Need T60 restore DVD, R&R partition doesn't function

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USMC_Sniper · #1 Post by **USMC_Sniper** » Wed Nov 28, 2007 6:43 am

Hello all,
First post after unsuccessfully scouring the Net yesterday for a fix. Bought a brand new T60 WS last week and gave Vista Home Premium a go. Deciding it was tolerable, I'd try playing with a few of my longstanding favorite Linux distros, being careful to make sure no one wrote GRUB to the MBR. Well, somewhere along a handful of installs I failed and am now unable to reload from the R&R partition.
It's still there, I can browse the files through whatever Linux is installed, and with a little work, I was able to get R&R 4 (which I upgraded before wiping Vista) running again.
When I try to reload the OS, I get "%S Unable to install Operating System".
I don't have an install media, but I was able to download the part of the Vista DVD that allows you to repair the MBR with bootrec.exe and bootsect.exe. I also tried Super GRUB, both with no joy...
I also tried calling Lenovo support and found it to be a less than pleasant experience. Bottom line is that they want the standard $50 for the Restore DVD, which I'm somewhat willing to pay but I don't have a credit/debit card. I asked if I could pay them with a USPS money order or a cashiers check and that was not an option.
My question(s) is/are, anything else I can try to get my R&R functioning again now, and I don't want to live without Restore media.
I noticed from first boot that I never saw an option to create my own Restore media, and read yesterday that the option disappears after they've been made once. I won't get into the HORRIBLE eBay experience I had with this IBM reseller, but it appears they hosed me there too. The laptop was new in box, but it appears they made the set at some point.
Anyway, assistance on both the R&R partition and obtaining a Vista Home Premium Restore DVD would be *GREATLY* appreciated.
Sorry to be so long-winded, but I wanted to make sure all the details and everything I attempted was well-covered.
I'll be checking the thread throughout the day at work for solutions, but won't be able to try anything until I get home tonight.
TIA for any assistance.

Chuck

arni · #2 Post by **arni** » Wed Nov 28, 2007 7:41 am

First i would try to restore the original boot sector with the R&R repair disk which you can get from here http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site. ... MIGR-54483.

USMC_Sniper · #3 Post by **USMC_Sniper** » Wed Nov 28, 2007 8:59 am

Thanks for the reply.
I forgot to mention that I did see that yesterday, but don't have access to a FDD. I'm not sure I want to purchase one in case it doesn't work.
Does anyone know off the tip of their brains whether the FDD for an old T30 would work in a new T60? I just remembered that I may have one laying around somewhere, but tend to think that they're probably not compatible.
Thanks again for the suggestion.

arni wrote:First i would try to restore the original boot sector with the R&R repair disk which you can get from here http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site. ... MIGR-54483.

#4 Post by **ryengineer** » Wed Nov 28, 2007 10:00 am

If you've an enclosure with some kind of connnector to convert the UltraBay Floppy disk drive of Thinkpad T30 to USB then it will work.

USMC_Sniper wrote:snip....I noticed from first boot that I never saw an option to create my own Restore media, and read yesterday that the option disappears after they've been made once.....snip

They could've been re-made if you had restored the machine again to factory settings.

USMC_Sniper · #5 Post by **USMC_Sniper** » Wed Nov 28, 2007 11:19 am

Unfortunately, no such beastie laying around.

ryengineer wrote:If you've an enclosure with some kind of connnector to convert the UltraBay Floppy disk drive of Thinkpad T30 to USB then it will work.

USMC_Sniper wrote:snip....I noticed from first boot that I never saw an option to create my own Restore media, and read yesterday that the option disappears after they've been made once.....snip
They could've been re-made if you had restored the machine again to factory settings.

Good to know if I can somehow get things working again.
Thanks for the reply.

USMC_Sniper · #6 Post by **USMC_Sniper** » Wed Nov 28, 2007 6:48 pm

Anyone? Help?

USMC_Sniper · #7 Post by **USMC_Sniper** » Fri Nov 30, 2007 8:36 am

Well, thanks to the kindness of gentleman on this board, I'm getting a recovery DVD to try and restore my HD.
But my question is this - he's sending me media for Windows Home Vista Basic and my partition has Vista Home Premium. Will the DVD create a R&R partition of Basic, overwriting my Premium install? Plus, it just occurred to me that my OEM license is for Premium. Does the restore prompt for a key?
I guess one more question - is there a way to just use the install disc to repair the MBR like the FDD utility is supposed to do on the Lenovo site, so I can cancel at some early point and use the R&R partition to restore the factory defaults?
I guess I'll find out when I receive the disc, just looking for some definitive answers from anyone that might know for sure.

Thanks Brad!!!

whizkid · #8 Post by **whizkid** » Fri Nov 30, 2007 10:02 am

If your restore partition doesn't work, that's a warranty issue and Lenovo or IBM (who handles warranties) should send you a set free of charge. I recommend you call them immediately.

USMC_Sniper · #9 Post by **USMC_Sniper** » Fri Nov 30, 2007 10:42 am

Thanks, but I tried that and the less-than-helpful person I spoke with wanted a credit/debit card to pay for the replacement, and refused to help any further when I told her that I don't have one.

whizkid wrote:If your restore partition doesn't work, that's a warranty issue and Lenovo or IBM (who handles warranties) should send you a set free of charge. I recommend you call them immediately.

whizkid · #10 Post by **whizkid** » Fri Nov 30, 2007 10:50 am

I would call again in hopes of finding a more helpful customer service rep. This is a warranty issue.

USMC_Sniper · #11 Post by **USMC_Sniper** » Fri Nov 30, 2007 10:54 am

I will happily call them again if the possibility exists I can get someone more helpful or at least sympathetic to my plight.
Thank you for the input.

whizkid wrote:I would call again in hopes of finding a more helpful customer service rep. This is a warranty issue.

DAH · #12 Post by **DAH** » Fri Nov 30, 2007 11:32 am

Depending on what you have acknowledge it may or it may not be to late. If you use the other DVD your partition I believe will be erase indeed all partitions will be erase and two new ones created. Without the restore DVDs you will not be able to recover the Partition. You will not be prompted for a key, and I believe the key you have will not be valid. (Not sure about that) Also it is likely that some programs will not be installed. As your machine will not be the correct one for the DVD.

IBM support in Atlanta has sent me Rescue and recover cds for free. When I could not access the recover partition, and when I did not have an option to do custom restore.

USMC_Sniper · #13 Post by **USMC_Sniper** » Fri Nov 30, 2007 11:52 am

I feel that way as well, it makes sense. I haven't been able to obtain the correct DVD, but I was at least hoping that I could "interrupt" the install at some (hopefully) obvious point before it would wipe my R&R partition out.

I will try Atlanta again when I get home and hope for FAR better results than I did last time. Yours is not the only case I've heard of where they sent physical media to someone that needed it. I've only had it 2 weeks and it's definitely in warranty, but I've read other threads here that they don't actually "owe" us install media.
All I can do is hope for the best because I'm stuck with some fairly crippled flavors of Linux that jsut don't do all my new laptop is supposed to do!
I've always loved 'Nix, but I hate to admit that Vista "just worked" better than Linux. At least in this case...

Thanks for the input.

DAH wrote:Depending on what you have acknowledge it may or it may not be to late. If you use the other DVD your partition I believe will be erase indeed all partitions will be erase and two new ones created. Without the restore DVDs you will not be able to recover the Partition. You will not be prompted for a key, and I believe the key you have will not be valid. (Not sure about that) Also it is likely that some programs will not be installed. As your machine will not be the correct one for the DVD.

IBM support in Atlanta has sent me Rescue and recover cds for free. When I could not access the recover partition, and when I did not have an option to do custom restore.

pae77 · #14 Post by **pae77** » Fri Nov 30, 2007 2:31 pm

I just got IBM Atlanta to agree to send me a free set of recovery disks for my two week only T61p. I told them (truthfully, as it happened) that I was having a problem creating recovery disks because one of the disks would not verify and I had already burned 3 coasters. The person I spoke with cheerfully offered to send me a set before I even got around to asking for that.

I think you just got unlucky and got a tech person who wasn't smart enough to comprehend that there are valid situations like yours and mine when a customer is entitled to free recovery media, as an exception to the general rule that the customer is supposed to pay for them.

USMC_Sniper · #15 Post by **USMC_Sniper** » Fri Nov 30, 2007 2:42 pm

That's good to hear. I hope I can get your rep, or similar, when I call later.
I've worked tech support for a long time now, and that was one of my worst experiences to date. I've always empathized with the plight of the person and did every last thing I could to rectify the situation. All she wanted was my measly 50 bucks and promptly let me know that was the only solution.

pae77 wrote:I just got IBM Atlanta to agree to send me a free set of recovery disks for my two week only T61p. I told them (truthfully, as it happened) that I was having a problem creating recovery disks because one of the disks would not verify and I had already burned 3 coasters. The person I spoke with cheerfully offered to send me a set before I even got around to asking for that.

I think you just got unlucky and got a tech person who wasn't smart enough to comprehend that there are valid situations like yours and mine when a customer is entitled to free recovery media, as an exception to the general rule that the customer is supposed to pay for them.

#16 Post by **ryengineer** » Fri Nov 30, 2007 2:43 pm

I believe you've never read Thinkwiki document on Recovery CD:

Ordering Recovery CDs.

Hint: Read carefully.

USMC_Sniper · #17 Post by **USMC_Sniper** » Fri Nov 30, 2007 2:56 pm

First off, thanks for the link. You are absolutely correct in your belief that I had not read it.
Secondly, this one caught me off guard - You installed Linux or some other OS and accidentally removed/destroyed the Predesktop Area. However, support may argue that installing an OS that corrupted the MBR is outside of the warranty, and thus the $45 surcharge still applies. Chances of receiving free recovery discs may be better by providing reasons other than this one.

I had read elsewhere in this forum that people had done WELL with that explanation, and I was about to try it again tonight. Should I [censored]-U-ME that was the point to be gleaned from my CAREFUL READING?

I don't want to lie about anything, so I'm not sure what to say if I can't go with the truth...
I know it's my fault, but IBM/Lenovo is supposed to be Linux-friendly...

Ahhh - therefore the best way to recieve recovery CDs is to claim no knowledge of the recovery process "pressing the (access IBM / Lenovo care) button but nothing happens it will not start windows can you send me some CDs so i can reinstall?" this will near always work.

ryengineer wrote:I believe you've never read Thinkwiki document on Recovery CD:

Ordering Recovery CDs.

Hint: Read carefully.

asianboyztn · #18 Post by **asianboyztn** » Fri Nov 30, 2007 3:18 pm

just sent them in for repair saying that you need to reload Windows, tech will do it for you.

USMC_Sniper · #19 Post by **USMC_Sniper** » Fri Nov 30, 2007 3:23 pm

Thanks, but I'd rather not be without it if not absolutely necessary. It took WAY too long to get it in the first place. At least now Linux is running tolerably. If I can't get the DVD one way or another, I'll think about sending it in.

asianboyztn wrote:just sent them in for repair saying that you need to reload Windows, tech will do it for you.

Crunch · #20 Post by **Crunch** » Fri Nov 30, 2007 3:39 pm

USMC_Sniper wrote:Thanks, but I'd rather not be without it if not absolutely necessary. It took WAY too long to get it in the first place. At least now Linux is running tolerably. If I can't get the DVD one way or another, I'll think about sending it in.

Enough with this back and forth. I'll either send them to you or have them overnighted to you by IBM. Are you in the States or overseas?

USMC_Sniper · #21 Post by **USMC_Sniper** » Fri Nov 30, 2007 4:38 pm

I'm in the Cleveland Ohio area.

Crunch wrote:
USMC_Sniper wrote:Thanks, but I'd rather not be without it if not absolutely necessary. It took WAY too long to get it in the first place. At least now Linux is running tolerably. If I can't get the DVD one way or another, I'll think about sending it in.
Enough with this back and forth. I'll either send them to you or have them overnighted to you by IBM. Are you in the States or overseas?

Crunch · #22 Post by **Crunch** » Fri Nov 30, 2007 4:47 pm

USMC_Sniper wrote:I'm in the Cleveland Ohio area.

Send me a private message with your type and model #, as well as your serial #. You'll get it free...shipped....even if you're out of warranty!

USMC_Sniper · #23 Post by **USMC_Sniper** » Fri Nov 30, 2007 4:49 pm

Thanks, and I'm 2 weeks into my warranty!

PM coming...

Crunch wrote:
USMC_Sniper wrote:I'm in the Cleveland Ohio area.
Send me a private message with your type and model #, as well as your serial #. You'll get it free...shipped....even if you're out of warranty!

Crunch · #24 Post by **Crunch** » Fri Nov 30, 2007 8:38 pm

USMC_Sniper wrote:Thanks, and I'm 2 weeks into my warranty!
PM coming...

Consider it done. Check your PM for details.

USMC_Sniper · #25 Post by **USMC_Sniper** » Sat Dec 01, 2007 6:20 am

My complete and total gratitude to those that assisted with suggestions and ideas, and the two fine gentlemen that are sending me Restore media.

Let me know if I can offer my assistance to anyone that might need it.

Thanks again,
Chuck

USMC_Sniper · #26 Post by **USMC_Sniper** » Sat Dec 08, 2007 1:04 pm

Well, I hate to have to resurrect this thread, but it turns out that I still need a recovery set for my 8743-CTO T60. The one gentleman sent me recovery media for Vista Home Basic and that's not working. It now wants my key and I purchased the laptop with Vista Home Premium.
Another gentleman offered to send my the correct Home Premium set and I never received it.
I've now talked to IBM in Atlanta and IBM Global Financing more times than I can count trying to establish that I purchased this laptop brand new from an IBM reseller and still can't get them to send me recovery media for Vista Home Premium.

Is there anyone that would be so kind as to send me recovery media for Vista Home Premium for my laptop? I will HAPPILY pay for it, or at least shipping. I will send you a USPS money order, even for what IBM would charge me for it, but Linux has to go ASAP.
I've run out of solutions here, and I can't go back to the reseller due to all the problems I've had with them.

Anyone?

TIA,
Chuck

davidspalding · #27 Post by **davidspalding** » Tue May 27, 2008 10:28 am

Reviving this thread as I pretty much the same experience with a T60P at work. Another engineer made Recovery DVDs (you can boot from a DVD-R? I didn't know that), tested them out (they booted up), then some of the systems were installed with Fedora 7/8, or RHEL 5. Predesktop partitions weren't intentionally overwritten, but probably were.

Booting from the recovery disc, the screen flashes something very briefly (looked like "Setup is examining your hardware configuration"), then hangs. DVD stops spinning, blank screen, dead zone.

Calling support, the rep initially offered me a set of discs for $45, per the norm, but when I balked and explained a) system's under warranty, b) Recovery discs were made AND tested, he talked to his supervisor and got the fee waived. So telling them that you've installed Linux may not be one of the typically covered support conditions (bought a new hard drive, etc.), it's not impossible that they'll ship the discs gratis. "Your mileage may vary."[1]

OP, I hope your case was resolved. Sometimes the support arm can be a bit contentious, but I've found (and heard) that ultimately they're still one of the best computer support entities in the consumer PC business.

[1] Disclosure: I called from a Linux company based in Raleigh, NC, which might've been a mitigating circumstance, but I rather doubt it.

Need T60 restore DVD, R&R partition doesn't function

Need T60 restore DVD, R&R partition doesn't function

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