Thinkpads Forum

Dear all,


When I restore my machine from the hidden parition, then I need to go updating so much IBM tools and Windows software (after all my machine is about 3 years old, so ... ).
After having done that last time, I took a backup with Rescue and Recovery on an external harddisk, but I would actually love to replace the data on that hidden partition, so that that data is up to date.
Would this be as simple as copying the data from my external harddisk to the hidden partition ?
Anyone any ideas on how to go about doing this ?


Thanks,

Wim

I'm not quite sure if you can update the R&R partition with new updates. If you can get to the install files you can use nlite (Windows XP) or vLite (Windows Vista) to slipstream updates and such. My recommendation. Get a clean install running with all your updates, drivers, and programs installed, then make a image of the drive and save that on the external hard drive. You can then update that partition with your documents and other personal stuff, so next time you need to do a clean install, just copy that image back to the machine's drive and you are all set.

Hi,


Well, I considered that approach, but the problem is the following, normally everything is fine when in your home environment, where all disks and backups are available. Though recently I found myself having a failure when away from all that for a longer period. Needless to say that I still needed to get my computer working. So, having the backup on the disk you carry within the machine is then very handy, not to say, pretty much your only way out.


Regards,

WM

That technique won't save you if the hard drive itself crashes . What I've been doing is after I craft the OS just the way I want it (fresh install, load all of the MS updates/service packs, load my usual applications) is to then take an image of the disk and write it to DVD(s). I use Norton Ghost 2003 but there's other programs which also support writing images to optical media. Then, if your disk has problems, be it infection from a virus or a head crash, simply boot the DVD and re-load the image onto the existing or new disk drive. Of course, this won't replace any files/programs you've added since writing the disk image but neither will what you are proposing (writing the image to the hidden partition).

I suppose that now that usb pendrives are getting exponentially cheaper and bigger (and even including biometric protection), using an 8 or 16GB one would be easier (it's smaller than a dvd, cannot be scratched, lighter as weight, can be very small as a form factor) as an emergency portable restore solution

Yes, I suppose that's true. If, whatever imaging solution you use can properly format it for booting. Since most modern systems will allow for booting off the USB port, that will work as well.

Hi,


This is indeed a very nice idea, thanks ! And with some luck I can even fit some basic OS on that flash, so then I can possibly even start and do some things from the OS on the flash (like internet based things).

Thanks a lot !