Clean Install Win XP,don't delete hidden partition

[Volky1969]

Hi there;

I have a thinkpad A22m Win98SE preinstalled, I have the recovery CD. This machine have a hidden image on the hard drive that windows don't detect, I believe that is the IBM preload. Ok, the problem is that I plan to buy Windows XP to install on my thinkpad a22m. I want to make a clean install (not upgrade), but do not delete the IBM preload partition hidden on the HDD. I want to know as soon as possible if the procedure is to write on the prompt C:\FORMAT?
Someone tell me that if I insert the Win XP CD, two options appears:
1-upgrade
2-full install

If I highlight the full install option, this option format my HDD (C:\) and do not delete the hidden IBM preload partition?
Please let me know as soon as possible to buy the Win XP and dowload the drivers and softwares needed to install that OS. Thank you very much.

Carlos

[jurafxp]

on my R50e:

normal partition has label: IBM_PRELOAD
hidden (service) has label: IBM_SERVICE

I recommend you full install, with upgrade are often problems. Formatting hdd is not neccessary. Full install option formats your hdd only if you select it.

[stingbandel]

on my R50e:

normal partition has label: IBM_PRELOAD
hidden (service) has label: IBM_SERVICE

I recommend you full install, with upgrade are often problems. Formatting hdd is not neccessary. Full install option formats your hdd only if you select it.

the easiest way is by low level format. you will get a very clean drive with that...

[Volky1969]

hi everyone;

Thanks for yours replies. So that if I choose the full install option, the instalation tell me in what partition?.
In fdisk information appears that:

STATUS TYPE VOL.LABEL Mbytes SYSTEM USAGE
- NON-DOS - 4068 - 21%
C: PRI DOS IBM_PRELOAD 15002 FAT32 79%

With this info, Can I do a full clean install without delete the service partition? and where I found the low level format.

Another question, in this forum someone wrote that upgrade the bios to the latest and when restart the display was blue and can't use the laptop. Someone upgarde the a22m bios to the latest and restart without problems?

Please let me know and thanks for your responses.
Carlos

[Zeitgeist]

If you have the recovery CDs you dont´t need to keep the service partition, just delete all partitions with fdisk.

[Volky1969]

hi there

Thanks Zeitgeist, that is good news and a relive. Now I have a little stop to upgrade my BIOS, because in this forum is s post that said that when he upgrade the machine reboot with an error blue display and don't use the thinkpad anymore. What about that guys????
Finally I want to know if is possible to change to the old BIOS if is upgraded, it is possible how I change that. Thank you very much.

carlos

[Zeitgeist]

Yes, you can always downgrade a bios. On the IBM site you will find also the older versions.

[Volky1969]

Hi again

I can't find the old BIOS on the IBM web site. The BIOS that came with my Thinkpad A22m is 1.03d (KXET29WW). There's no download only the latest version.Where can I download?. Thanks.

Carlos

[Zeitgeist]

I can't find the old BIOS on the IBM web site. The BIOS that came with my Thinkpad A22m is 1.03d (KXET29WW). There's no download only the latest version.Where can I download?

http://www-306.ibm.com/pc/support/site. ... IGR-4VXRG4

should be for the A22m model. Don't be afraid, just update the bios.

[Volky1969]

Hi there

Guess what!!! I'm writing with my thinkpad a22m bios upgraded succesfull and with win xp. But now I have a problem. My computer Have a trojan.cachecachekit in the file c:\windows\system32\rdriv.sys. I follow that symantec give me but nothing happens. I try to put the recovery cd that ship with my machine but nothing happens, don't boot. I don't why???. Is for the bios upgrade???. In summary I have two problem:
1-I have a trojan virus
2-my cd restore don't work

I check the bios and is configured as the cd is the first bootable device.
I download regrun to rid out the trojan but a don't understand.
Please let me know how to put my cd restore work.Thanks in advance

Carlos

[d lehmann]

Try downloading the latest virus definitions for your virus program.
Disable system restore.
Boot into safe mode and scan the system to remove the trojan.
If it cleans the system you probably don't have to use restore cd's
The trojan is probably disabling the cd drive.
Be sure to enable system restore when done.
Good luck

[Volky1969]

Hi there

Thank you for your replies. The trojan is out thanks for your help, but I still have the problem that my recovery cd not boot when I turn on the laptop. There is a way like a cd application that you just type in the MS-DOS display D:\setup and thats. I open the restore cd and there is not a file setup.exe. Let me know how I fix this problem.

Thanks a lot

Carlos

[Nolonemo]

Make sure your CD will boot in another machine, i.e., that it's actually bootable.

As long as the bios supports booting from a CD, and is set with the CD as the first boot device, whatever is on the HD should not affect the CD boot, as far as I know....

[Volky1969]

Hi again!!!

I hope that someone help me to solve this problem. Why my thinkpad don't boot the restore cd? I check the BIOS starup sequence and is cd boot first.
In fdisk show me that have 2 partition: 1- Non-DOS ( service partition) and 2-C.

When I turn on the a22m, In post only show me the press f1 for bios setup and f12 for choose a temporary boot device. Why the f11 option is not showed?

Before install win xp, I put the win 98 starup disk and format only c:\, the service partition is intact.

I change the cdrw with a cdrw/dvd combo and my restore cd is bootable.

How a put to wor the restore cd or the service partition to restore my thinkpad to the time of purschase.

Please help me to solve this prob.

[Volky1969]

Hi guys

Finally I solve the problem of the recovery cd. My a22m comes originally with a cdrw drive model SONY CD-RW CRX700E. Then I buy a DVD/CDRW Combo model MATSHITA UJDA750 DVD/CDRW and appears that the format of the recovery cd requires an atapi cd-rom drive. I think that the dvd/cdrw combo is not somehow an atapi. I don't know if that little problem fix with an updating the firmware of the dvd/cdrw combo. I change to the original cdrw and the restore works great, but I want to work with the dvd/cdrw combo. Any ideas...???Thanks for your replies and help.

Carlos

[Volky1969]

Hi Again;

I install all of the drivers, but I have problem with the the ultrabay 2000 for thinkpad a22m for windows xp. I install and in the device manager not show ultrabay hot/warm swap, but show something like secondary IDE Channel. And in the task bar not show the icon. Is this normal or there is something wrong????.

An where can I find the complete windows xp installation guide for thinkpad a22m. I browse in the ibm site and there is not complete. Please let me know as soon as possible. Thanks a lot.

Carlos...