BleepingComputer.com: new laptop w/ windows 7

Lenovo B570-1068AHU laptop
Windows 7 Home Premium SP1

I don't know if this topic should be opened here or elsewhere. This is my first exposure to Windows 7. To complicate things, this is a brand new computer. (I am posting from a different computer.) I am unsure whether I am dealing with a Windows 7 issue or an OEM configuration problem.

I have searched various pages and forums in Lenovo's website and learned the following. The OEM configuration includes a hidden partition to be used for factory restore purposes and three logical drives. The logical drives as viewed in Computer are:

• local disk (C:) 227GB free of 254GB
  
• Lenovo (D:) 26.8GB free of 28.9GB
  
• Microsoft Office Click-to-Run 2010 (protected) (Q:) no size information displayed

The information I found within the Lenovo website indicates that C: is for files and programs and D: is the OS. If I understand correctly, the reasoning behind this is to allow a clean install without molesting the files and programs. Up to this point I believe I know how things work.

Here is where I haven't figured out what is going on. I have saved a few .txt files created in Notepad. The saved files as viewed in Libraries\Documents are located in D: drive which appears to be reserved for the OS. At this rate I could fill the drive instead of having the files saved to C: drive. The files are also found in Computer\local disk (C:)\users\computer name\my documents. These are redundant files. What am I missing here?

regarding Q: drive:
I believe this is for the factory preloaded Office Starter 2010 which I intend to remove as soon as I get the real version of Office 2010. This is the first time I have encountered a logical drive which appears to be dedicated to a single installed program. Will removing the program also remove the drive, or will the drive remain intact and occupy available hard drive memory?


All helpful guidance will be appreciated.

regards,
wkid

First step with a new O/S...learn to use the Help menus about features you aren't familiar with.

I will say that the Library functions are kind of an illusion...that is, the files reflected in a given library are not within the library, when it comes to file location.

The library is just an easy way to get a listing of all files of a given type...the files are still in their normal hard drive locations.

As for the configuration of a Lenovo system...the owner/usual manual covers that. But a simple look into the contents of whatever is in My Computer...will tell you where your Windows files, etc. are.

Louis

Louis,

I'm waiting for a book on Windows 7 to arrive from Amazon. It was scheduled to arrive today, but I have not seen it yet. The few help files I have read have not addressed this. So--- the files displayed in D: drive are not really there?

As for help from Lenovo ... I emailed their support and received nothing but a link to the bare bones user manual which is identical the one which came with the computer. Support claims that no other documentation is available. Nothing about factory configuration has been found beyond the information I supplied above.

regards,
wkid

On a typical non-OEM system...the D: drive is the optical drive.

I don't own a Lenovo system, so I can't tell you the significance of the partitions they have created on their systems. If the user/owner manual doesn't clarify such, I won't guess at why a given partition is established by the system manufacturer.

Perhaps others here will.

Louis

Regarding the Q drive:

Office 2010 makes this standard. I installed a trial Office 2010 on my computer and ended up with Microsoft Office Click-to-Run 2010 (protected) (Q:)

Two other systems in my house have retail versions of Office 2010 on them and both have the same drive.

When you uninstall Office, it also remove the drive. After uninstalling the Office trial the Q drive was removed.

Thanks, I appreciate the feedback.

Louis: I am familiar with the drive designations being those which you described on all the machines I have used prior to purchasing the Lenovo. I double checked the Lenovo designations and found the optical drive to be F. On a whim I contacted IT Support at the college where I will be taking classes starting in January. The IT guy checked my schedule and told me that one of my instructors is his go to guy on OEM configurations. He assured me that this instructor would be happy to explain the configuration to me in as much depth as my heart desires. BONUS!!! The only kicker is that I have to wait until classes begin.

Queen-Evie: The Office 2010 in Q drive makes sense now. -->another bonus: As a student I am offered the option of a free download or the actual disks for $12 to install Office 2010 Home and Student once classes commence. This is a lifetime deal with full support and no future fees.

regards,
wkid