Please Help! Problems Using restore CD's

[atct86]

I just purchased a new HD, and used my system restore CD's to get my computer up and running again.

It uses the cd's fine, but when it boots to windows initially to load up all of the IBM Stuffs, it basically freezes or pauses during what looks like a graphic install on the command prompt.

I tried running the whole process all over again and it is still happening.

If anyone can help me, it would be much appreciated. Thanks.

[atct86]

**Update**

I closed out of the command prompt that was frozen, and have now been installing all of the drivers manually.

However I have a 4.9 GB D: Drive, which i don't think should be there. It contains IBM stuff, but I didn't think the restore partition existed unless it came from the factory.

Anyone know whats going on?

[atct86]

anyone?

[The Spirit of X21]

That D: 4.9GB area sounds like another partition. Perhaps I can offer some assistance with destroying whatever is on the drive and starting with a clean slate.


The following assumes that you have ABSOLUTELY NOTHING that you want on your hard drive. Since you just purchased it, this seems likely. I hope this helps:

1. Boot into BIOS setup (press F1)
a. Set PreDesktop Area to 'Normal'
b. Make the CD-ROM drive the first boot device
c. Insert Recovery CD 1
d. F10 (Save and leave BIOS setup)
2. Boot Recovery CD 1 (Just let it run)
a. After CD 1 has loaded its options (format HD, utilities, etc), press F3
to exit to console
b. Type format c: (this will erase everything on hard disk)
c. Type reboot
3. Booting Recovery CD 1 (again, just let it run)
a. After options have loaded, choose 'Reformat your hard disk. . .'
b. Let the CDs install the software

This should take you from start to finish. If you wish, after installation you can set the protected area to secure in BIOS setup (F1 at boot). I was successfully able to restore the HPA and factory data on my T40 by performing these steps.

[GomJabbar]

Exactly which CD's are you using?

1) A backup made from the Rescue and Recovery or Rapid Restore Ultra program?

2) The Product Recovery Disc set that you can burn from: Start > All Programs > Access IBM > Create Recovery Discs (alternatively Start > All Programs > ThinkVantage > Create Recovery Media)?

3) A backup made with Windows backup, or some other backup program?

What do you have the Predesktop Security set to in the BIOS? Secure, Normal, or Disabled?

Does the boot order in the BIOS have the optical drive before the hard drive?

Did you Press F12 to boot from the CD (you shouldn't have)?

EDIT: The Spirit of X21 has a good post just above me. He covers some of the same things I mentioned. One extra step is that you may want to delete all partitions, then let the CD's make the new partition(s) and format the disk for you. Depending upon which recovery CD's you are using, they should do this.