Get 4 DVD RW disk ready. Use window 7 to backup C and Q drive, using the including system image option, to the DVD or network drive. Use lenovo included DVD writing software (normally corel), load the 4 DVD and save ISO image of these DVD. That's your virgin backup.
Then run lenovo create recovery disks program and when 4 DVD are completed, again use DVD software to save ISO of these discs. This is your lenovo recovery discs and image backup. I normally save the images of these DVDs on my network drive and in another location. Because DVD disc can be damage due to heat, rough handling or overwrite due to carelessness.
It was reported in several incidents when running the lenovo creation of recovery media, either the DVD media is spoil or there is bug in the lenovo software and the process is Incomplete. When that happen, there is NO option to retry (especially if it is lenovo recovering fault). you cannot try to Create another time as the stupid lenovo software will say already created and you only have 1 set.
Those people who missed the virgin backup step may have to go lenovo to get help.
In the past, after the backup, I will reboot the laptop and do a full recovery because that process will reset the 'recovery media' bit and ANOTHER set can be burn. In that run, I will finish disk 1, and when it ask for 'application' disc, I will just interrrupt the process and reboot. In that way, only window 7/vista/xp is installed (semi-clean) and all the lenovo junkware/trial antivirus/trial biz software etc is not installed. The download Update 4.0 and install the latest lenovo stuff you want.
However, in RECENT lenovo laptop, they became smart and the recovered laptop can no longer burn any more recovery media set. Oh well, that is why I created the Virgin set in the first step