Thinkpads Forum

Hi All!

I want to partition the hard disk on my T60p notebook.

I tried earlier and somehow managed to corrupt the pre-desktop area. I then had to send the T60p to IBM to repair the pre-desktop, and the erased everything on my laptop. So now I need to do it afresh.

I welcome any advice on this. thanks!:)

Vimal
T60p
T40
T23
T20
770

If you are using just Windows, then one partition (as it comes out of the box) is best anyway (the way I see it). Both my machines have just one partition and it works exceedingly well.

If you are using multiple machines via VMware (I do), one partition remains enough as per first paragraph.

If you need multiple partitions for multiple OS's in a multiple boot format, then Partition Magic works well (I have used that but don't anymore).
... JD Hurst

I always partition my HDs into three partitions:
c:\ for all Microsoft programs, Thinkpad programs and all driver files
d:\ for all other applications
e:\ for all documents, spreadsheets, .ppt files, pictures, and anything else I created

That way, I only need to do backups of e:\.

I also work with different partitions to suit my backup strategy. Partition Magic is perfect for creating and changing partitions.

I used Partition Magic to split my drive into 3 partitions and it did mess up the Rescue and Recovery partition. Go ahead and split and then rerun the "Master Boot Record Repair Utility":

http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site. ... MIGR-62978

You'll need a floppy though...

many thanks 'tpribors'!!

I used Partition magic. It did corrupt the Pre-desktop area, and I had to use the MBR Repair kit.

IBM cust service also did not know of this process....hmmm

Thanks Again!!

Vimal

Thanks! When it happened to me I remembered that there was a similar tweek necessary for my T23. When I mentioned this to the help desk they went "offline" for about 20 minutes. When he came back he gave me a URL which pointed to the one I mentioned in the previous post...

Moderator: This topic has come up in several incarnations - how about making a sticky/locked topic with a single entry and this solution?

Thanks!
Tony

redburgundy wrote:I always partition my HDs into three partitions:
c:\ for all Microsoft programs, Thinkpad programs and all driver files
d:\ for all other applications
e:\ for all documents, spreadsheets, .ppt files, pictures, and anything else I created

That way, I only need to do backups of e:\.

or you could just put all docs in My Documents then all you have to do is back up that folder that's what I do now and am left with few reasons to keep multiple partitions ...

tpribors wrote:I used Partition Magic to split my drive into 3 partitions and it did mess up the Rescue and Recovery partition. Go ahead and split and then rerun the "Master Boot Record Repair Utility":

http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site. ... MIGR-62978

You'll need a floppy though...

Hey tpribors,

What option did you choose when using the master boot record repair utility?

Also, what version of R&R are you running 3.1 or lower?

The convenience of doc/data, apps, and OS patitions minimizes fragmentation; I give a partion to the email file. I create a separate swap/temporary internet partition near the beginning of the drive because that one gets caulked up continuously and never bother to defrag that one. So, that's 5 partitions at a minimum on my systems.

Acronis Disk Director version 10 worked fine for me. I took the advice months ago from another user on this board and deliberately did away with R&R. The time it took to image the partition improved by more than an hour.

collector_edi wrote:Acronis Disk Director version 10 worked fine for me. I took the advice months ago from another user on this board and deliberately did away with R&R. The time it took to image the partition improved by more than an hour.

collector_edi if you see this, would you please post the URL for the post "another user on this board and deliberately did away with R&R. " I'd like to follow the discussion on this approach. On all of my owned notebooks/systems, routinely wipe my drives and do complete clean installs with retail XP OS's, but I was hesitant to do that with this one since it seemed to have all sorts of proprietary recovery and progs/drivers for this specific notebook. As long as I know how to install the programs and drivers within the OS, without caulking up overall performance, I'd really like to do that.

Thanks.

Hmmm, I don't remember what I chose, but it was "defaults"... All I know is that it now works....

Take a look at Dorin's comments. Good luck...

http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.ph ... t=recovery

whitney wrote:

collector_edi wrote:Acronis Disk Director version 10 worked fine for me. I took the advice months ago from another user on this board and deliberately did away with R&R. The time it took to image the partition improved by more than an hour.

collector_edi if you see this, would you please post the URL for the post "another user on this board and deliberately did away with R&R. " I'd like to follow the discussion on this approach. On all of my owned notebooks/systems, routinely wipe my drives and do complete clean installs with retail XP OS's, but I was hesitant to do that with this one since it seemed to have all sorts of proprietary recovery and progs/drivers for this specific notebook. As long as I know how to install the programs and drivers within the OS, without caulking up overall performance, I'd really like to do that.

Thanks.

Tripdors, need more help.

I did not have an FDD and so went to IBM service center with the TpT60p to get the MBR repaired using the utility you had mentioned. They were 'surprised' by my resourcefuleness....

We tried using the MBRR by creating a floppy as suggested, went through all the steps, but no luck....we got an error that alluded to some Safeguard software, which I know I am not using.

When we follow the instructions and try booting from the floppy, the system boots, but the repair does not take place.

I am using the MBRR software as mentioned in the link you provided.

Any thoughts what could be going wrong? Help is appreciated!

I have the exact same problem as Vimal regarding repairing the MBR and getting an error about safeguard easy not being found.

If somebody knows a solution I'ld be very grateful

Hi

As everyone know the weakest part of computer is OS.IMO the best way to partition HDD is that:
1.HPA - standard about 3,5 GB
2.Windows - about 6,5GB (only windows with SP and codecs)
3. the rest:
My Documents - just set up in settings that youmoved to other partition
Program Files - just create that folder in other partition , during instalation any software just show new localisation instead basic one

I tested that way of running windows XP Pro SP2 and saw about 15-20% faster turn-on/off,no hassle with recovering data(I didn't have to save any data to dvd) during next instalation(my girlfirend opened unknown file from unknown emaill address)

Regards

Wasn't there a link that let you make the Master boot record repair kit on a boot CD rather than a floppy?

Vimal wrote:Hi All!

I want to partition the hard disk on my T60p notebook.

I tried earlier and somehow managed to corrupt the pre-desktop area. I then had to send the T60p to IBM to repair the pre-desktop, and the erased everything on my laptop. So now I need to do it afresh.

I welcome any advice on this. thanks!:)

Vimal
T60p
T40
T23
T20
770

Everyone has different schemes..... The partition scheme that I'm using on my T60p is

• (1) System and Apps (including Thinkpad) --(I used to seperate the two.... but figured if the registry goes... it's all hosed anyway.... so might as well keep the apps on the same partition with Windoze)... also..... but it's good to back the reg up to another partition if you can.
  
  When I had a T43p with a 60gig drive, the R&R was a BIG chunk of the space.... now with a 100gig drive..... I can live with it.... I'm getting the R&R CD's.... but find it's convienient to boot into DOS and run PC Doc from there..... and have all the Thinkpad tools, without needing to carry the CD's around with me.
  
  (2) single Dedicated Swap Partition (5 gigs)..... but I'm considering making it two smaller ones dispersed across the drive..... (never defrag)
  
  (3) My actual Data partition (rarely defrag)
  
  (4) a "Scratch" partition..... with every "temp/tmp/log/bak/scratch disk" variable set to there..... All downloads go there; all compressed files "unpack" there; email and attachments go there; net "temp files and cookies" go there, etc..... All my various "profiles", etc.....
  
  The more constantly changable things I can get out of C:/Docs and Settings/Application Data" and over to "scratch" the better IMO.... then I just set it to automatically clean out files that haven't been used in 21 days or so..... so it gets the trashed tossed regularly.... (never defrag)
  
  IMO..... this scheme really helps keep clutter on the C:/ partition to a minimum.... I NEVER defrag the "scratch" partition, and the primary partition rarely needs it..... no garbage ever goes there, beyond "installation readme's".
  
  I only defrag it if I'm experimenting, install something and then remove it for some reason..... other than that.... This specific setup can chug along for weeks without the C: partition even getting close to 1% fragmented.....
  
  With everything on one partition (Windblows standard), I've seen my drive get up to 18% fragmented in a single DAY....
  
  maybe drives are fast enough now, fragmentation doesn't matter --but it's sloppy housekeeping, IMO --and MS makes it much harder to set up than it needs to be.... Naturally..... so it's personally annoying to me.
  
  (5) finally, I created a partition just for storing misc stuff, or to load some large file (or collection of files) and then burn it to a DVD --and then dump them when I'm done.... it exists just as a dedicated "store & burn stuff" partition

I partitioned originally with "Partition Magic 8".... and I Left the "restore and recovery partition" completely alone with the existing lable (partition "R:"..... so "Thinkvantage Restore and Recovery" on "C:" can find it if I need it.)

Renamed the DVD as drive "X", added Dameon Tools, so I have a virtual CD labeled "Y" so whatever external drives I plug in are ALWAYS above the primary drives various partitions, and below those removeable DVD/CD drives

And I also like Acronis for imaging..... haven't tried to image with the resore and recovery system yet, last time I tried, it failed.....

Just to make sure for everyone who is able to partition the drive to how many parts they want and have a working R&R partition, please run this test:

Go to the hidden partition by pressing the blue ThinkVantage button.
Then when you are in it, go to Troubleshoot -> then Diagnose hardware.

Does it bring up the diagnostics? Or does it error out saying: "Error - no diagnostics seem to be available on your system.. cannot continue!"

That's what I get. Anyone else?

Another question for all who are using a T60 and want to partition their drives, yet want to keep R&R working fully:

Under the BIOS then Security option, if I set the pre-desktop to "Secure" will that help me split my hdd into partition sizes that I want safely? (Using tools such as Acronis DD or Partition Magic)

I've gotten to the point where R&R works and I updated it to 3.1, but I always forget to check and see if the hardware diagnostics section works or not.

Please advise if this helps. Currently I restored m sytem using the OEM 6 (+boot & supplimental) CD set.

Thank you!

Before I got my T60P, I spended a lot of time here and got many useful suggestion. Although they are some discussions already on the forum about partition, I would like to post my expericence of using PQ8, as it may be the easiest way to do so, and it do need a small trick..
I first created a new partion from the 100 Gb C, and allocate 65 Gb on it, and left the hiden partion untouched. Then after reboot, the windows xp just work fine for me. But as someone said, it may turn the R&R into useless, I reboot the machine to check it with the Access IBM button. Yes, it didnot work anymore...
After spend more than 4 hours on google and testing, I found out the trcik may be the location of the new partion taht just created. As both C and the hiden partion are primary partion, while the new partion is logical. The T60 may only be able to read the R&R content from the primary partion just after C partion.
I run PQ8 again and relocated the new partion after C and the Hiden partion...
After reboot, it is done.... Everything is ok, including the R&R utility during the boot.

So in conclusion, the PQ8 can do the job....

Thank You. laomao.

You have eased my thinking about this.

You said--

{ I run PQ8 again and relocated the new partion after C and the Hiden partion...
After reboot, it is done.... Everything is ok, including the R&R utility during the boot. }



PQ8 is what I will use when my T60P arrives mid month.

Birger