Factory restore VS Clean OS installation

[PhoenixR]

Now this one is an important issue.
I'm sure everyone re-installing the OS had this choice. Every option has it's pros and cons.

Clean OS installation
Pros
1. Easier to get an installation disk
2. Smaller - it usually consists of 1 disk
3. Faster - both in installation AND BOOTING and RESPONSE TIME
Cons
1. Drivers' mess - after installation you get a whole bunch of undetected hardware with question marks in the Device manager - The most important con
And this could be especially troublesome for models EOLed and thus restricted of any support (like T400 - T510, for example)
2. Not an authentic installation

Factory restore
Pros
1. No drivers' mess - all the hardware is detected alright, usually.
2. No installation mess - potentially unwanted installation issues like for instance switch from AHCI to Compatibility are mostly absent
3. Authentic installation
Cons
1. Harder to get a factory restore OS
2. Bigger in size - takes few disks normally
3. Slower boot and response - the major con
4. Slower installation

From what I've heard IBM/Lenovo actually have issued a special guide for a clean OS installation and here's the link:
http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site. ... MIGR-70665

But the page has been moved or deleted.
So the real questions are:
What are those IBM/Lenovo guidelines for a clean OS installation exactly and what would be the best way to get a faster OS without drivers' mess, especially for EOLed models like T400-T510 etc.?

[RealBlackStuff]

Here is the "latest" version from 2009, as found on the Wayback Archive:
https://web.archive.org/web/20090531095 ... MIGR-70665

On oldies like that you're better off installing Linux.

[solidpro]

There are two more cons with the older factory restores:

1) The media offered freqently doesn't boot or bails somewhere during the installation - because it wasn't created properly, wasn't documented in how to use it (in a way that isn't guessable) or is missing some other part of it's usability (such as a boot disk).

2) The factory restore medium has a very limited and specific method - such as requiring a specific and rare dock, cable or drive.

As a result, and as the older IBM software and drives are mostly widely available, we tend to just use a vanilla OS matching what it would have come with from the factory.

[ZaZ]

I prefer a fresh install, then making an image, I use True Image, that can be put back quickly if needed and you only have to do the clean install once. I use Windows Update, so never found locating drivers to be messy.

[PhoenixR]

Here is the "latest" version from 2009, as found on the Wayback Archive:
https://web.archive.org/web/20090531095 ... MIGR-70665

On oldies like that you're better off installing Linux.

Thanks again RealBlackStuff.
The oldies like that I am on are used not for just browsing or other similar tasks but for correspondingly old windows programs - that's the deal. Otherwise yes Linux would be much better of course

[PhoenixR]

There are two more cons with the older factory restores:

1) The media offered freqently doesn't boot or bails somewhere during the installation - because it wasn't created properly, wasn't documented in how to use it (in a way that isn't guessable) or is missing some other part of it's usability (such as a boot disk).

2) The factory restore medium has a very limited and specific method - such as requiring a specific and rare dock, cable or drive.

As a result, and as the older IBM software and drives are mostly widely available, we tend to just use a vanilla OS matching what it would have come with from the factory.

Absolutely true, solidpro - these are 2 more cons, optional, however, appearing sometimes

[PhoenixR]

I prefer a fresh install, then making an image, I use True Image, that can be put back quickly if needed and you only have to do the clean install once. I use Windows Update, so never found locating drivers to be messy.

Sure, Zaz if you're talking about the latest windows. But for the no longer supported windows like XP (especially x64) and even 7, Windows Update could be a problem

[Edward Mendelson]

Sure, Zaz if you're talking about the latest windows. But for the no longer supported windows like XP (especially x64) and even 7, Windows Update could be a problem

This site is an amazingly well-made resource for precisely that problem:

https://legacyupdate.net

[PhoenixR]

Sure, Zaz if you're talking about the latest windows. But for the no longer supported windows like XP (especially x64) and even 7, Windows Update could be a problem

This site is an amazingly well-made resource for precisely that problem:

https://legacyupdate.net

Thanks Edward Mendelson I'll give it a try