Thinkpads Forum

I just installed a retail 64-bit Vista onto a machine that originally came with 32-bit version. I used R&R for backup before, and I read the documentation that said it would work on non-Thinkpad machines. I figured I could not use the recovery partition for recovery, so I reclaimed the space prior to install. I figured I could install R&R and use it for backup and create a recovery CD in case of disaster. Well, when you try to install R&R 4.2 from Vista onto a disk without a service partition, the install dies with a 25012 error, saying Error accessing the R & R service partition". Certainly, no non-thinkpad would have a service partition. Any suggestions?

I think non-Thinkpad machines would also require that the service partition be installed in order to work with rescue and recovery. I've never heard of anyone doing this however. It would be interesting to hear from someone who had. I also think that you'd have to use a full set of recovery media to do it. So, in order to be able to use R&R backup on your Vista 64bit, you'd have to reinstall using Vista 64bit recovery media, full set. Thus creating a service partition with it.

The documentation is referring to enterprise version of Rescue and Recovery which can be purchased from lenovo for $75 which works on non-lenovo machines also.

ThinkVantage Rescue and Recovery V4.2

As far as 25012 error is concerned there's a work around for lenovo machines, although there's no guarantee it'll work on others too but give it a try:

ERROR occured when update the ""Rescue and Recovery 4.2"".

Yes, but that work around assumes that you have an intact service partition. Richk does not.

Hmm, the following seems like a pretty easy fix to me, although I have not tried it.

Burn a Recovery Media CD from a ThinkPad running the version of RnR you want to use on the non-ThinkPad. If you have an OS installed on the non-ThinkPad hard drive, back up your data, and wipe the partition table. Now, boot off of the Rescue and Recovery CD you made on the ThinkPad, tell it you want to restore a full backup, that you do not want to keep any current files/data, and that you want to restore from a CD/DVD backup. It should go ahead and repartition the drive and create a partition for itself, at which point it will copy the RnR system to that partition. When it is done and it tells you to shut down the computer, put the Vista install disc in the CD drive and boot off of IT. Proceed to install Vista, creating a partition for it but not allowing Vista to delete the one that RnR created. Set Vista up, configure it to your liking, restore your data, etc., and THEN install RnR 4.2 on Vista. You should have a valid restore partition at that point.

If your goal is to restore data from a ThinkPad backup onto a non-ThinkPad machine, then hopefully something like this should work to get RnR onto the system. Of course, this obviously requires that you have a recent ThinkPad model at your disposal (so that you have a working RnR installation that you can create an RnR boot CD with).

-- Nathan

I don't know if this works, but why don't you try making your MBR section just like Lenovo's.

Check here: http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.php?t=56398

This could trick the RnR, and install it.