ThinkVantage button doesn't work after SSD HDD upgrade

[StevenD]

Hi,

I'm having a problem with a HDD upgrade on my T60p.

In 2007, I upgraded to an Intel X-25M, GREAT upgrade. Went fine. I posted the details about how to do the upgrade here:
http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.ph ... 43#p475343

Now I tried to upgrade my Intel to a Crucial 256Gig SSD. Went just okay. Everything seems to work fine EXCEPT: if I press the blue ThinkVantage button, I can't boot into the Rescue and Recovery area. I just get the blank screen with the blinking underscore cursor. F11 doesn't work either.

Reading around, I found these posts about having the new drive IN THE MACHINE during the clone:
http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.php?t=38496

... so I repeated the clone with the Crucial in the machine and the original Intel external. Same thing, though.

One of the posts had a link to this utility from IBM:
http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site. ... MIGR-54483

... that can repair a MBR. I made the CD-ROM, but I'm afraid to use it. It takes over an hour every time I try a clone.

My Disk Manager shows the Preload and the FAT32 SERVICE partition (which I made as a "Logical" partition with Acronis).
I'm working with the new drive in the computer right now. So I want to keep it here. Can anyone help? I guess I don't really know what's in the SERVICE partition, or where the Thinkpad is looking for the ThinkVantage software, and why it's not finding it.

Thanks in advance for any insight.
--Steve D.

[91011]

Having had more Thinkpad cloning failures than I care to admit, I've found doing a backup/restore more reliable.
Here is how I would do what you're trying.

1. Make a bootable Acronis Recovery Manager CD - can be made from any install of Acronis - not hardware specific.
2. With the old drive in the main drive bay, boot with the Acronis disc and make a full backup (a .tib file) of the drive to an external HDD.
3. Replace old drive with the new, boot with Acronis again and do a restore, keeping the partion sizes the same.
4. If the drive now boots to Windows, go to Disk Management and resize the main partion to fill the disk.
5. Try the Thinkvantage button.

I've had the MBR repair work - occasionally. If you're not happy losing the Thinkvantage button, seems like you have nothing to lose by trying it.

[StevenD]

Hi, 91011,

Thanks for replying. I suppose I can try that. Actually, what do I need the ThinkVantage button for? I don't use IBM's rescue and recovery. I update an Acronis backup of my entire hard drive about every other day, so I can't imagine ever wanting or needing to restore the hard drive to its original factory condition.

And could the MBR repair restore my access to the ThinkVantage software?

--Steve

[91011]

Actually, what do I need the ThinkVantage button for?

Many will disagree with me, but I find it is of no use. Unless I'm selling a machine and they want the Recovery Partition I do clean installs - always. Got tired of removing old drivers and Norton bloatware.

And could the MBR repair restore my access to the ThinkVantage software?

It might, although someone in a similar situation in another thread this week had no luck with it. But I can't see that it would hurt to try.

John