Just got myself an X31, and used the R40's HPA image on it.

[Terrahawk]

I just got an X31 to replace my X21 which is getting a little bit too slow for my liking. However I still have the X21 - it hasn't sold yet. I'm just putting a fresh install of Windows XP onto it before it sells. It has an Ultrabase X2 which is really convenient.

In any case, the X31 I got had an upgraded hard drive in it - a Hitachi Travelstar 5400 RPM one, which unfortunately did not have the X31 HPA on it. I made an image of my R40's HPA a while ago using the built-in tools and so I decided to see if that would work on the X31.

I can definitely say that it works fine, installs Windows XP (SP1) with all the correct drivers and correctly detects the lack of optical drive and so does not install any DVD or CD-RW software. The only thing you will need to do for an "authentic" install is download the X31's "Access IBM" package because the one installed is for the R40.

I've used the same HPA image on a T40 before and it worked too. I think it would probably have trouble on a T41 or later.

[voneschenbach]

It works after you have installed everything as well. I put an R40 drive into my X31 a few days ago and after it installed a few hardware drivers automatically everything else worked perfectly. Then I switched it back and it was happy.

[Terrahawk]

Yup, I'm getting the idea that the R40, T40 and X31 are basically the same machine but in different sizes

[ajkula66]

R40 disk set covers probably more drivers than any other that I know of...I routinely use it on A3x as well as on T40/1/2 machines. You'd have a tough time finding set that covers Celeron, P4M and PM CPUs.

The only downside for many people (not for me) is that it's SP1...at least the version that I own.

[Terrahawk]

The only downside for many people (not for me) is that it's SP1...at least the version that I own.

That's not a downside for me either. Although using SP1 and wireless networking is not so nice - I always install the SP2 update after a fresh restore.

Nice to know that it works on A31s too

[hadoken]

I have successfully slapped in T42 recovery discs in both an X31 and an X40 and they worked "enough" such that once I loaded the right Ethernet drivers, I could use Lenovo's System Update to D/L all the right drivers in 1 swoop. I am getting the feeling that IBM recovery disks of the same "vintage" are fungible to many machines.

[voneschenbach]

Sounds like sticky thread time - which restore images work with which machines...

[Terrahawk]

I should therefore clarify that my efforts with the T40, R40 and X31 have not been with a set of IBM recovery CDs but a backup of the Hidden Protected Area (recovery partition, HPA) from my R40 using the tools installed into the HPA.

Installing the HPA backup to any hard drive allows full Access IBM button function during startup on a suitably equipped computer. That is, you press it just after turning the computer on, when the instructions on the screen say that you can do it.

You cannot recover the computer in a "normal" sense with the HPA image - you must install it on the the hard drive (losing about 4GB of space) and then run the factory restore function from the Access IBM utilities on powerup.

[Paul88]

How about R42? Will the recovery CD work for X31? Thanks.

[JWay]

I was wondering if there was a site offering downloadable thinkpad hpa images(for all versions)? Seems so logical, so it probably exists!

[davidspalding]

Bumping this thread back to life ... any wagers on if a set of T43 recovery discs would get an X31 to life sufficiently to get online and do System Updates?

I'm curious about the HPA backup/restore, too ... just use a tool like Norton Ghost to backup the partition, then Fdisk and restore it onto a new blank drive in the target computer?

[Terrahawk]

I'm not sure how successful you'll be with T43 discs and an X31. The basics should be covered in that the drivers are similar enough that you'll have a functional computer but my guess is that you'll have to replace a lot of the Thinkvantage tools since the T43 has much later software.

The HPA on the R40, T40, T41 and X31 actually instructs the hard disk to under-report its size and stores the recovery data inside the now-inaccessable space. I doubt that Norton Ghost could back it up, let alone know of its existence. This is very different to the modern recovery partitions on recent Thinkpads or recovery partitions on HP and Dell machines all of which are viewable by the operating system and therefore any disk imaging software.

[Terrahawk]

Oh yes - I can now verify that the R40 HPA image quite happily restores a T41 as well but with reduced functionality. For instance, the HDD shock sensor is unrecognised, as is the gigabit network adapter.

[davidspalding]

Thanks. Sounds like the most foolproof method would be to pony up the $ to buy actual recovery discs for the MTM X31 that I'd be restoring. NBD since I also have to order a HDD for it.

[EDIT] Which I just checked and is still only $10. What'm I whining about.....

[EDIT²] I tried restoring a blank HDD from my T43 recovery discs (made upon original receipt), and the "first boot" bootup failed in the X32 I finally bought, even in safe mode. Time to acquire recovery discs....