit blurrier as a result, but your game will run faster and with more fluidity.

Shadows

Shadows and shadow detail have had a significant influence on the performance of recent games. Typically, diminishing or disabling shadows will directly speed up game play. That said, shadow performance often scales with GPU processing power. A GPU with a high amount of shader power (related to architecture) isn't going to break as much of a sweat with a lot of shadows, but mid and low-end cards may start bawling with Shadows set too high.

Shaders

The term "shaders" is a bit all-encompassing, but generally shaders make things "prettier" overall. Shader performance is tied almost entirely to GPU processing power and architecture. On a higher-end GPU, this setting is pretty safe to turn up since there's likely power to spare, but when you're on the mid-end or lower, you may need to turn this a ways down.

Lighting

This setting will affect the general quality of lighting within the game, sometimes altering the color of light as well as how crisp it is. Lighting is often highly shader-dependent and as such will fall in line with the shaders setting itself, though architecture can have a lot to do with this. Older GPUs are going to struggle a lot more with effects like HDR (High Dynamic Range) lighting and bloom, while newer GPUs tend to be better optimized for these effects.

Anti-Aliasing

Anti-aliasing is a process where the GPU smoothes out jagged edges in the image, such as the barrel of the gun, character models, and so on. It's not supremely essential and many games don't even let you enable it, but it can improve image quality considerably depending on if the game is edge-heavy (F.E.A.R., I'm looking at you).

Unfortunately, next to resolution, anti-aliasing is the ultimate resource hog. Anti-aliasing demands good memory bandwidth, and at higher resolutions requires a great deal of memory as well. We've noticed that a resolution of about 1920x1200 is where modern GPUs can tend to run out of video memory, especially if they only have 512MB on-card memory or lower. These cards may run perfectly fine before anti-aliasing is enabled, but the performance impact if it's enabled can be devastating.

Anti-aliasing is also one of those points where architecture makes its appearance, particularly in ATI's Radeons. Simply put, the 4000 series performs substantially better when anti-aliasing is enabled than do previous generations. ATI has never confirmed that anti-aliasing was "broken" in the hardware of the 2000 and 3000 series, but generally speaking they produced much more precipitous performance drops even in the flagship 3000-gen GPUs when anti-aliasing was enabled. The 4000 series fixes the problem and brings anti-aliasing performance more or less in line with the GeForces on the market.

Texture Filtering

Texture filtering is my bread and butter, and I'll generally preserve this setting at the expense of almost all others.

Games will use different texture qualities depending on the distance from the "camera" in order to improve performance, in a technique called mip-mapping. The textures closest to you will look best, while those farther away will have their detail sometimes dramatically reduced. With filtering disabled, you'll often see the mip-mapping in effect, where there'll be a hard line in front of you that moves with you. The same texture will be clearer near you, and suddenly drop in quality past that line.

There are three basic texture-filter settings: Bilinear, trilinear, and anisotropic. Anisotropic filtering generally has settings from x2, x4, x8, and x16. These settings "move" the texture drop-off line in some cases, but also blur the border, allowing for smooth transitions between each level of detail on the texture so you don't see that hard line. Indeed, anisotropic filtering in particular will radically improve the detail of the texture on the ground in the distance, which keeps the look of the game consistent.

Mercifully, modern GPUs have optimized the texture filtering process extremely well, and it's typically safe to enable regardless of hardware class. You can always turn it down to see if there's an improvement in performance, and I've found in some cases that a setting of x8 anisotropic filtering will provide an adequate trade-off between performance and picture quality.

V-Sync

Last but not least, there's V-Sync, the setting that many gamers leave turned off but I, personally, cannot do without. V-Sync is short for Vertical Synchronization, and it synchronizes the frames rendered by the video card with the frame rate of your monitor (59 or 60 frames per second for the overwhelming majority of LCD screens). Left disabled, the game can perform much faster, but something called "tearing" can also occur, where a new frame starts getting drawn before the old one is finished, and a distinct line appears in the image where this occurs. A lot of modern games are pretty good about minimizing tearing, but nonetheless it exists.

V-Sync gets rid of tearing entirely, but introduces a couple of wrinkles of its own. It locks the frame rate to 60, and divides it in half if the graphics hardware can't keep up, plunging from 60 to 30, or even 15 or worse, which is essentially unplayable. This can be averted by enabling an option called Triple Buffering, but nonetheless, V-Sync incurs a considerable performance penalty not limited to any single hardware factor.

Another downside of V-Sync is that it can introduce sometimes noticeable latency, or "input lag," between the commands you issue and the game itself. This can cause a game to feel somewhat sluggish.

So with these horrendous downsides, why enable it at all? For me, it's because tearing is very distracting, and my games perform plenty fast enough with it enabled anyhow. Remember, this isn't about how fast you can get the game to run, but about what's comfortable for you and what trade-offs you're willing to make.

CPU

One last note: Your CPU impacts graphics performance, too. If your processor is on the slower end, it will limit how much work is fed to your graphics hardware. Some games run fine with a slower processor (Crysis, for example), while others can be surprisingly punishing. Those of you with older CPUs will notice that Left 4 Dead slows to a crawl when large numbers of zombies are on-screen, and Far Cry 2 seems to be heavily processor-reliant in general. If changing the software settings one way or the other doesn't have an appreciable effect on performance, odds are your processor is holding things up.

CONCLUSION

Hopefully this guide has given you some idea of what all those settings in your games do. I know how daunting they can seem, but an understanding of how to set them can make your gaming experience much more enjoyable overall. Games, for me at least, do hinge somewhat on the graphics. A game with excellent graphics can feel very immersive while a game with blocky models and blurry textures can remind you that you're just playing a game.

I'm a big fan of first-person shooters, in particular, and I've found they can be very sensitive to video performance. For me, a high frame rate when playing these definitely improves my performance and makes it much easier to make more precise shots. It doesn't necessarily make up for my being a miserable shot to begin with, but it helps. For you, it could be all the difference in the world.

47. NotebookReview.com Guide To Buying A Notebook Online

By: Dustin Sklavos
From: NotebookReview.com

If you're a technology enthusiast like I am, custom ordering a laptop online is like some kind of bizarre but highly enjoyable game. It's a balancing act, but it's also like getting to go to the toy store and pick out what you want to take home.

However, if you're reading this you're not like me. In fact, if you're reading anything on NotebookReview.com it probably means you're looking for help while trying to purchase a new laptop. Don't worry ... you're not alone. When most people go to order a laptop online, the smorgasboard of options turns into a nightmare. Is a faster processor worth the extra $25? What about the one that's $50 more? Do I need the GeForce graphics card or is the Intel thingy acceptable?

The problem gets compounded by well-meaning but clueless shoppers. It's okay if you're one of those people. Companies spend large amounts of money on advertising every year so that when you go to buy a laptop you say things like, "It must have Intel!" "I'm gonna have a lot of programs so I need a big hard drive!" And so on. My job here is to keep you from making expensive mistakes and arm you with the information you require to make an informed decision in how you custom build your new notebook. In fact, some of this advice will even help you if you decide to purchase a pre-configured notebook online or at a local retail store.

I'll go through each of the major components and try to give you the best advice I can.

PROCESSOR
The reality is that most programs these days outside of games aren't going to tax the processor that much. That's why, for the vast majority of users, even just the brand of processor - AMD or Intel - isn't going to matter. Still, there are a couple of major recommendations to make here.

First, if extreme battery life is going to be important to you, take AMD's processors out of the equation. At the the time of this writing, AMD's mobile processors have lackluster battery life compared to their Intel equivalents. If your laptop is going to spend the vast majority of its life plugged in, then AMD becomes a solid choice for people on a budget who don't need a lot out of their computer.

Second, with the importance of battery life and thus buying an Intel processor, you're actually going to want to pursue Intel's mid-range. These processors are characterized by a "P" prefix on the model number instead of a "T." Power consumption on these is moderately lower and can help extend battery life.

Third, just buy a dual core processor. Don't buy a Celeron, don't buy a Sempron. Intel and AMD both have inexpensive dual core processors on the market.

Now you need to decide how much power you require. If you're going to be doing serious multimedia work, like video editing, motion graphics, and so on, consider spending more on the processor. You'll want a Core 2 Duo or even Quad, depending on the price. At this juncture you also need to decide how much you're willing to spend on the processor and adjust accordingly. Typically there's a massive difference in price between the most expensive processor and the next one on the list, and I'll save you some grief: it's not worth it.

When looking at the more minor differences - say a $50 difference between one processor and another that's at least 200MHz faster - it's going to be up to you. Remember, there's nothing necessarily wrong with choosing a middle-of-the-road processor.

I am, however, going to make an odd recommendation at the end here: if you plan on gaming on your laptop on a seriously low budget, rule out Intel processors. While the processor itself is faster, the less expensive graphics options for Intel processors (the integrated graphics) are vastly inferior to offerings for AMD processors.

MEMORY (RAM)
This is an easy one. The average PC user will seldom need more than 2GB of memory; media buffs and gamers may want to look at 4GB, though even regular users won't exactly be hurting if they make this bump. Do not bother with 3GB. And some manufacturers will offer 8GB at an obscenely high price - don't bother.

The price of upgrading memory direct from the manufacturer can often be absurdly high. Apple in particular tends to charge unreasonably high prices in this category. It's at this point that you as a consumer should know the following:

1. Memory is often much cheaper to order online separately.
   and
2. It's also extraordinarily easy to install and/or upgrade memory.

The overwhelming majority of modern laptops make it easy to upgrade memory yourself without voiding the warranty, and doing so is a five minute job at most. Odds are the user manual will even tell you how.

So unless the manufacturer has some kind of special deal on a free memory upgrade, avoid upgrading through the manufacturer and just buy the memory through an online retailer like NewEgg.com or Amazon.com.

OPERATING SYSTEM
This is another easy one. First of all, until the arrival of Windows 7, you're stuck with Windows Vista. While I've railed against it in the past, honestly, a modern installation of Windows Vista is pretty nice and certainly the most stable operating system I've ever used ... even more than Windows XP.

Do not buy Windows Vista Home Basic, Business, or Ultimate. Home Basic is too stripped down; Business and Ultimate are going to offer features you're not likely to need, and Business may even remove features you might have used. This pretty much leaves you with Home Premium.

If you're running 4GB of memory, choose the 64-bit version of Windows Vista and not the 32-bit. 64-bit Windows Vista is designed to handle large amounts of memory.

STORAGE
This is a matter of preference and it must be dealt with on three fronts: capacity, speed, and SSD vs. hard disk.

First, in terms of capacity, if you're just storing programs, documents, and pictures, you probably won't need more than 160GB of space. If you're going to be storing/editing video, max out the capacity.

Second, in terms of speed you're looking at either 5400rpm or 7200rpm. While I personally think 5400rpm drives are too slow, most users aren't going to need the snappier performance of a 7200rpm one, and the premium you pay for a 7200rpm drive may not be worth it. If you're doing multimedia work, though, just get the 7200rpm. The drive is the biggest performance bottleneck you're going to run up against, so you might as well make it as fast as possible.

Finally, Solid State Drives (SSDs), are starting to become increasingly popular for laptop users. These are still prohibitively expensive, but they're the fastest storage you can buy and can survive impacts and vibration that would destroy a standard hard disk drive. The big problems with SSDs are the high price and mediocre capacity at the time of this writing. If you simply must have the fastest computer you can get, you can upgrade to a SSD, but that's going to be an expensive mistake for the vast majority of users.

OPTICAL DRIVE
Here's another easy one. First, the drive should be able to write DVDs, period. DVDs are still one of the best ways to back up your stuff, so that ability is fairly essential.

Second, are you planning on watching Blu-ray movies? You are? Then get the Blu-ray drive. If you're not, don't bother.

And finally, LabelFlash and LightScribe are cute accessories that let you use the drive to actually write an image to the top of the disc if you use special discs. They're usually only about a $10 premium, so I tend to fork it over, but if money's tight don't bother. I can't remember the last time I've used LightScribe, and I've never had a LabelFlash drive, so there you go.

SCREEN/DISPLAY
This is one of the trickier ones. Honestly, choosing a display should be easy, but it's not.

First, if it's possible to get an LED-backlit screen, consider doing so. The expense is usually about $100 extra, but the picture will be much brighter and LED-backlighting notably reduces the power consumption of the screen, which is typically the most power-hungry component in the laptop.

Second, resolution. This basically defines the number of pixels wide by tall the screen has; the higher the resolution, the smaller the text will be, but the more you can fit on your desktop. Now my eyesight is pretty bad, so I typically go for the lowest resolution screen available for the laptop I buy, but if you've got pretty great eyesight you may be happier with a higher resolution one. So let's look at the "pros" and "cons" here.

Reasons to go for lower resolution: If you have poor eyesight, if you're not going to be doing anything too complicated with the laptop, or if you're going to be gaming on it. This last one is going to generate some complaints and comments, I know it, but games look better at the native resolution of the laptop screen, and mobile graphics often don't have the horsepower to drive games at higher resolutions. This results in having to play the games at a lower resolution than native, which gives you a less attractive, scaled-up image.

Reasons to go for high resolution: if you have excellent eyesight, if you're going to be doing media work or any other work that may require a wealth of desktop space.

GRAPHICS
First of all, if you're going to do any gaming on your laptop, rule out Intel graphics as an option. Performance of Intel's graphics is dismal. You should be looking at either a Nvidia GeForce or an ATI Radeon. And remember, what you order, you're stuck with. You can't just try and save bread on buying Intel graphics now and upgrade later; you can't upgrade. Let me repeat this, because this is probably the most irritating thing to continuously pop up on the forums here: You cannot upgrade your laptop graphics. The only laptops that can be upgraded are the laptops purchased by people who don't need to read this article. You cannot upgrade your laptop graphics.

So, if you're gaming, or think you might game in the future, choose an ATI Radeon or Nvidia GeForce graphics card. If the manufacturer doesn't offer either of these as an option for your laptop, find a different laptop to order.

Now what if the manufacturer has multiple options, multiple Radeons and/or GeForces? Spend as much as you're comfortable with. This is usually a good place to stretch that budget if you're a gamer. You usually can't go wrong with more graphics power.

You remember back in the processor section when I mentioned gamers on a budget should go AMD? The integrated graphics typically available with AMD processors tend to have enough horsepower to run most modern games at low settings, so if you're on a seriously tight budget, this is something to consider. The Radeon HD 3100/3200/3300 - and the GeForces - are good choices for the frugal gamer.

NETWORKING
There are three things to look at here: wireless networking, Bluetooth, and actual wireless internet access (3G, etc.)

For wireless networking, you'll want to spend up for an Intel adaptor on Intel-based laptops. From there, you might as well go for wireless-n as it typically isn't a major expense. On AMD laptops, just spend up for wireless-n for the sake of futureproofing.

As far as Bluetooth is concerned, I typically add the upgrade since it's only about $10 and it means you can purchase a Bluetooth mouse that doesn't require a receiver and just syncs with the laptop itself. And finally, Bluetooth can be used to communicate with your Bluetooth-enabled phone. Typically your phone's manufacturer will offer software that lets you manage the files on your Bluetooth phone, so that's something to consider.

And finally, wireless internet access via Verizon or 3G. That's going to be your call, since these upgrades also require subscriptions.

Keep in mind that all of these can be upgraded later with a USB dongle, so if your budget is tight you can always go for the cheapest one and just buy a USB adapter later and use that.

WARRANTY
This is the tricky part. I don't spring for extended warranties as a general rule, but you may want to consider one. This is entirely a matter of personal preference and how much you want to spend for peace of mind. Most manufacturers maintain a one year limited parts and labor warranty standard, and you pay to upgrade it to add more years or better tech support.

So you have to decide if you want what amounts to an insurance policy on your laptop. No one will fault you if you decide to live without, but if you think you may need it or just want the peace of mind, there's no shame in springing for it either.

CONCLUSION
So here we are, at the end of it. Of course, this isn't all there is to ordering a laptop online; manufacturers will try to convince you to buy all kinds of extras, like printers, carrying bags, mice, monitors, and so on, but that's all stuff you can get elsewhere and likely get for less money.

I hope I've managed to simplify the buying process for you. It's one of those unfortunate situations where in the process of trying to make things more consumer-friendly, it can get needlessly complicated and even daunting. Most consumers don't know the difference between a Pentium Dual-Core and a Core 2 Duo and most don't need to; it's one of those bizarre things that's been the status quo but is of utterly no use to most computer users. All of the major manufacturers are guilty of putting a wide range of parts on the market that honestly are so incrementally different that it's often not even worth the trouble trying to figure them out.

There's one last piece of advice I have for you: If you need a laptop now then buy a laptop now. Don't wait. The next big change in technology is always going to be around the corner. If you wait for the next thing you're going to wait forever. There's always going to be something that will come out and make you wish you waited, and that's just the nature of modern technology. If you need it, just buy it.

46. Netbook Buyers Guide

By: Kevin
From: NotebookReview.com

The netbook form factor offers consumers a low-cost ultraportable notebook in a market segment where notebooks used to cost $1,500 and up. With most netbooks costing less than $400, they are cheap enough to buy one in addition to your full-size notebook. With the vast majority offering Intel Atom processors, these portable computers can handle most daily tasks with ease. In this buying guide we compare the different models we have reviewed to help you find the best netbook to fit your needs.

Buying the Perfect Netbook

Currently the netbook standard is one of the easiest computers for consumers to purchase, with most models on the market offering the same Intel Atom processor and Intel integrated graphics. The only thing that really separates netbook models is the type of storage medium they use, the screen size, and the size of the battery.

If you plan on storing movies and music on the netbook, a higher capacity hard drive model would be a better choice, instead of the much smaller SSD. In some cases it can be the difference of 8GB of storage compared to 120GB. The next area is screen size, with models coming in either the 8.9” size or 10”, but sharing the same resolution. If you enjoy having a larger screen to work with, the 10” models can be easier to read, and you usually have the benefit of a larger keyboard. A new Dell Mini 12 goes even further with a 12” screen and full WXGA resolution, but that is an exception to the netbook market. The last hardware difference comes down to the capacity of the battery of the netbook, with 3-cell, 4–cell, and 6-cell battery sizes offered.

Couch or Classroom Friendly?

Battery size can play a key role in how you intend to use the netbook, with some models spanning a couple of hours, and others working for up to 6 hours. The difference comes with the size of the battery that comes with the netbook. Some models like the MSI Wind or Acer Aspire One come with 3-cell and 6-cell battery configurations, which can mean the different of 2-3 hours or 5-6 hours of battery life. If you just intend to use the netbook on your couch or around the house where external power is not an issue, battery size probably isn’t a big deal. If you intend to use the netbook in the classroom or while traveling, it is highly suggested that you find the biggest battery possible.

SSD or Hard Drive?

Besides the huge storage capacity difference between the SSD and hard drive models, there are a few added perks of each. Most of the hard drive models on the market use a standard 2.5” SATA consumer drive that can be easily upgraded or replaced down the road. The SSD models might be limited by capacity or lack an easy upgrade, but they offer shock protection and better battery life. If you find yourself being rough with portable electronics, it might be wise choosing a model with a flash memory SSD. If you are looking to get increased battery life some SSD models have an edge over HD models as well.

The Market Competition

Below is a listing of the various netbooks you'll likely find in stores and online direct from the manufacturers. This isn't a complete listing of every single netbook offered worldwide, but it does provide a comprehensive overview of some of the more popular models.

ASUS N10

The ASUS N10 is a “corporate” netbook which offers highend features that you don’t find in consumer netbooks models. Offering HDMI out with dedicated NVIDIA 9300M graphics, a fingerprint reader, and an ExpressCard/34 slot the N10 includes what business professionals might want in a portable device. With prices as low as $649 for models including the dedicated graphics, it is priced well under business class ultraportable notebooks such as the Sony TZ or TT. If you don’t need those special features listed above, consumer netbooks like the ASUS Eee PC 1000HA can be had for about $300 less.

ASUS Eee PC 1000

The 10” Eee PC 1000 comes in both SSD and HD flavors; giving consumers the choice of large storage capacity or something more rugged for a netbook that might be tossed around. The keyboard is 91% full-size for cramp-free typing and most configurations offer a large 6-cell battery. Priced slightly above other competing models you do pay a premium for one of these, which most say is worth it considered the larger stock battery. Prices start as low as $399 for a Intel Celeron equipped model, or $349 for the base Intel Atom 1000HA. The 1000HE offers the newer N280 Intel Atom processor, greatly improved battery, and newer keyboard layout for only $374.

ASUS Eee PC 900 and Eee PC 901

The smaller 9” Eee PC 900 and 901 give consumers a smaller netbook option that also happens to get slightly better battery life than its bigger 10” brother. While the 900 series does include both SSD and HD versions, the SSD model is much more popular. With both Linux and Windows XP Home models up for grabs you can find one model that best suits your needs depending on its purpose. The only compromise you make with this model depending on version is the capacity of the flash storage; where the XP model includes a 12GB drive and the Linux model has 20GB one. The SSD equipped 901 models all cost $379, whereas the older 900 series sells for as little as $285 on sale.

Acer Aspire One

Rocking the number two spot on our “Most Popular Notebooks” list at the time of this guide, the Acer Aspire One is clearly one of the more sought after models on the market right now. With one of the lowest starting prices of $299 budget SSD model or $329 for the top tier HD model it can fit in anyone’s budget in a time where everyone is pinching pennies. Offered in a wide range of color options, the 9” Acer Aspire One is a NBR reader favorite.

Dell Mini 9

The 9” Dell Mini recently hit the market at a very low starting price of $249. With an almost fullsize keyboard section that removes function keys to free up space, the keyboard is very comfortable to type on. This netbook is sold with only SSD modules, using either Windows XP Home or Ubuntu Linux, in sizes spanning from 4 to 16GB. Currently Dell only offers a 4-cell battery for the Mini 9, which limits you to around 3-4 hours of battery life, less than others on the market.

Dell Mini 12

The new Dell Mini 12 is the first netbook to offer a higher resolution 1280x800 WXGA screen and a full-size keyboard. With a super thin design that could compete with the Apple MacBook air, this Dell netbook is pushing closer to the ultraportable notebook market segment. With 3 and 6-cell battery options, optional cellular broadband and the newer low voltage Intel Atom processors, this is one of the ultimate low-cost road warrior machines. Prices start at $399 and move upwards of $600 depending on configuration.

HP Mini 1000

The HP Mini 1000 is the newest Intel Atom based netbook to the HP lineup, replacing the slower VIA equipped 2133 Mini-Note offered last year. This model is fully customizable, including the screen size and storage medium. The Mini 1000 uses the same keyboard from the Mini-Note, which we found to be the best keyboard on any netbook we have tested to date. Prices start at $299 for the 9” model or $399 for the 10” version, and move up depending on configuration.

Lenovo IdeaPad S10

The 10” IdeaPad offered in black, red, and white offers one feature not usually found on netbooks. The S10 has an ExpressCard slot on the side for an external WWAN card, to stay connected on the road. It is not surprising to see business related features on this netbook, considering it comes from the company that builds the ThinkPad. Prices start at $349 and currently only a 3-cell battery option is offered.

MSI Wind U100

This sleek netbook offers a handful of color and design options and easy to type on keyboard. While historically high in price, especially on the 6-cell version, prices have started to come down. Recently MSI announced a price cut, bringing the base configuration down to $319. Going rate for a model that includes a 6-cell battery is $399, and hard to find outside of online retailers. The Wind was one of our coolest running netbooks, so if you are sensitive to heat, look no further.

Sony VAIO P

This "Lifestyle PC" (the netbook Sony doesn't want you to call a netbook) is a super high-end model aimed at professionals who want more from your average netbook. The Sony VAIO P has a high resolution 1600 x 768 glossy display, integrated 3G broadband with GPS, Windows Vista, and optional SSD. The size and weight is well under the average for netbooks, just .78” thick and 1.3lbs with the 4-cell battery. Don’t expect to find any amazing deals, as this “not-a-netbook” starts at $899 and goes as high as $1,499 for the 128GB SSD version.

ASUS Eee PC 701

The ASUS Eee PC 701 was the first to the netbook game, but now outdated against the competition. With only a 7” display, Intel Celeron processor, and small flash storage it seems more like a toy these days than a netbook. While you can find larger screens, faster processors, and more storage space on newer models, the 701 might attract some with its super low price. Nearing the $200 mark at some stores as they clear out old inventory it is still a competent portable notebook that can easily run Windows XP. If you don’t need all the features of one of the newer netbooks, this model might be for you.

Other Netbooks

With the low cost to enter the netbook manufacturing market you will find many additional netbook models that were not listed in this guide. Some share the same OEM, making some netbooks identical “clones” of another model. Many of these offer the same great build quality and features that netbooks in our guide have, just under a different brand name. Some of the netbooks that are not in our guide include the Samsung NC10, Sylvania g, Everex Cloudbook, and Medion Akoya Mini.

45. Clean Install Guide (works for 32-bit or 64-bit)

From: stallen
From: NotebookReview.com


Clean Install Vista with "Auto-Activation" NO NEED TO CALL MICROSOFT FOR ACTIVATION and with out spending any money.

This is how you can do a clean install while avoiding all thirdparty software and "bloatware". I even consider the Thinkvantage utilities to be thirdparty. Really any application/utility that isn't part of the OS (Windows XP or Vista) is considered "thirdparty". Considering there have been quite a few problems with the new T61's it is reasonable to at least suspect that there could be an issue with one or more of the Thinkvantage utilities on this new T61 (Santa Rosa) platform. Many people have been complaining about system freezes/lock-ups and BSODs (Blue Screen of Death). These problems are often resolved with a clean install.

This guide will show you how to do a clean install on your current hard drive or a newly installed hard drive using either the 32-bit Vista or 64-bit "Anytime Upgrade" DVD or other Vista installation disk. Unfortunately, the Anytime Upgrade Disk is no longer available from Microsoft. Please read the FAQ for more information about what disks you can use.

NOTE: You can choose to have 32-bit Vista or 64-bit Vista regardless of what version you currently have installed!!!!

At first glance this guide might appear complicated. It is not! It is just very detailed. It consists of four basic steps.

STEP 1: Back-up your data.
STEP 2: Download the drivers.
STEP 3: Install and activate Vista.
STEP 4: Install the drivers.

I could just leave it at that. Doesn't that look simple? If that is all you need then look no further. For most people, this would leave a lot of unanswered questions. Read on and the guide will expand on those four steps. As you follow along I think you will find that this guide will greatly reduce any unexpected surprises during the install process.

DO NOT PROCEED UNTIL YOU HAVE READ THE FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS GUIDE FOR MORE INFORMATION

STEP 1:

!!!BACK-UP ALL OF YOUR DATA!!!

Make Recovery Disks: Open the start menu and in the search box, type "Recovery Media" (without the quotes). Then click Recovery Media from the window. *Be warned, you can only make ONE copy of the recovery media. If you mess up, you'll have to reinstall from the partition again in order to be able to make another recovery disk.* Make sure you have 3 recordable dvd disks available (or 1 CD and 2 DVDs. The first disk can be a CD). It takes 2 to 3 blank disks total. Then just follow the instructions and you'll be all set.

Back-up this file... c:\swtools\drivers ...and place it on a USB drive or a separate disk.

Back-up the Lenovo Wallpapers (optional). Found here: c:\windows\web\wallpaper

NOTE: You will not use any of the back-up disks or files from step 1 to do this clean install. They are only used if you ever want to restore any optional files or revert back to the original factory state.

!!!DO NOT PROCEED UNTIL ALL OF YOUR DATA IS BACKED-UP!!!

REMOVE THE "HIDDEN PARTITION" (OPTIONAL): Please read the frequently asked questions at the bottom of the guide to learn how to remove the hidden partition. It is best to remove the hidden partition now to avoid a lot of hassle trying to remove it after the clean install.

STEP 2:

NOTE: This step involves DOWNLOADING drivers. When you get to step 4 you will come back to this step to INSTALL the drivers in the order listed below.

Download all drivers (listed below) to a USB drive. MAKE SURE YOU DOWNLOAD THE CORRECT VISTA 32-BIT OR 64-BIT DRIVERS FOR YOUR MODEL.

Download all other drivers listed below direct from: Lenovo Downloads & Drivers or Driver Matrix Page
(NOTE: Most of these Drivers are available in EITHER 32-bit or 64-bit. Make sure to download the correct driver.)

• Intel Chipset Driver/INF Update Utility INSTALL FIRST!!!
• Turbo Memory Driver (NOTE: Only install this driver on systems with Turbo Memory. This driver will also install the Matrix Storage Manger Driver.)
• Matrix Storage Manager Driver (NOTE: Only install this driver on systems without Turbo Memory. Do not download/install this driver if you have installed the Turbo Memory driver.)
• ACPI Power "Management Driver" NOTE: The ACPI Power "Management Driver" and the Power "Manager" are two different things. The "Driver" is all that is necessary. The Power "Manager" is a ThinkVantage utility and is not necessary. (NOTE: If ThinkVantage Power Manager is installed it can only be removed properly in "safe mode". As for the ACPI Power "Management Driver", uninstallation should never be attempted.)
• Video Driver- Make sure to select the correct driver for integrated graphics (Intel 965/ Intel GMA X3100) or nVidia graphics (nVidia 140M or 570M) depending on what your laptop has for graphics.
• Audio Driver
• UltrNav DRIVER
• UltraNav UTILITY
• Wifi Driver
• Hotkey Driver
• System Interface
• Integrated Card Reader (for models with integrated card reader)
• Intel PRO/1000 LAN adapter
• Modem Adapter
• Download all registry patches found at the bottom of the Driver Matrix Page that apply to Vista.

Download these if your system has these options:
(NOTE: These three drivers are the same for every version of Vista including 32-bit or 64-bit.)

• CLICK HERE Wireless USB Software
• CLICK HERE Bluetooth Driver Bluetooth Driver Install Tips: Before installing the Driver, press Fn and F5 at the same time. You should see an on-screen display that allows you to turn "on" Bluetooth. Now install the driver. If Fn + F5 does not work to turn on bluetooth then install ThinkVantage Access Connections. After Access Connections has been installed you should be able to turn "on" Bluetooth and install the Bluetooth driver. After the bluetooth driver is installed, you can uninstall ThinkVantage Access Connections from the control panel.
• CLICK HERE Finger Print Reader (This is the SOFTWARE/UTILITY and old driver.)
• CLICK HERE Finger Print Reader (This is the latest DRIVER direct from UPEK. It is compatible with Vista SP1. It must be installed over the old Lenovo driver before Windows Update will allow SP1 to be installed.)

STEP 3:

1. Download Orev's Activation Backup and Restore (ABR) program. CLICK HERE: Orev's ABR Utility
(Read the Frequently Asked Questions at the bottom to learn about Orev's ABR Utility.)
2. Double Click the ABR file. THEN copy the ABR folder to your USB flash drive or external drive. DO NOT COPY THE ABR FOLDER TO A CD OR DVD. IT WILL NOT WORK!!!
3. Double Click "activation_backup.exe". If all goes OK you will see two new files in the ABR folder.
• backup-cert.xrm-ms (This is the backed-up activation certification file)
• backup-key.txt: (This is the backed-up product key. Double click the .txt file to open. Make sure you have a key code of five sets of random numbers and letters. Write down the key code just in case it is needed for future use. Close the file. DO NOT MAKE ANY CHANGES TO THIS FILE.)
!!!DO NOT PROCEED UNTIL YOU HAVE CHECKED TO MAKE SURE THESE TWO FILES ARE IN THE ABR FOLDER ON A USB DRIVE!!!
4. Insert the Vista Anytime Upgrade DVD and shut down/turn off the computer.

(NOTE: If you are upgrading to a new hard drive, install the new hard drive now.)

5. Turn on the computer. Follow the prompt and "press any key" to boot to the install disk.
TIP: Just keep tapping the space bar about once a second after you push the power button until it boots to the DVD drive. If this doesn't work you need to power back down -> power up -> press F1 to enter the BIOS -> change the boot setting so the DVD drive is first -> then press F12 to save and exit.


6. Choose your language, Time/Currency, and country. Click Next.


7. Click on Install Now


8. The next screen is for your Vista key. DO NOT enter anything in this box. Be sure to UNCHECK the activate box. Click Next. The installation program won't believe you, so it will ask you again if you want to enter your key. Choose NO.


9. You will be asked which version of Vista you have purchased. Highlight the version that came with your computer. Check the box that says "I have selected the edition of Windows that I purchased". Click Next. If you do not pick the version you paid for, it won't work!


10. Accept Microsoft's license terms. Click Next.
11. Choose Custom (Advanced) Installation.


12. Your internal/primary hard drive is called "Disk 0" this is where you want to install Vista. Highlight Disk 0 and click "Drive options (advanced)"


• You will most likely see Disk 0 Partition 1 and Disk 0 Partition 2. The larger partition is where Vista is installed. The smaller partition is the "hidden partition".
• To remove the hidden partition select the smaller partition and click "delete". This step can be skipped if you wish to keep the hidden partition. (I chose to remove it because it takes up space)
• Select the larger partition and click "Delete".
• Select "New" and select the largest size possible.
• Select "Format" then Click "Next".

(NOTE: This is the most confusion part of the clean install process. Basically, if you do not want the hidden partition, you will delete ALL partitions and create one "New" partition of the largest size possible. Then "format" the new partition. If you want to keep the hidden partition, you will not delete the smaller partition.)


13. The installation program will now begin copying files


14. The installation program will reboot the computer. You can remove the DVD from the drive now.


15. Choose a username and password.


16. Choose a computer name and desktop background.


17. Choose an automatic updates option.


18. Choose a time zone, set date and time.


19. The gears of Vista will whirl for a few moments and Vista will start! Go to Control Panel>System and Maintenance>System. You will see that Vista is NOT activated. Close this window.


20. Insert your USB flash drive and navigate to activation_restore.exe. Double click the file to start.
21. A cmd window will open and you will see it doing it's thing. It should say "Successful". Close the cmd window.
22. Go to Control Panel>System and Maintenance>System again. Notice the difference?


STEP 4:

Install ALL drivers IN THE EXACT ORDER LISTED ABOVE. REBOOT after every driver installation even if it is not required. THE CHIPSET DRIVER MUST BE INSTALLED FIRST.

DRIVER INSTALLATION TIP: Many of the drivers (especially the drivers from Lenovo) do not actually install when you double click on them. Often times they are only extracted to the hard drive. It is then necessary to locate the extracted file on the hard drive and install it from there. Please read the "read me" file associated with each driver for installation instructions on each of the drivers.

~DO NOT INSTALL ANY THINKVANTAGE UTILITIES UNTIL YOU READ THE F.A.Q. REGARDING THINKVANTAGE BELOW~

Congratulations!!! Your clean install is finished!!! But let's run the Windows Experience Index before we quit.

Open Control Panel>System and Maintenance>System again. Click on Windows Experience Index half way down the window.

This will open the Windows Experience Index window. Click "Update My Score". Vista uses this score to determine if it will be able to handle the Aero interface.


BUG FIX!!! There have been reports of instability issues from having "Hybrid Hard Disk Power Savings Mode" enabled under the power management options. To disable Hybrid Hard Disk go into power management by clicking on the icon on the right side of the task bar. Click "More Power Options" then click "Change Plan Settings" under your selected power plan. Double click "Hard Disk", then Double Click "Windows Hybrid Hard Disk Power Savings Mode". Set both options to "DISABLED". Now click "APPLY" then click "OK".

There you have it! A fresh, clean Vista installation with NO extra crap. Guaranteed to make for a faster and more enjoyable computing experience!

If at any time you make a mistake you can use the recovery disk(s) or your manufacturers recovery method to restore your computer.

Good Luck and Enjoy!

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:
• What disks can I use to do a clean install? You can use a retail, oem, or anytime upgrade disk. If using a retail or OEM disk, it does not matter if it is basic, premium, business, or ultimate. The disks have EVERY version of Vista. The only difference is 32-bit disks and 64-bit disks.

• What is the "Anytime Upgrade" DVD? Most people think this DVD is just to do an "upgrade" as the name implies. This DVD is actually a Vista installation DVD. It contains EVERY version of Vista on the single DVD. There are two "anytime upgrade" DVDs. One for ALL 32-bit Vista versions and one for ALL 64-bit Vista versions.

• Can I use a retail or OEM Vista DVD instead of the "Anytime Upgrade" DVD? Yes, barrow a retail disk or OEM disk from a friend and follow the guide. The clean install process and the end result will be the same. Basically the Anytime Upgrade DVD, any retail or OEM DVD are all the same installation disks. The only thing different about them is the label stamped on the disk. All of these Vista installation disks contain EVERY version (i.e. Basic, Premium, Business, Ultimate) of Vista. It is the product key that determines the version.

• Can I download a 32-bit or 64-bit disk? Yes, you can download Vista 32-bit and/or 64-bit and create install disks from this website: MyDigitalLife
Make sure you download the correct 32 or 64-bit files depending on what you want. After you download the files, you might want to look at this guide: How to Burn Downloaded Windows Vista to DVD I think it is a little easier to understand. Also, this guide uses a free utility called "imgburn" which is my DVD image burning utility of choice. I also use imgburn to burn .iso images for BIOS updates.

• Can I have 32-bit or 64-bit? Yes, it does not matter if your factory installation is 32-bit or 64-bit. If your laptop currently has 32-bit Vista, just use the 64-bit "anytime upgrade", retail, or OEM disk to do the clean install to switch from 32-bit to 64-bit. Or vice versa, if you want to go from 64-bit to 32-bit.

• Can I really upgrade from Vista 32-bit to Vista 64-bit by following this guide? YES!!! You can upgrade from 32-bit Vista to 64-bit Vista by doing a clean install with the 64-bit "anytime upgrade" disk (or any other 64-bit retail or OEM Vista installation disk) and using the ABR utility to activate.

• What is Orev's Activation Back-up and Restore (ABR) utility? Orev's ABR works with OEM/factory Vista installations. It is a very small utility (2.2mb) that will back-up the Vista OEM/factory product key to a text file and will also back up the OEM/factory certification file hidden on your laptop. It creates these two files before the clean install and then restores them after the clean install. The ABR utility must be used with a USB drive or other external drive. The ABR utility was created by Orev. Click here: Orev's Clean Install Guide

• Will the ABR utility work for me?The ABR utility can ONLY be used to backup from a factory install (Basically the untouched machine from the factory). You must backup the keycode while the factory install is still installed on the system before proceeding with the clean install. The ABR utility will not work if you have already done a clean install by using the keycode on the sticker! NOTE: Those who originally had Windows XP on their laptop then upgraded to Windows Vista with the "Express Upgrade" will not be able to clean install using the ABR utility. Do not attempt this guide using the "Express Upgrade" disk. This guide is for those that currently have a factory install of Vista and wish to clean install using the "Anytime Upgrade", retail, or OEM disks.

• What is the difference between the key on the bottom sticker vs. the key found by the ABR utility? When a you buy a new computer, either a laptop or desktop, you will notice a sticker applied (usually on the back or bottom) that has the license key for the version of Windows you paid for but that key has never been activated. There is another key code hidden in your laptop that was installed by the manufacturer. This keycode is pre-activated. This saves companies like Lenovo the hassle of activating every laptop they build and/or it saves the consumers and Microsoft the hassle of having to activate hundreds and thousands of computers everyday.

• Why not use the key on the bottom of the laptop? That key is not "pre-activated" and you will have to call Microsoft to activate it. And, you will have to call them again if you decide to do a reinstall... and again if you reinstall... and every time hope that you have an explanation that they will agree to, even though you already have a paid license for it.

• Can I use the key on the bottom of my laptop? Yes, if you have no problem calling Microsoft to get your system activated, you can use the key that's on your laptop. However, Microsoft will ask you why you need to activate. If you have to re-install again, they will ask you "Why?" again. Eventually they might say "No" and not activate your product. It's just a hassle to call and explain yourself.

• What do I do if ABR utility does not activate Vista? The ABR utility works very well for almost everyone that uses it. I have a hard time believing that it will fail to work if you follow the directions exactly as provided in the guide. However, it's possible that the utility might not work (anything is possible, right?). Don't panic. You will get activated! There are other options for for getting activated. This has been discussed in detail here: Other Activation Options.

• Should I install driver "abc" or patch "xyz"? The list of drivers above will get you going, but you might require additional drivers. If you have a certain hardware on your laptop you will most likely require a driver for that hardware. So if it applies to your laptop and operating system, then yes, you should probably install the driver or patch in question. Do not confuse drivers with utilities. Drivers are necessary for you hardware and operating system to communicate with each other. Most Thinkvantage utilities are not necessary and in most cases will only slow down the performance of your laptop.

• What is ThinkVantage? ThinkVantage is not one utility. It is multiple thirdparty utilities from Lenovo. Each of these utilities can be downloaded and installed separately from Lenovo. If you are tempted to install some of the Thinkvantage utilities, TRY TO RESIST!!! If you still insist, I recommend that you hold off on installing those for at least a few weeks to become acquainted with the performance and stability of your laptop. THEN install one Thinkvantage utility every couple of weeks. That way if one of the utilities causes an instability or performance issue you will be able to isolate the problem utility and uninstall it. Avoid installing ThinkVantage utilities that you do not need to avoid slowing down the performance of your system. NONE of the ThinkVantage utilities are necessary except for ThinkVantage Fingerprint Software for those with a fingerprint reader. For a list of ThinkVantage utilities and a description of each of them Click Here.

• Can I use ThinkVantage System Update to install the drivers for me? You can do that, but I don't recommend it. First of all, the purpose of this guide to to have a clean install without any ThinkVantage Utilities. System Update is a ThinkVantage Utility. There have been numerous reports that system update does not always install all the drivers and sometimes it will install older drivers than what are available on the Downloads and Drivers page. Using System Update makes it more of a hassle to figure out what drivers are missing and what drivers are old. Also, it is just not a good idea to rely on a utility to properly install drivers. Occasionally Lenovo will release bug fixes for System Update. In short, ThinkVantage System Update is subject to error. Do you and your laptop a favor and install them properly yourself. Here is just one of many threads where people complain that System Update is not working properly. CLICK HERE It's just too unreliable! I should also mention that BIOS updates should not be performed unless you have a known issue that the update will fix. Things can go horribly wrong if a BIOS flash is not properly performed. If you must update your BIOS, it is always safest to use the bootable CD method of flashing the BIOS.

• Can I use Windows Update to install the drivers for me? You can, but I don't recommend it. Don't let Windows update install any drivers. Occasionally Windows Update will tell you there is a new driver for your Thinkpad's hardware. Do not let it install any drivers. Go to the Lenovo downloads and drivers page to check if a new driver is really available. If so, download it and install it yourself. Do not confuse "drivers" with Windows "updates". You should allow Windows updates to install all critical and important Windows "updates".

• Will I loose any functionality of my laptop after the clean install? The only functionality you will loose is one of the blue ThinkVantage button functions. Pre-OS (on boot-up) this button allows you to do a factory restore from a hidden partition on your hard drive. After a clean install, the ThinkVantage button will no longer function properly pre-OS/boot-up, and you will no longer be able to access ThinkVantage Rescue and Recovery through the hidden recovery partition. There is no resolution that I know of at the moment. If you deleted the hidden partition so you could make use of the extra hard drive space, this function is of no importance to you anyway. However, you can get the blue ThinkVantage button working properly within Vista with the installation of the ThinkVantage Productivity Center Utility. Within Vista the blue ThinkVantage button works as a shortcut button which brings up a menu of the other ThinkVantage utilities on your laptop.

The only other thing you will loose after the clean install are a bunch of applications that come bundled with your laptop. For the most part, these applications are "light" versions (meaning limited function versions) of the applications you would actually pay for. Most of these applications should be in the swtools folder and can be installed from there. However, some applications may not be found in the swtools folder. It is up to you to look through the swtools folder to see what applications can and can not be installed.

• If I can't use the blue ThinkVantage button, how can I restore my clean install? If you have Vista Business or Ultimate, there is a back-up and recovery program built in to Vista called "Complete PC Backup and Restore". It can be located in the control panel -> "System and Maintenance" -> "Backup your computer". It is very simple to use. You can use this utility to backup your entire PC to a separate HDD or make a set of recovery DVDs that will restore your entire system. Backing up is very simple, but you might need a little help the first time you Restore. Click here for a Complete PC Restore Guide. (NOTE: When attempting to restore using recovery disks made with Complete PC you must insert the last disk that was made during the backup process, first. Then when prompted-> insert the first disk you made-> then the second disk and so on.) For other versions of Vista you should consider a thirdparty back-up and recovery program such as Acronis True Image or Norton Ghost. Another option, for everyone, is to back-up files and redo the clean install.

• Can I redo the clean install? Yes, as many times as you like. Some people like to do a clean install from time to time just to keep their system clean. After you back-up your activation using the ABR utility you can keep that on your USB drive and use it over and over. If you accidentally loose the ABR back-up information, no problem, just download the ABR utility again and start over.

• What is the "hidden partition"? Lenovo put a "hidden partition" on your hard drive. This partition takes up about 7GB of space. This hidden partition is a back-up partition that will allow the user to restore the system to the original factory install. Most people doing a "clean install" are not interested in restoring back to the original factory bloated install. So many people, myself included, choose to delete the hidden partition in order to use that 7GB of hard drive space for other things. If you make recovery disks, as outlined in the guide, you can still restore to the original factory install including the hidden partition if you ever choose to do so using those recovery disks.

• How do I remove the "hidden partition" on my hard drive? It is best to remove the hidden partition before starting the clean install. Just follow Hypertrophy's Diskpart Guide prior to installation. Then during the install follow the steps outlined in the guide under Step 3.12

• Have you completed the clean install and are still having trouble with freezes and BSODs?
These problems are often related to the RAM. Make sure to test your RAM using memtest86+ it is the first thing you should do if you ever experience system instability issues or after installing new RAM. Click here to learn how: Test Your RAM with Memtest86+

• Are you still not satisfied with the performance of your laptop? Install more RAM and/or install a better hard drive. I don't think anyone should be running Vista with less than 2GB of RAM. The price of RAM right now is reasonable so I'd recommend maxing out your RAM to 3GB if you have a 32-bit system or 4GB if you have a 64-bit system. Go to RAM Deals to check out the prices of RAM. Pick any 200-pin 667mHz RAM. They will all fit and work just as good as the more expensive RAM from the factory. Also, consider upgrading to a 7200RPM hard drive. RAM and HDD upgrades WILL provide a noticeable improvement. It is probably much easier to install these components than you think. Have a look at these Hardware Install Videos.

• Can I use this guide to upgrade my current version of Vista? This guide is about doing a clean install only. The ABR utility will not activate any other version of Vista other than the version you currently own. It is not about getting something for free. PERIOD! After the clean install is finished you can follow Microsoft's method of paying for an upgrade version if you choose to do so.

• What is the best way to take care of my battery? crisyana made a guide that will answer all of your battery related questions. Click Here: Battery Maintenance Guide

• Where did stallen go? I'm still around, but I'm so busy with school that I will probably only be checking in about once a week. I'm convinced that this guide is very comprehensive. If you have a question. Read it again. The answer is probably already here. If not, the NBR community will chip and in help you out if you'd like to post a question in the thread.

UPDATE 3-23-08: It is not necessary to read all 125+ pages of this guide to get the information you need. The guide and the F.A.Q. are updated on a regular basis. If you do not find an answer to your question within the guide or the F.A.Q. section at the bottom of this guide then feel free to post your question in the thread. PLEASE, first read the guide and the F.A.Q. at the bottom carefully.

CREDITS:

• Thanks to Dave from Dave's Computer Tips for all the Vista install screen shots and walk-thru. Check out his website! Dave's Computer Tips He has some very good tips and advice. Subscribe to his Newsletters! Thanks for allowing me incorporate your hard work into this guide.
• Thanks to Orev for creating the ABR utility. That utility is what makes this so easy! His guide is excellent. Orev's Clean Install Guide
• Thanks to many other forum members like Wh1t3w0lf Clean Install Guide, and jstigall Clean Install Guide. I learned a lot from you guys!
• Thanks to hypertophy. We used his laptop to test this guide. He put up with a lot of trial and error so YOU wouldn't have to.

As you can see I can't take credit for most of this guide. It is a collaboration of many peoples work. I just pieced it together. Hopefully this guide will help some people get the enjoyment out of their laptop they were expecting when they first pulled it out of the box.

DISCLAIMER:
Use this guide at your own risk. I cannot guarantee that it will work for everyone. I cannot guarantee that everyone will be happy with the results. I do not work for Lenovo. I do not work for notebookreview.com. Furthermore, this guide is intended to assist those with a clean install of the version of Vista that you purchased and already own. It will not work if you attempt to use it to upgrade to a version that you do not own. It is not intended for the purposes of piracy. I take no responsibility for the actions of others who attempt to use this for the purposes of piracy. You are responsible for your own actions.