questions about reformating a new HD

[chazz]

hi if anybody can shed some light on this matter..I will be most grateful..
I am trying to reformat a new HD onto my t42, But have some questions...if i did this correctly..

I made a copy of the R&R discs (6 discs +1 R&R with rapid restore disc)
I first go into bio and make it to boot off on the cd drive ...Put in the R&R disc to boot...and reformat to "FACTORY STATE"
take the cd out and restart...
the machine goes through all its applications and drives and start running after all the download in about 1/2 hour ..the window screen does on and you sign in and register with Windows ect.like you would with a new machine...and everything seems to works...

Now what do i need the other 6 cds for then ? I thought you suppose to use the other cds...why just one "Rescue and Recovery with rapid Restore". the R&R didn't ask for the other 6 discs...am i doing this correctly?

Iam trying to put in a new HD on my t42

[Harryc]

Rapid restore "backs up the entire system image, including all data files, software applications, registry settings, and fix packs, along with user data and network settings, and saves it onto the hidden service partition.". If this was a new drive then you would not be booting into windows because there would have been no service partition created. What was on the drive before? If you intended to start from scratch on a blank hard drive, Rapid Restore is not the tool. It is for a backing up and restoring a running environment. Use the other 6 discs.

[chazz]

the "new" drive Iam putting in is "used" ...it was pulled from my R50 ..but i did a "quick format" to try to wip out whats on there...
could this be the cause f it..?
If so How do i wipe the Replace HD CLEAN? in order for it reformat correctly?

iam not too confident if I did this reformat correctly
but It just seem strange to me to be using just R&R one disc...
Thanks

[Harryc]

The 'new' drive must still contain the original service partition, and Rapid Restore used it. There is nothing wrong with that if everything works....carry on soldier . If it bothers you, do a low level format and use only the 6 R&R discs. Get a utility from the hard drive manufacturer to low level format the drive. In fact if you just use the 6 discs, they should erase, partition, and format the entire drive for you. That process would include deleting, partitioning, formatting, and loading over the old service partition.

[richk]

I think you actually have a R50/T41 HPA, which is being used. If you have an Hitachi disk, I suggest downloading the Hitachi Features Tool and the Drive Fitness Test, and create bootable disks from them. Boot from the features tool disk and set the size back to the maximum. (The original size). Then boot from DFT and do an erase disk (under Utilities).

[chazz]

I think you are right Harryc/richk...its from my old R50

Hi Rich thanks again...i didn't realized i have an existing copy of
the RR cd in the original HD already, ..it was never used..oh well but thanks again for your cd's

the drive I have is a Seagate. I think I better wipe it clean completely
and do a proper install any idea on how to do this?

thanks again

[richk]

You need to tell me what size the disk is and what size the partitions are. From that, I can tell what sort of recovery area you have. The procedure depends on that info.

[chazz]

oh ok..
seagate 100gb/5400rpm
from IBM Preload Properties
used space 7.93 GB
free space 81.9 GB
total capacity 89.8 GB
i hope this info is helpful
thanks

[richk]

I think there is more space not being reported. First step:

With the drive in the machine, turn it on and boot to the bIOS. Go to sectrity/predesktop/area and set it to "disabled". Save the changes and let it start to boot. Turn it off and look at the space again. I think the total size will increase. See what that says, and at the same time, I'll figure out something to suggest to errase it.

[chazz]

thanks rich for your help..actually last night I googled it and some suggested going int bio and disable the security partition...I tried that too last night ...and i end up taking the HD out and plug it into USB adapter on my other computer and quick formate everything on the drive ...and put back into the t40 to retry everything again...with the disabled secruity and all..put in R&R, restore to factory state take out CD and reboot... and then its showing "NO NTSL? (something like that) Press ctrl,alt,delete to reboot...thats it.

anyway..iam going use the original HD on the T40 and play with this stubborn HD abite
Iam going to try to put this stubborn HD into my old HP computer, reformated it to HP..in theory it should delete everything on that drive
including IBM RR partition...and then put in back into th T40 and retry everything from there... again...I am hoping this should work...if not Iam just going to buy another drive.

Hay Rich , If I get another Fresh,NEW drive ...once I put in the first CD, the RR to boot...Do i pick "factory state"? or trouble shoot ...theres a section on reboot from external?..This is very confusing,its not very clear on the RR ...If factory state...then it should ask for the product recovery disc one after the root cd Right?
oh well thanks

[richk]

A new drive will ask for the disks. If the drive really has an HPA, if you put the drive into an HP machine it will never see the hidden space. It will be like the drive is a few GB smaller than itr really is, unless you delete the HPA by setting predesktop area to disabled in the IBM. By the way, set the predesktop area back to normal before you use the new disk.