Installation CDs vs. preinstalled files

[Kike G.]

Hi,

I have a question: What happens with preinstalled files in the hidden partition of my HDD when I perform a system installation using the installation CDs? What happens if after installing with the installation CDs provided by IBM I'm not happy---as in my case: am I able to perform a system recovery (you know, to leave the computer just as it was when it came out of the box) without using the CDs but just the preinstalled files in the hidden partition of the HDD? Are they still there?

Thanks,

[richk]

When you get the machine, using the CDs is the same as using the restore partition. The CDs can build a restore partition on a new disk.

[mattbiernat]

When you get the machine, using the CDs is the same as using the restore partition. The CDs can build a restore partition on a new disk.

actually it is not the same. factory restore CDs format the HD while CDs made by you do not.

[GomJabbar]

When you get the machine, using the CDs is the same as using the restore partition. The CDs can build a restore partition on a new disk.

actually it is not the same. factory restore CDs format the HD while CDs made by you do not.

What is written above could be misconstrued.

The Product Recovery Disc set, whether you burned them yourself or bought them from Lenovo: remove all existing partitions and data, create a new FAT32 Service Partition (except the Rescue and Recovery 4 versions which create a new NTFS Service Partition), and they create a new C: Windows partition with the remaining space on the hard drive. Windows and all the original factory installed drivers and software will be there. These will work on brand new unpartitioned hard drives.

Restoring from the Recovery Partition causes a reformat of the C: Windows partition, then Windows and all the original factory installed drivers and software is reinstalled. Note that if you have upgraded Rescue and Recovery and then Restore from the Recovery Partition, you may lose the ability to boot into Rescue and Recovery afterwards. If you leave Rescue and Recovery at the factory installed version, you should not run into this problem.

Recovery CD's made from the Rescue and Recovery Backup program only restore what is backed up.