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Lenovo Laptop: Restore disk problems Win 8

So I bought a Lenovo laptop that is currently working fine, however, I wanted to make my restore disks in case the drive gets hosed. The web forum for Lenovo, and agents on the phone say you cannot make restore DVDs any longer since it's win 8. There are instructions on how to make restore USB thumbdrives. I made 2 of them. They don't work. If I put another blank drive in the computer and try and restore it boots ok off the USB thumb but it can't find the restore partition. Searching the forum it seems everyone is having this problem, and Lenovo is blaming MS, who isn't commenting AFAIK and Lenovo wants 60 bucks for restore disks. This is madness. Now I have yet another reason to hate Windows 8.

I see my thread was moved. I'd like help with any possible solution there might be.

My objective in this thread was to seek help, not as much to complain, but my God, what are we supposed to do?
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Why hate Win8 just because Lenovo is pushing the blame off onto it? I never believe what some rep uses for bad excuses.

No, there are problems with downgrading to 7, many people trying it can't get it to install in the Lenovo forums. And it sounds like a large number of people, not just Lenovo customers, have the problem.

FWIW,
I have downgraded a few Lenovo laptops from Windows 8 to 7, including one of my own, with no problem what so ever.

Actually,
On my Lenovo, it went from Windows 7 to 8 and back to 7. More like another reason to say Lenovo sucks, which they some what do, than Windows 8, although it some what sucks too.

I guess 2 sucks equals 1 hate!!
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Whatever you do do not overwrite the diagnostic partition on the HD that will wipe off fancy graphical bios they have on new win8 laptops.

I had a fella try to install Linux on a Lenovo win8 laptop without turning off the secure boot first. Now the laptop cannot use factory image restore and you cannot access the bios. The only way to fix it is to get the restore dvd's and wipe the machine off completely and start over. (This also means he cannot switch to win7 either.)

When I posted this in the help forum, I was hoping someone might have some information to solve the problem, but this has been moved here, so now I won't get help...

Did you try this?

»support.lenovo.com/en_US/researc···GR-70804

That doesn't exist with their windows 8 laptops. You cannot make a recovery DVD, there is no facility to do so. You can only make a recovery thumb drive and it doesn't work, a number of owners have complained and Lenovo hasn't offered any solution.

Buy the recovery media... not sure of the cost but call and ask!

»support.lenovo.com/en_US/product···T-3P2QYL

pick your model and call support to get a price!

I will say that I have recovered a couple windows 8 units using the built in recovery partition, but I agree backup media would be useful especially if the drive dies!

Good luck!

In the forum they say it is 60 bucks. That is madness. In the forum there are a multitude of people with this same problem on this and some other models, and word is that other brands are also having the problem.

I think I've seen 2 or 3 people say it is 60 bucks. I'll call them again. This just isn't right.

For $100 you can buy an oem copy, and get a key with it to use on another computer.

If lenovo is not providing a working way to restore it, or providing installation media they are out of their agreement with Microsoft. Bring up the issue to Microsoft through proper channels.
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Unless the lenovo version has deleted the DVD disk option from the create os backup media...
Or it may be that the "Usb key you are making is a just a recovery disk for a still operating original hard-drive with OS still intact.

»winsupersite.com/article/windows···a-144098

After clicking Next, you’ll be prompted to connect a USB flash drive, or you’ll see a list of available drives. If you’d rather use optical media (CD-RW or recordable DVD), you can click the link titled Create a system repair disk with a CD or DVD instead. (This was the only option in Windows 7.) Here, I’ll assume you’re using a USB device, since that’s new to Windows 8.