Thinkpads Forum

http://www.lenovoblogs.com/insidethebox/?p=63

As far as that Base Software Administrator program stated in that Lenovo blog, I came across that previously and downloaded the software. However, it's a bit confusing to me. Here's what the blog author had to say about the program:

"The typical scenario would be to boot up your system for the first time, create a “manifest file” using this tool, and immediately thereafter do a factory recovery. However, when the system recovers, it recovers to YOUR specifications."

What I got from that is I basically I create a custom "manifest file" with what programs I want loaded, and all I have to do is go to R&R and select reset to factory default and let the manifest file kick in? How does it know which manifest file to use? Is there a place you should save the manifest file you created?

First of all, if your T60P shipped after July of 06, you can use TBSA with it. If not, you can not use this utility. Reason being, the Preload needs to be of a specific build level to support it. Lenovo updated their shipping preloads in July in part for this tool. I tried it on an earlier system and the results weren't pretty. By the way, on new systems, you don't even need to use the tool as the option is built in now. You would only use the tool to create personalization file, or something like a locked manifest file if you wanted to force a specific custom type recovery on a user.

So... if your system shipped/manufactured after July of 06, you can run this tool. The help file in TBSA should give you all you need to know. It unmasks the service partition in order to show you the reocvery modules to mark/unmark. you then save the manifest file and kick off a recovery from that partition using RnR. When you get to the recover to factory contents section you will be prompted to choose between normal and custom... choose custom.