X31 recovery cds did not create the predesktop area

[joandreani]

Hello,

I had this problem while doing an X31 recovery.
The HDD is not the original one, so it never had the ibm predestop area. So I would install this hidden partition on it.
I did the complete system recovery with the 5 recovery cds, but it only reinstalled windows xp an some thinkvantage apps.
I have no predestop area when I press access ibm on startup, but only bios and boot devices (the partition is "enabled" on bios).

It doesnt appear on the windows disk manager when I set the bios to disable the partition.

Why wasn't the ibm area created?

during the recovery process, after the windows xp install, it rebooted several times, booting on "IBM AREA" on the boot list, and did some work that made me think the hidden partition was well creating...

What would I have to do?

thanks!

[mazzinia]

Hi,

I had the same problem as you, and the thing can be caused probably by one of these 2 things :

1) a strange recovery cd set
2) an hd not compatible with Beer and Parties.

If you check in some of the old posts here doing a search, you'll find that not all brands have the ata functions used by beer and parties enabled or implemented.
Hitachi-ibm drives should all have.
Seagate, should have but only some models
etc

Going by memory, too, I remember some reference to the fact that the HD should be new or prepared in advance to appear as new before using the recovery cds, otherwise no hidden partition would be created... so if you didn't remove the partitions in advance it could be the cause

[joandreani]

my HDD is an Hitachi indeed, 7k100
allright, I will retry and "prepare" the disk by formatting it with the DOS version of PC Doctor present on the recovery disk #1

I know formatting specifically with this software can solve restauration problems (partition size problems for example)

brb...

[Brad]

I would delete all partitions and then try again. I have had the best success that way.

Brad

[joandreani]

I tried to format the disk or delete all the partitions, but the predesktop area wouldn't install!

could it be due to the dize of my disk (60 gb), which doesnt fit the size of the original 40gb disks selled with the machine?

[WojtekO]

I'd suggest trying to use dban to wipe the disk completely clean of any remaining problematic partition information and trying once more

[joandreani]

I used dban to wipe the disk, then I tried a new recovery.

At the very beginning, I had a message I didnt got earlier, saying that the "recovery program" had to be reinstalled before starting the recovery process.

it copied some files during a quite long time, asking for all the 5 cds.

after that, it asked me to remove the media present on the cd drive and to restart.

problem: at the restart, I had the joy to get an "operating system not found" message !!

I checked my partitions with a windows xp cd, but it only showed unallocated space, so the work which was done before the restart didnt create (or didnt finished to create?) the predesktop area... (holding the access ibm key at startup still gives me bios or boot devices).

so what I'd rather do now? did dban mess up the boot sectors of my disk??

[sjthinkpader]

If you press F11 at boot time, does that start the pre-desktop R&R utility?

[mazzinia]

How's the bios setting for the hpa now?

[joandreani]

the hidden partition was set normal on the bios, but it seems that the new install changed the value to disabled. so I set it up to normal again.
everything works fine now. many thanks for help anyone.

[Maccess]

there's a FAQ around here somewhere. The short of it is: the disk must have no partitions. Set the BIOS to startup from the optical drive (setting it temporarily by pressing F12 won't work, because when it restarts it will attempt to use the unfinished install on the hard drive).

When starting with the first disk it will ask you if you want to restore the predesktop area. Select Yes. If it doesn't ask, there is still a partition remaining on the disk. Boot the computer using a boot CD with formating/partition tools. I suggest using UBCD.

It will install the pre-desktop area first from the CDs. When its done, set the BIOS to boot from the HD again, enter the predesktop area, and install (restore) the main partition from there.

Again: Two steps-Install the predesktop area, then restore the factory image from the predesktop area.