Help with T41 HDD upgrade to Hitachi 7K100 80GB

[bluebear]

I wonder if anyone could help me with HDD upgrade for my T41.

I would like to upgrade an existing 40GB 5400rpm HDD in my T41 (2379-DJU) to Hitachi 7K100 80GB. I have read many postings here on the HDD upgrade. It seems that it involves more than swapping, due to Hidden Partition Area.

Background:
- I periodically back up my Thinkpad using Rescue and Recovery v3.01.0037.00 to an external HDD using USB.
- I made a Rescue & Recovery CD (1 CD) a couple of days ago. I did not order the Product Recovery CD from IBM, and do not have it.

Could you let me know whether the following steps would work? I basically want to have exactly the same set up with a new HDD.

1. Partition and format a new HDD using a 2.5 HDD external enclosure (USB).

2. I back up my Thinkpad using Rescue and Recovery program to another external 3.5 HDD using USB.

3. Insert a new 80GB HDD into T41.

4. Restore backup files (done in Step 2) into the new 80GB HDD. (For this, I am not sure WHERE I should do this, since the new 80GB HDD would not have the R&R, though).

Would this procedure copy HPA and all others (Windows XP, programs, and data) onto the new HDD? Any suggestions or help would be greatly appreciated.

Jong

[icantux]

I have not done a procedure like this, but it does sound plausible. One thing to keep in mind is that the "hidden partition" resides as a 4.72GB FAT32 primary partition at the end of the drive in case you want to transfer it around. Thus if you made the appropriate partitions on your new hard drive and then backed up the contents using acronis, ghost or back2zip (free software) then you ought to be ok.

Only thing remaining would be recreating the MBR (if the R&R instruction set is actually contained in there). If yes, there's a utility (free) that allows for recreating the MBR on drives but I can't remember what it's called.

[pae77]

I haven't used R&R at all so can't express an informed opinion on that, but you can clone the entire drive (all partitions) to a new drive with a program like Acronis True Image, or use the IBM second hard drive adapter ( a useful thing to have anyway) to put the new hard drive in the ultrabay and use the free cloning software that comes with the 2nd hard drive adapter to clone it. I have used both programs to clone primary hard drives to new drives placed in the ultrabay and they both worked perfectly and cloned the HPA and MBR. So both of these programs will accomplish your objective. (Note: To use the cloning software that comes with the IBM second hard drive adapter (about $50 (less using EPP) from Lenovo for both the adapter + software) you will also need to have a floppy drive connected to your laptop.)

If you do end up cloning to a drive, just make sure that the first time you boot up after doing the cloning procedure, you wither put the cloned drive in the primary drive slot, or first REMOVE the cloned drive from the system before rebooting for the first time. Iow, after completing the clone, don't boot up with both drives in the system, for that FIRST boot or you may have problems.