T43P 2668-H3U- Recovery Problems - Please Help!!!

[KillerStudio]

When I bought my t43p (2668-H3U) it had 2 partitions plus the HPA. But I didn't have the F11 option during bootup (I could not start the recovery partition.....so I downloaded the "ThinkVantage Rescue and Recovery v3.01.0037" file and installed it.......created my 7 Recovery discs then ran all of them....system began recovery...everything was fine until it started to install the drivers...looks like the first error was an ATI and it said ....ATI driver not found.....after it was done...it rebooted...no sound...checked Hardware manager....about 7 devices had exclamation points. What is the problem here? Can anyone help me?

Thanks in advance!

[monkey243]

some files must be lost in the Discs.For now,you have two options,install drivers by yourself or recreate Recovery discs.

[KillerStudio]

I tried to recreate the discs....same problem. Does anyone out there have T43P recovery discs that work? I created all 7...1 startup and 1-6 Product Recovery Discs. Can anyone hook me up with a burned copy of working recovering discs for cheap?

killerstudio@gmail.com

Thanks!

[monkey243]

I can mail the recoery discs to you from china by Fedex or EMS.
But first of all, you should call IBM. Make sure if they can give you the recovery discs or recover your T43 for you.

[davidspalding]

When I bought my t43p (2668-H3U) it had 2 partitions plus the HPA. But I didn't have the F11 option during bootup (I could not start the recovery partition.....so I downloaded the "ThinkVantage Rescue and Recovery v3.01.0037" file and installed it.......created my 7 Recovery discs then ran all of them....system began recovery...everything was fine until it started to install the drivers...looks like the first error was an ATI and it said ....ATI driver not found.....after it was done...it rebooted...no sound...checked Hardware manager....about 7 devices had exclamation points. What is the problem here? Can anyone help me?...

Did you buy this sucker new? I haven't heard anyone mentioning getting new ThinkPads from the factory with two partitions (in addition to the hidden HPA recovery partition).

Frankly, if your self-created recovery discs have this kind of problem, I'd hope IBM would send you the proper recovery discs at no charge. You shouldn't have to buy them.

Another option, instead of downloading and installing programs, recover to the factory-shipped hard drive state, then run Software Installer to check for updates. Now ... if you can't return to the factory-shipped drive image, either with the F11 recovery boot-up, or your recovery discs, you DEFINITELY need IBM to send you proper discs.

BTW, you haven't mentioned ... what started all this? Was there a problem with the T43p out of the box that prompted you to create recovery discs and then run them?

[KillerStudio]

I bought the laptop from another person that sold it to me configured that way. The unit looks BRANDNEW. I guess I will call IBM and explain to them what's going on....hopefully they give me the recovery discs for free. I still don't know why I made the recovery discs from the HPA and they do not work. I believe that the recovery discs recreate the HPA then reruns the recovery from the HPA. So if my recovery discs is not creating the HPA correctly then the recovery will not work correctly.

[christopher_wolf]

New units don't have the HPA blown away like that; did the person before you make the disks and then blow away the predesktop are for more space? If so, you might want to ask them for a copy of the disks seeing has how they are now your only recovery option and you paid for the Thinkpad.

If that doesn't work out; IBM/Lenovo should be able to send you the R&R Disk Set for either ~$45 or for free if they feel to do so.

[davidspalding]

I bought the laptop from another person that sold it to me configured that way. The unit looks BRANDNEW.

Yep, yep, yep. But looks can be deceiving. Look in the forum FAQ, I believe there's a link where you can put in your machine type and serial number, and see when it was initially shipped to the original buyer.

... I still don't know why I made the recovery discs from the HPA and they do not work. I believe that the recovery discs recreate the HPA then reruns the recovery from the HPA. So if my recovery discs is not creating the HPA correctly then the recovery will not work correctly.

Not exactly, if my understanding is correct. You can boot to the predesktop area and recover using the discs, or boot directly from the first recovery disc. It might be ... the seller ghosted the disc with the wrong image? Then both the predesktop, and the recovery discs it would make, wouldn't work on your TP.

Either way, I'd go straight to IBM and explain your symptoms. Recovery discs from IBM ought put you on the right track. Hopefully this "looks BRANDNEW" TP is still under warranty.

[KillerStudio]

I checked that link and I entered the model and serial and it told me my laptop is in warranty till 9/2008. Doesn't say where it was shipped to originally. I will call IBM and see what they can do.


Is there a way to check the recovery discs that I have to see what model they are for? You might be right about the previous owner ghosting the image from another model and therefore ghosting the HPA over also....maybe.

[KillerStudio]

I called IBM....

They told me that... the previous user rebuilt the laptop with his own version of windows XP....then when I created my recovery discs...my discs will not work properly....just because I created the recovery discs with a version of XP that was not the preload version. And they want $45 for the new recovery discs...which I feel is BS. I own the laptop...I have the XP sticker on the bottom....Does anyone out there have the recovery discs for my model...2668-H3U? I would gladly pay someone for a copy.

Thanks!