HELP! (recovery CD message: free space too small)

[ashat]

I am using the recovery CDs set sent by Lenovo for my T41p.
But after inserting the first disk, a message of error appears:

Error number 1828
Error: Free Space is too small

what does it mean??
the HD drive is about 60Giga

could it depends on a previous installation of Linux and its partitions table?

It actually had the following table of partitions:
/dev/sda1 * 1 13 104391 83 linux
/dev/sda2 14 7296 58599697+ 8e linux LVM

and after checking with Ubuntu CD live, it results
101.94 unallocated
55.79 linux (LVM logical volume manager)

Now I have deleted with Gparted the LVM partition and the unallocated space is now the total disk.

Is there any other preliminary operation I should do before to retry with the CD recovery disks?

thanks in advance for any suggestion

A.

[makai]

I guess since you're trying to use the recovery CDs, you don't care about any data that may currently be on your machine.

Note that following what's written below will wipe your drive and cause you to lose your partition information, so if you don't want to do this, STOP HERE!

The first step is to get into Bios and change the Security settings for the IBM Predesktop Area. Change the settings to Disable. (later on after you finish loading Windows, change this setting to Secure).

Next, change the bios Boot up sequence so the it boots from the CD drive, then hit the F10 key on your keyboard and confirm to save and exit the bios.

Insert the #1 CD and let it boot up. When you see the IBM Product Recovery "Main Menu" window, hit the F3 key on your keyboard.

NOTE... you may not be prompted to confirm on the next step, so be sure you want to delete your partitions!

Ok, once you hit the F3 key, the screen should change and you will be at the "X:\Recovery" prompt. Type in fwdelete /all. Note the space between "fwdelete" and "/all".

Once fwdelete is finished, use Ctrl+Alt+del to restart your computer and follow along with the prompts to install the Product Recovery software.

After you're all done, go back into Bios and change the Security settings and Boot up sequence as you like.

Hopefully, this will solve your problem!

[ashat]

Thanks for your answer.

Actually what I did last week after deleting the LVM partition with Gparted in Ubuntu-Live, was just to start again with the first disk of the recovery set.

The message of insufficient space disappeared and the installation went through until the first reboot from the disk.

At that point since the MBR was not cleaned, the reboot took the effect to prompt to Grub instead to go on with the installation.

I had solved by starting with a XP recovery console CD, cleaning the MBR by the command fixmbr.

Rebooting the fresh installation of XP Pro ended succesfully.

Funny that the recovery CD set doesn't make this job by itself. I was convinced it did.

Annalisa

[makai]

You're welcome. I'm glad you got it worked out.

Actually, on T42s, fwdelete is run if you install off the CDs. On T41s, you have to initiate fwdelete manually.