IBM_SERVICE partition and hidden predesktop area on same HDD

[guido]

Before buying my 14" T42p, I read on http://pmw.org/~gardnerj:

> New for the T42 is the replacement of the protected pre-desktop
> "partition" with the IBM_SERVICE partition. The former was not
> actually a partition per se, but an unpartitioned part of the hard
> drive that was protected by the BIOS. With the T42, the recovery
> area is now stored in a genuine vfat partition 4.28GB in size and
> named IBM_SERVICE.

You can imagine my surprise when, after booting my new machine, I found
both a pre-desktop area protected by the BIOS *and* an IBM_SERVICE
partition mounted as D:. Both are slightly bigger than 4 GB, leaving
only 51.5 GB for C:. What is going on here? My hard disk has a size
of 60 GB and this seems a huge waste to me.

I might decide to use the "Access IBM" tool to make my own recovery
CDs (or hopefully 1 single DVD, since I have a multiburner) and wipe
both the predesktop area and the service partition. However, maybe
it's still possible to recover the system after deleting just one of
the two? Last, I've been totally confused by this statement on the
above web page (the author does not provide his email):

> It turns out that all of the information you need to completely
> reinstall Windows XP Pro from scratch is in the directories C:\I386,
> C:\DRIVERS, C:\SUPPORT, and C:\VALUEADD (actually, you might not
> need C:\DRIVERS). I simply used BartPE to create a bootable CD with
> the these 4 directories on it. All of the IBM installed software is
> located in C:\IBMTOOLS. I copied these to DVD-R.

So what? C:\I386, C:\DRIVERS, C:\SUPPORT, C:\VALUEADD fit on one CD,
C:\IBMTOOLS on 2. Why are they there, in addition to the predesktop
area and the service partition? Do I need to save them as well,
or is it enough to save just them, and then delete them from disk,
recovering 2 more GB?

IBM support was useless: two different people claimed there is no
hidden disk area, and the total size does not add up to 60 GB because
of the conversion factor 1024 MB/GB. Actually, on my drive C: + D: =
57.2 MB = 55.9 GB that is 4.1 GB less than 60 GB.

[CraigR]

guido,

I just got a T42P 15". I have the IBM_SERVICE partition but I don't believe I have the pre-desktop area - IBM_PRELOAD partition was 55GB or so of my 60GB HD.

I had similar problems trying to get a definitive answer on whether I needed the IBM_SERVICE partition or not.

I backed up both partitions to the network using DriveImage 7 and proved that I can restore them both in under 10mins each.

I took the option to create rescue discs and burnt 2 DVDs. I proved that I can restore the system using this. I had some trouble running the restore process but it was mostly my misunderstanding of what I think is a not too friendly piece of software. I can't see that I would ever use that version of R&R to restore the system again - a couple of hours or so ( or at least it seemed like it ) to do the restore and then run all of the scripts and rebuild the windows environment.

I used Acronis PartitionExpert to cut a 20GB chunk off my main partition, to use for data. I had never used that software before and had it free on a CD from one of the magazines I subscribe to. I was very impressed by it. For now I have left the IBM_SERVICE partition alone on the grounds that I really can't see myself needing all of that space, but I know I could always reclaim it or restore it using the software I have.

regards,
Craig

[ashleys]

IBM support were right regarding usable bytes on the drive. HD manufacturers use decimal notation for storage capacities, so 1Mb for them is 1000000 bytes. However, 1Mb should be 1048576 bytes and is recognised as such by the software. Therefore, the software will never show as much as you think. For example, my 40GB HD only shows as 37.25GB (and I've wiped out my service partition etc.)

[guido]

Ashley, you and IBM are right. 6*10^10 / 1,024^3 = 55,88 GB.

So, though the BIOS says there is a hidden area that can be reclaimed,
it's not actually there. It must be a feature from the time when the predesktop
area was not a visible partitition mounted as D:.

Guido