My old hard disk died so I bought a used formatted one of ebay (Don't know what sort of laptop it came from) I have a set of recovery discs. So my question is can I just plug it in and boot up in F12 and change the boot to CD then use the discs to install everything? Or can you put me right on what to do.

Thanks pete

That would work as long as the new drive is formatted and did not have GRUB/Linux on it previously.

Harryc Thanks for that, I will give a go and post back.

pete

On my batch of T30's I have never had any luck with a formatted HDD. I always needed to wipe the HDDs of all info and partitions to get the Recovery CDs to work properly.

YMMV
Ron

When your T30 left the factory, there was a hidden system partition on the hard drive that contains everything needed to re-install Windows XP and create your own set of recovery CD's. During the startup process, you would've seen...
Press F1 for IBM BIOS setup utility
Press F11 to invoke the IBM Product Recovery program
Press F12 to choose temporary boot device

I have experimented several times, but the only way that I've been able to create the hidden system partition is by removing the logical and physical partitions of the hard drive. I used DOS FDISK.

After inserting Disk 1 of the IBM Recovery CD's, the first message that you should see...
"Reinstall Product Recovery Program into hidden area ... 1.7 GB?"

This message appears before "Main Menu" options.

Rob213, sounds like we have seen the same thing!

Ron

+1.
i got used to using the hgst dft bootable cd to wipe and test drives in the machines we'd recycle back into our user population.

robert213, I bought my laptop from ebay an ex corporate machine with no F11 option.
So what is my best option of using the hard drive thats on the way to me now. Booting to CD and running the recovery discs wont work?

If the new HDD IS formatted, you are going to need to delete the format (partition).
Easiest way to do that is with a good computer Do you have one?
Then we can tell you how.

Other way is to use the T30 with a bootable CD and the "new" HDD installed.
If this is the case you will need to use one of the DOS's (MS or DR) and then FDISK the new HDD to delete the format (partition).

I have done it both ways, and a different computer is FAR the faster way to go.

Before you go to the trouble, see if you can load the RR disc as is. All you loose is 15 to 30 minutes in the effort.

Ron

Option #1
1. Place your HD in an USB enclosure
2. Drive over to a friend's home and connect USB enclosure to their machine.
3. Run [Start][All Programs][Accessories][Windows Explorer]
a. identify your friend's machine's HD.
b. identify your HD.
4. Run [Control Panel][Performance Maintenance][Administrative Tools]
[Computer Management][Disk Management]
a. Find your HD (not Disk 0)
b. <right-click> Delete Logical Partition (if any)
c. <right-click> Delete Physical Partition

Note - I've never done this option, because I have 1.44 MB Diskette Drive in my UltraBay. I use FDisk from Windows 98 SE startup diskette.

Option #2
1. Purchase a used IDE/PATA 5400 or 7200 rpm HD
a. Typically, recycler has wiped HD
2. Install Windows XP on used HD
3. Obtain MS Windows XP Service Pack 3 (available from MS - CD, or download)
4. Install Windows XP SP3
5. Copy user documents and spreadsheets from current HD to Windows XP fresh install HD
6. Purchase Acronis True Image Home
7. Clone Windows XP install from used HD onto your current HD

See Mrs Obrien's post for details on recommended Anti-virus and Firewalls

Right guys, while I'm waiting for my HDD to arrive I thought I,d try and revive my old HDD so downloaded DBAN and ran that. It did a clean wipe of the drive so I put the recovery discs in all three went through ok but on the last one it says remove disc from computer and press enter. Then a black screen comes up which says,missing operating system. I though xp pro gets loaded off the discs. Any ideas?

Well, as you've already discovered, the discs do not install the OS. The discs restore the hidden Rescue & Recovery Partition. Now that you have accomplished that part, you will have to boot into the recovery partition by pressing F11 at the boot option prompt, to get into Rescue & Recovery. Choose "Recover to Factory", or something similar, and that will install the OS.

Don't feel bad, almost everyone expects the discs to install the OS the first time we used them too.

Neil I tried pressing F11 at the boot up but nothing happens, the screen says press F1 or F12.

I beg to differ. The "Product Recovery CD for Thinkpad T30 Type 2366, 2367" Disc Set will install Windows XP and IBM Utilities (e.g. PC Doctor, Battery MaxiMiser, etc.)



Your install failed at some point in the middle of the installation process. My notes say:
1) IBM Product Recovery Program ver 5.7
2) Reinstall hidden partition [y/n]
3) Main Menu/Factory Contents
--Reformat HD/Install Windows XP/Install Device Drivers/Install pre-installed
4) Main Menu/System Utilities
5) Agree to MS end user license [y/n]
6) WARNING - Delete all data files Confirm [y/n]
7) WARNING - Refermat HD [y/n]
A series of PKUNZIP FAST! messages
9) Main Menu Reappears
-- Remove CD & Restart Computer press [Enter]
10) Windows XP Pro Setup (with DOS Text interface)
11) 30 mins later Computer restarts with Windows XP Pro Set-up (with graphic interface)

At what point did your computer screen go black?
Edit--
F1 - Bios Setup -- Does your BIOS recognize your HD? Mine shows the Hitachi ("HTS...) model number.

Robert It does not show the hard drive. The list in the Bios is-

Bios version 2.10
Bios date 2006 06 16
System serial number 2366 88g
System board
CPU type
CPU speed
Installed memory
UUID
MAC address

I also did not get (2) Reinstall hidden partition [y/n] this time. It did the first tme I tried it but not this time, but that was before I used DBAN. But the 3 discs went all the way through.

Also in the Bios, the IBM product recovery program promp is greyed out using the arrow keys passes over it.

HD must not have any partitions, in order to install hidden partition with Win XP install program.



It will no longer be "greyed out", once your HD has IBM_SYSTEM hidden partition.

For whatever reason, your machine does not "see" your HDD.

Mine Shows:
IBM BIOS Setup Utility Menu
"Startup" [Enter]
"Boot" [Enter]
"+Hard Drive" [Enter]
"-Hard Drive""HTS721010G9AT00" (i.e. Hitachi Model No)

If you do not see the model no of your hard drive, then your BIOS is not able to recognize that specific hard drive. Try Another.

Note -- Back in the mid 1990's, a person had to "type in" the exact number of physical heads and tracks, in order for the BIOS to recognize that specific HD. Now, the BIOS and HD have that ability to communicate that data.

robert213 I have just bought a t41, is there any way to get my t30 hard drive to work with the help of this machine?

Do you have an external HDD case? USB connection?
http://www.geeks.com/details.asp?invtid ... LU&cat=HDD
http://www.geeks.com/details.asp?invtid=2020&cat=HDD

Ron

What Ron said...

Plus use your T41 to learn whether Windows Disk Management Utility can recognize your bad HD. If Windows Disk Management can recognize it (most likely "Disk 1"), then you can remove the partitions.

However, if the BIOS of your T30 doesn't recognize it, my guess is one of two things:
1) Your old bad HD came from a machine built a long time before T23 and T30's were built.
2) Your old bad HD simply no longer works.

What is the make and model no?

Plus, you may wish to browse MrsObrien's thread as both of you have a need to reinstall Windows and make use of an external HDD.
viewtopic.php?f=28&t=94148