How to Restore Corrupt HPA

[yskunto]

I own thinkpad T40 model 2379-D5U.

I try to upgrade the harddrive and want the new harddrive have the HPA on it.

With the old drive, I do "Access IBM" button then I try to pass recover to factory using F3 as in IBM Documentation in order to copy fw*.exe to USB external harddrive. But because the thinkpad won't detect the USB external harddrive, I try to reboot and repeat those steps.

After few attempts of undetected USB external harddrive, the recover to factory seems to be error. State "Application Authentication has Failed" and then won't continue to restore to factory, how to fix this problem.

Googling found that the solution to recreate the HPA is to install from Recovery Media created using Rescue and Recovery 3.1. The same thing also should work if I upgrade the harddrive. But because the HPA already corrupt, can it be the recovery media created under corrupt HPA could restore the HPA perfectly (No: "Application Authentication has Failed")?

If I create Recovery Media under Thinkpad R40 which has similar configuration, is the Recovery Media compatible to my machine?

Thanks

[carbon_unit]

The T4x series shared recovery media with the R5x series, not the R4x series. Too bad you didn't make the recovery media before you needed it. The R4x media might work but it will not restore prefectly as you will need additional drivers.

[richk]

Your machine should detect the HD. Look in the BIOS under config/usb. Also, make sure your bios is updated.

[yskunto]

Thank you!
I'll try to find Thinkpad T4x or R5x user in my university to find out if they have the recovery media or their allow me to create recovery media from their Thinkpad.