Q: Preinstalled configuration & Fresh Install of XP

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jhonyl · #1 Post by **jhonyl** » Sat Jun 11, 2005 6:49 am

Hi,

I intend to fresh install WXP, but before I do that I would like to know a few things for sure, if you know the answer to one of these questions please drop a line:

I burned recovery CDs which the program that burned them instructed me to label them as 'IBM(R) Rescue and Recovery(TM) with Rapid Restore(TM)', and 'IBM(R) Product Recovery DISK 1' through 'DISK 6'.

A. Will these CDs recover my laptop to exactly the same state as it was when I first got the laptop from IBM, including the bundled software, tools, hidden service partition, and everything else to exactly the way it was when I got the laptop from IBM?

B. Will these restore CDs work on any hard drive regardless of its content or do I need to configure the hard drive and its partitions in some way before I can restore?

C. Since I am going to delete the hidden partition, I want to know what am I going to be missing. What is on that hidden partition? I read that it has the data that is used to burn the recovery CDs, and to restore the laptop to factory condition, and that I can use a browser when I boot in there. But does it have anything else?

D. After I fresh install: Would there be any preinstalled software that I would miss and wouldn't be able to get from the saved folders C:\i386, C:\DRIVERS, C:\IBMTOOLS?

E. I read that there is a backup software preinstalled. Would that backup software work well after the fresh install? Does this backup software needs/uses the hidden partition, and would it miss it?

F. Would the 'Access IBM' button work after the fresh install? If not ... could the program that it runs be run in some other way or is it lost? What would I miss from the 'Access IBM'?

jhonyl · #2 Post by **jhonyl** » Wed Jun 22, 2005 8:11 am

10 days and no answers ... please

#3 Post by **jdhurst** » Wed Jun 22, 2005 8:34 am

Unless you really understand what you are doing, my recommendation is to re-image your hard drive with your CD's and configure the preload to your preferences. You can image any hard drive without pre-configuring it (with the possible exception of needing a firmware upgrade which can be done from a diskette before imaging). You don't need to delete the hidden partition unless you have some gut-wrenching reason to do so, and since three years ago or so, IBM preloads function very well.
... JD Hurst

#4 Post by **GomJabbar** » Wed Jun 22, 2005 9:35 am

From what I have read, deleting the hidden partition is not as easy as just using fdisk or its equivalent. Read the following post.

http://groups-beta.google.com/group/ibm ... 1431575eae

#5 Post by **JaneL** » Wed Jun 22, 2005 11:31 am

jhonyl wrote:10 days and no answers ... please :shock:

It's probably because this horse has been beaten to death already. Try searching.

jhonyl · #6 Post by **jhonyl** » Wed Jun 22, 2005 12:18 pm

Hi nonny.

I did search and there were no answers in the forum that answers exactly what I have asked. I invite you to prove me wrong - show me the links to the answers.

PS. Why do you put me down when I am really searching for answers? Locking threads? Are you running out of hard disk space at your server?

nonny wrote:
jhonyl wrote:10 days and no answers ... please
It's probably because this horse has been beaten to death already. Try searching.

#7 Post by **JaneL** » Wed Jun 22, 2005 6:51 pm

jhonyl wrote:PS. Why do you put me down when I am really searching for answers?

I'm sorry if you interpreted my answer as a put down. You seemed surprised that 10 days had gone by with no answer, and I gave you a possible reason why no one had responded and a solution to your problem.

Re proving you wrong, I'm not going to do your homework.

selvan777 · #8 Post by **selvan777** » Thu Jun 23, 2005 1:53 am

The fresh install you intend to do, what will it be from?

jhonyl · #9 Post by **jhonyl** » Thu Jun 23, 2005 8:25 am

selvan777 wrote:The fresh install you intend to do, what will it be from?

From the instructions in the thread "Sticky: How to Fresh Install Win XP (Step-by-Step Guide)" http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.php?t=3827

selvan777 · #10 Post by **selvan777** » Thu Jun 23, 2005 12:19 pm

jhonyl wrote: A. Will these CDs recover my laptop to exactly the same state as it was when I first got the laptop from IBM...

B. Will these restore CDs work on any hard drive regardless of its content...

C. Since I am going to delete the hidden partition, I want to know what am I going to be missing.

D. After I fresh install: Would there be any preinstalled software that I would miss...

E. I read that there is a backup software preinstalled...

F. Would the 'Access IBM' button work after the fresh install...

Wow, the author of that guide invested lots of time into it. I haven't read it or used it but my guess is that it's thorough. If what you're looking for is missed and you feel it should be included, perhaps it would be appreciated that you bring it to his/her attention so as to improve on it.

Myself, I erased the HDD and installed a retail version of XP Pro. I then installed all I wanted from IBM via ibm.com.

A. No, the program that burned your recovery cd's should restore them to the exact same state it was in when you created them.

B. Yes, as long as the HDD is large enough and compatible with your TP.

C. It contains backups you created using the program that burned your recovery cd's.

D. Not knowing you, I have no idea what you may, or may not, miss. But all should be available via ibm.com.

E. The program that burned your recovery cd's should function as well as it did when the backup was created using it. That program stores the backups in that hidden partition, without it, it would not work.

F. It should function the exact same way as it did when the backup was created.

jhonyl · #11 Post by **jhonyl** » Thu Jun 23, 2005 4:05 pm

Hi selvan777, Thanks for your reply

I have several programs that burn some sort of recovery disk on Start->All Programs->Access IBM which are: "Create Recovery Disks","Create Rescue Media","IBM Rapid Restore Ultra 4.0"

For the specified disks however I have used "Create Recovery Disks". Interesting that the label of the first disk is 'IBM(R) Rescue and Recovery(TM) with Rapid Restore(TM)'

I wanted to share this information in case that it makes a difference.

selvan777 · #12 Post by **selvan777** » Fri Jun 24, 2005 3:10 am

Actually, I think those are tasks of a single program, that program being IBM Rescue and Recovery with Rapid Restore.

http://www.markwilson.co.uk/blog/2005/0 ... -rapid.htm

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