Question regarding possibility of Drive Imaging-Cloning

[Thinker]

Hello,

This is my first post in this forum (which I just found yesterday). I sure am glad that I found this resource, because I am purchasing a new laptop within the next 1-2 weeks, and I do really want it to be a T42. These machines are so sweet...

My main problem is that I want to be able to install a number of software that I own (some of which requires authorization), and then be able to image the whole drive into CD or DVD media using some software such as Ghost or TrueImage. I have read a lot about the hidden service partition in the Thinkpads, and how access to this partition is prevented through the BIOS. I have also read that this partition can be made visible/unprotected manually.
Would this allow me to use standard software to create a complete bootable image of the HD (including new software that I will install on it) on recordable media?
How about if I want to upgrade the Hard Drive down the road?
Does upgrading a HD to a different type than the original one cause any problems because of the System Partition implementation being tied through the BIOS to a particular Hard Drive?

As you can tell, I have a lot of doubts. My main concern is to have the flexibility to use standard tools to make a complete image of the HD (including my own installed software), so as to prevent (given a HD crash or some other problem) the lengthy process of having to install everything again, having to authorize everything again, etc.
Can this be done in a T42, or does the IBM Service Partition/BIOS tampering scheme prevent it?

Also, how would dual/multiple booting software work with a T42, given the custom partition etc? I would really like to do a dual boot of Win98SE and WinXP (Don't ask why )

Thanks in advance to everyone here! I want to join your club of TP owners!!!!! Please!!!!! Ok, Pretty Please!!!!!

Ruben

[taphil]

IME, there's only one thing you need to take into consideration. The last time I tried making a drive image and copying it onto a new hard drive, it didn't work. My guess is the BIOS requires something on the hard drive that Ghost doesn't copy/re-create when making an image. I don't think any other program, like installing a new copy of Windows, will either. So I had to use the Recovery CD to solve the problem. When you run the recovery on a new hard drive or a hard drive that has not been "marked", the program will give you an option to re-create the hidden partition. You can choose yes or no, depending on whether you want it there. After that, it begins re-imaging the drive. At any point, you can just reboot the computer and run Ghost. Now when you restore the Ghost image, the computer will boot fine.

The above only applies to the first time you use a new hard drive. Otherwise, once you do the above step on a hard drive, you never have to do it again when you want to re-image the drive with Ghost later on.

[Thinker]

IME, there's only one thing you need to take into consideration. The last time I tried making a drive image and copying it onto a new hard drive, it didn't work. My guess is the BIOS requires something on the hard drive that Ghost doesn't copy/re-create when making an image. I don't think any other program, like installing a new copy of Windows, will either. So I had to use the Recovery CD to solve the problem. When you run the recovery on a new hard drive or a hard drive that has not been "marked", the program will give you an option to re-create the hidden partition. You can choose yes or no, depending on whether you want it there. After that, it begins re-imaging the drive. At any point, you can just reboot the computer and run Ghost. Now when you restore the Ghost image, the computer will boot fine.

The above only applies to the first time you use a new hard drive. Otherwise, once you do the above step on a hard drive, you never have to do it again when you want to re-image the drive with Ghost later on.

Taphil,

Thanks a lot for your insight on this matter. It really makes me feel a whole lot better that I can image a complete drive and thus avoid to perform a lot of reauthorizations.
I just wanted to make sure I'm not buying a computer which cripples my ability to manage my resources as I best see fit.

I am owning a Thinkpad within the next 10 days. Yeah!

[Aramitz]

I've changed the 40 GB 4200 rpm for a 60GB 7200 rpm (a real change )
and with PowerQwest Drive Image 7 , it's easy to store in a partition several images of your HD , it takes only 15' for a 5 GB OS although the IBM recovery needs 1H for a simple OS plenty of uneseful softwares.
I store them in the old HD in a external USB 2 case , it works perfectly

[Thinker]

I've changed the 40 GB 4200 rpm for a 60GB 7200 rpm (a real change )
and with PowerQwest Drive Image 7 , it's easy to store in a partition several images of your HD , it takes only 15' for a 5 GB OS although the IBM recovery needs 1H for a simple OS plenty of uneseful softwares.
I store them in the old HD in a external USB 2 case , it works perfectly

Aramitz,

Do you own a T42, or is this an older ThinkPad model before they started using the PDA scheme?
And, didn't Drive Image get bought by Norton?

Thanks,

Ruben

[Aramitz]

Hi Thinker;
I've a R40 (2722 CDG) with the PDA
You're right about Norton but D Image 7 is still .sold . I've bought mine in Feb.
You load the clean/new OS and with DImage 7 you store it outside your PC, after you store your complete C/D/etc.. and afterwards you reload easily'n quickly your entire PC .
With the IBM PDA , it's very long !
This soft is very useful coz the reload is very fast (15')
I reload my PC every mounth and so I can use trials quietly and my PC is clean.
In the genuine HD , there is the PDA and Images a) OS b) + my softs

I'm disappointed by the plastic case of the R Series and the poor perfs of the WiFi... and I'm waiting 2005 for a T 4?? with Alviso /533 fsb with XP coz I'm dubious about Longhorn .
What about the future of IBM PCs !??
Regards
A.