Windows 8 installation

[tinpanalley]

I've got a Lenovo Y580 laptop and got the promotional Win8 upgrade when I bought it. It had Win7 at the time. The process of installing Windows 8 has brought up the fact that my system has what Lenovo calls Rapiddrive which launches essential system files off of the built in SSD which operates as a partition of the HDD. The two drives are joined and because of this, the Win8 install doesn't let me use any of the partitions to install it.
So, after all that, the question... I've already done a backup image of the system in case I need to bring it back. How do I proceed to install Windows? Do I delete the partitions and format the hdd? If I do that and then need to bring back Win7, how do I reinstall it with that partition set up?
The Lenovo forums have been a total dud for answers, I'm hoping someone here can help, (which is what usually happens ). Thanks!

 

[Bubbaleone]

It sounds like you're trying to install Windows 8 by booting from the media, but to upgrade you need to be on the Windows 7 desktop and then load the Windows 8 DVD/USB install media. Now navigate to the root of your DVD or USB flash drive, then double-click Setup.exe to begin the installation. When you get to the screen below, select "Upgrade" not Custom.

 

[tinpanalley]

I will try this but I think the hdds being joined cause major problems and now I've heard that this laptop may not even have Win8 64-bit drivers. Good thing Lenovo promoted this laptop so much as being upgradeable to Windows 8.

 

[Berryracer]

you must convert the partition into a basic disk from the control panel > administrative tools > computer management > disk management

I had a Lenovo IdeaPad Y470 last year and this cashing thing is BS. If you install Windows directly on the SSD it will perform much faster and just keep the HDD for storing your regular files like docs, pics, vids, etc.

this is a copy/paste from my Y470 guide to a clean Windows 7 install but should be the same for 7 or 8

How to install Windows on the mSATA SSD:

If you would like to install Windows on the mSATA SSD, you must first change it to a basic disk otherwise you won't even see it in the list of partitions while the Windows setup initializes.

To do this:
1- Go to Control Panel, Administrative Tools, Disk Management
2- Find the mSATA 64 GB SSD, you would know which one it is from the size, it would be around 59.63 GB
3- Right click on the part where it says Disk 0, then choose convert to basic disk, if that option wasn't available, choose convert to Dynamic Disk, then try right clicking again until you see convert to basic disk
4- Once it is a basic disk, you would see it in the partitions list when you are trying to install Windows!

 

[tinpanalley]

Yeah, the only problem with that is that my SSD is like 30GB. Not at all enough to install a system on. Won't it run fine from the hdd? Surely every Win8 laptop doesnt run on an SSD??

 

[Berryracer]

ah 30 GB won't do it bro, can't help u there coz I never used or believed in this caching SSD to be honest

 

[tinpanalley]

Hang on. I dont understand... why cant I just install Windows 8 on the hdd? I don't even WANT to do the caching thing.

 

[Berryracer]

then u can, u just need to convert the disk to a basic disk or basic MBR via the disk management, just right click on C : and choose convert to basic disk otherwise u wont be able to install

also make sure during windows setup, to delete all of your primary HDD partitions and recreate them using the Windows Setup from scratch

 

[Bubbaleone]

then u can, u just need to convert the disk to a basic disk or basic MBR via the disk management, just right click on C : and choose convert to basic disk otherwise u wont be able to install

also make sure during windows setup, to delete all of your primary HDD partitions and recreate them using the Windows Setup from scratch

Seriously berryracer, you don't know what you're talking about regarding upgrading a Y580, that came preloaded from Lenovo with Windows 7, to Windows 8. The bad advice you're handing out is a bunch of ignorant crap that will end up trashing the OPs laptop. The OP isn't trying to wipe his installation and reinstall, he's trying to upgrade!

@ tinpanalley--> your mSATA SSD is not intended to be used as drive. It is being used as a high-performance file cache to accelerate the I/O performance of the HDD, and is controlled by the Intel Rapid Storage Technology software that is currently installed on Windows 7.

Use the Microsoft recommended procedure that I outlined in my first post to safely upgrade your Windows 7 installation to Windows 8. The mSATA will work exactly the same when you upgrade to Windows 8, and all of your Windows 7 personal settings, programs, documents, games, videos, and pics will be ready for you to use.

 

[Berryracer]

ohhhhhhh sorry I missed the point, I thought he was trying to do a clean install for Windows 8

 

[Bubbaleone]

ohhhhhhh sorry I missed the point, I thought he was trying to do a clean install for Windows 8

So if you're even competent to give advice on how that's done, then why wasn't the very first thing that you mentioned, in order for him to perform a clean installation of Windows 8 on his Lenovo Y580, is that he would first need to disable the secure boot feature?

 

[Berryracer]

So if you're even competent to give advice on how that's done, then why wasn't the very first thing that you mentioned, in order for him to perform a clean installation of Windows 8 on his Lenovo Y580, is that he would first need to disable the secure boot feature?

Bubbaleone =

 

[Raincity]

Yep, some people need to learn to relax.

 

[Oyeve]

Bubbaleone =

Buahahah! im stealing this.