Bootable second partition

[blackrockburner]

When I had windows 95/98 I created a partition and copied the disk onto the partition and then installed from the partition. that way if I needed to I could reinstall - kind of like a service partition.

I realize that if the hdd went to sh I would have to have to have the disk anyways. but for a simple reinstall it was handy.

Can i do something like that with my xpp sp3?

[RealBlackStuff]

Burn the i386 directory (if present on your HD) onto a CD.

[ozzymud]

Think he was asking about the exact opposite... running setup from HD

In Win 9x it was common to have a "cabs" folder with the CD in it, the exact same thing can be done with XP. That same i386 folder RBS mentioned is the same as the WIN9x folder from the Windows 9x CD...

C: <--- XP installed here
D: <--- dos/win9x/me bootable (must set active, Linux grub works great here)
D:\i386 <--- the install folder from the CD
D:\i386\winnt.exe <--- the same thing as win9x's setup.exe, just run it from booted command prompt booted from D: with grub, or floppy, or other means of getting a command prompt.
D:\i386\winnt32.exe <--- to run setup from within windows

Great for not having to keep a CD handy

[blackrockburner]

Good. thanks that helps
.
I am getting a new 80gb hdd for my G40 and If I use the recovery disks on a new drive will that automatically create a service partition?

If it does, because my recovery disks are XPP SP1a can I kill the recovery partition and add my own partition with sp3 added in and not have to reinstall the whole schmere?

[ozzymud]

Have a look at this thread:

http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.php?f=31&t=96875

For what you want, I would use an aftermarket recovery like Acronis has... that way you get what YOU want HOW you want it without all the extra the Lenovo recovery adds.