Rescue and Recovery

[Geoff_AZ]

Hello all,

Just bought a T40 through eBay. I think it's a fantastic laptop. However, it came with the factory sofware setup (guessing circa 2003, i.e. pre-SP2 XP and older IBM tools). After installing a million updates I was not happy with some of the ThinkVantage tools (wireless connection manager, for example), but worst of all I was getting bluescreens and was often unable to boot XP.

I decided to install a fresh copy of XP with all the updates slipstreamed in. I copied the serial number down and did the install, but the serial number did not function with the slipstreamed XP I made. Oops. Must be an IBM OEM key tied to a specific version of XP. Grrr.

So, I finished the install and all is great, but I had to use the key from a different copy of XP I own. I'd like to get the ThinkPad back under it's own key.

Problem is, the R&R preboot area is not accessable. Looks like XP wrote over the MBR.

OK... The machine is still under warranty so I'll call IBM. Gulp, $45 for the CD! I ask IBM support if the CDs have any updates. Sounds like not--sounds like they are the original item. I probably can't slipstream them either.

Maybe I'll try the the MBR Repair disk first. Gotta figure out how to use a boot CD (no floppy).

Any advice as to this situation?