T42 2378FVU, Fedora Core 2 installation, Rescue and Recovery

[t_k_t_w]

Hi all,

I just got a T42 2378FVU. I erased the partition(C: drive) where WinXP is installed and installed Linux on that freed space, unfortunately after installing Linux, I couldn't any more to boot into IBM Rescue and Recovery by pressing Access IBM button, I think it's because I chose to install a new boot loader(GRUB provided by Fedora Core 2) which overwrote the MBR. So I modified grub.conf to add a new entry for the partition for Rescue and Recovery, but new problem occurred, it did seem being able to boot into Rescue and Recovery, but after some seconds, a blue screen appeared with following msg:

STOP: c000021a {Fatal System Error}
The Session Manager Initialization system process terminated unexpectedly with a status of 0xc000003a (0x00000000 0x00000000).
The system has been shut down.

How Can I get back to RR? How can I restore the original MBR? Your help and suggestion are welcome.

Another question is: Besides the Recovery CD, what else CD's can I request from IBM for fee? I am in Toronto, but my laptop was bought in US and mailed to me in Toronto, the IBM in which country should I request CD's from?

Thank you in advance.

[gosha16]

not sure what country you should get them in but the revocery cd's will restore the recovery partition. i would try calling canada support first, maybe they will get the cd's to you faster.

[alfa_romeo]

Service partition is located on the end of HDD and is FAT32 partition with changed ID. So suppose your linux installation broke MBR or/and partition identifier. You can restore service partition using rescue discs (on T42 creating of that disk is available through Access IBM application but only once because of Microsoft licence restriction). Disks can be obtained through IBM tech. support. Generally they send them without any problem just asking you model number and serial. I burned these disks just after purchase and made boot DVD by combining all disk data together. So it works fine but takes some time to restore service partition. Please note that all your data and even partitioning will be lost during service partition restoration process.

[TREX]

Visit http://pmw.org/~gardnerj/Thinkpad/Install.html

There is actually a bug in the FC install - it rewrites your disk geometry for some unkown reason. k2.6.6 fixes this problem. You may need to install the driver for the Access IBM button and point it to the partition.

Please post your results...

[marclee]

Just wanted to chime in. I repartitioned the disk on my T42 to dual-boot between Fedora Core 2 (FC2) and WinXP and I experienced exactly the same problem that t_k_t_w described above.

I'm also using the 'grub' boot loader and tried accessing the recovery partition using instructions from http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site. ... MIGR-46088

...needless to say, it didn't work.

Anyway, I managed to make the F11 button work again by replacing the MBR using IBM's recovery repair diskette... http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site. ... MIGR-54483

Of course, this wiped out my grub boot loader and now I won't be able to boot into Linux without a boot disk.

will post if I find a solution...