Lenovo Ideapad S9e – starting up the Netbook

Initially setting up the Lenovo Ideapad S9e is simplicity itself. Slot in the battery, plug in the power adapter, start up.

So simple my sister could do it!

The usual Lenovo screen pops up first, with options to press F2 for Setup, and F12 for Boot Menu (note – you get F12 by pressing the blue FN key and the F11 button).

The next screen however, was something of a surprise.

Looking through the tiny manual didn’t give any clues as to what Lenovo Quick Start actually is, but the text under each icon seemed to suggest you could browse the web, look at photos, listen to music etc. Having heard of small Linux distributions used by companies like Asus to boot into an operating system from the BIOS, I figured this was something similar, and decided to look further at a later date.

After about 10 seconds the familiar Windows X screen was up, and Windows XP started by asking me to create a username etc. The machine seemed quite responsive and my initial misgivings about the keyboard/trackpad were quickly displaced.

Then we get to the usual problem with machines shipped with Windows by large companies like Lenovo, Dell, HP etc. The stuff they install that you quite simply don’t want?

Office 2007 – no thank you
Windows Live – no thank you
PC Doctor 5 – no thank you
Norton Internet Security – Nooooooooooooooooooooo

It’s not quite a bad as some companies, but to be perfectly honest, if you are buying an 8.9″ Netbook to use Microsoft Office then you’re a bit of a masochist in my opinion!

Of course after un-installing the software I didn’t want, it was time to download some anti-virus and anti-malware software. The free versions of AVG and Superantispyware are my weapons of choice here for one reason – they are free. Having experienced just how poorly the so call security suites from Norton, McAfee etc actually are, combined with the drain they are on your system resources, I don’t see the need to pay anymore than nothing for security software. Sensible computing is far more secure, than any of the security suites I’ve found. That said, you should go with your own instincts! (ie don’t blame me if you follow my advice and fall flat on your face )

Doing this, along with the Windows updates, and I’m soon zipping around the internet from the comfort of my sofa. Took the Ideapad out into the garden, upstairs etc and it didn’t lose connection once. All in all a handy piece of kit, and will be especially useful when I go to people’s homes to look at their machines etc.

Now that I was happy with the set-up, it was time to create the Windows Restore Disks.

Only it wasn’t because there didn’t seem to be a way to create them. Lenovo utilise a One Key Recovery system, where the operating sytem files are stored on a hidden partition, and you can access it by either pressing F11 at startup, or clicking the One Key Recovery link in the start menu. This didn’t really please me.

Shipping a computer without any restore disks is just cheap. They cost less than £1 to make, so there is ZERO reason to exclude them, but even if you do, at least do what other companies like Toshiba do, and create software that nags at you to create restore disks. I know it’s probably some license agreement from Microsoft, that in selling you XP for 10% of what us poor saps can buy it for, you mustn’t allow us to make back-ups, but UK law actually says we’re allowed to backup computer software LEGALLY.

Browsing the Lenovo website, I find a part number listed for Lenovo Ideapad S9e recovery disks ( 58Y1057 )? I also found a note that recovery disks can be created using Rescue and Recovery, so I downloaded and installed that.

Then the troubles began….