Restore discs not creating hidden partition?

[likely]

im using original restore discs (4-pack) on a t40 laptop with a new hdd. xp loads fine but just wont create that hidden partition for me. any idea why? theres no option in bios that i see.

[madmax]

What may be occuring is that for the restore disks to create HPA
sectors it needs a blank hard drive with nothing written to the MBR.

So start from blank hard drive ( not formatted ) then boot off
restore CD's and this should work. Otherwise it will do a system
restore without HPA .

madmax

[SeanM]

Not formatted isn't enough.

The drive must not have any partitions on it.

Your predesktop setting in bios must also be "normal".