Update predesktop?

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bevross · #1 Post by **bevross** » Tue Dec 21, 2004 9:41 am

After installing a new 7200 Travelstar, reimaging via recovery CDs sent by IBM and updating drivers & software, I'm wondering if there's anyway to update the "predesktop" hidden partition that the recovery CDs created? Those CDs were dated from nearly a year ago and, thus, many things have changed. I've done the Rescue & Recovery thing and created a backup to the old drive (now in an external USB enclosure). But, that old predesktop is still there, taking up its 4+gigs.

The predesktop area could be useful if I could replace it with an updated image of my drive but, I don't see how.

Zeitgeist · #2 Post by **Zeitgeist** » Tue Dec 21, 2004 9:46 am

Since you have the recovery CDs you can just delete the service partition.

Install the latest R&R for the image of the fresh OS with all updates.

bevross · #3 Post by **bevross** » Tue Dec 21, 2004 5:26 pm

Well, with so much discussion, here, re: deleting that partition, it's still not at all clear how to delete it without Partition Magic & without repercussions re: functionality of everything. For instance, small matter, but I understand the "Access IBM" button would no longer work. Makes me wonder what else might not work. All in all, I think IBM's offering of systems this way is of no value (perhaps negative value) to the average customer.

umdenken · #4 Post by **umdenken** » Tue Dec 21, 2004 6:08 pm

bevross wrote:...All in all, I think IBM's offering of systems this way is of no value (perhaps negative value) to the average customer.

How so? Or rather, which aspect of it diminishes the value? I think their implementation of a rescue system is a good idea, and maybe the only decent one I've heard of. In order to do it, they've had to go beyond the usual Wintel hard interfaces, but it appears that it really works.

I believe that most consumers don't even know what Partition Magic is, never mind actually using it. So, problems that it might cause wouldn't really apply.

waterside · #5 Post by **waterside** » Tue Dec 21, 2004 10:40 pm

bevross wrote:Well, with so much discussion, here, re: deleting that partition, it's still not at all clear how to delete it without Partition Magic & without repercussions re: functionality of everything. For instance, small matter, but I understand the "Access IBM" button would no longer work. Makes me wonder what else might not work. All in all, I think IBM's offering of systems this way is of no value (perhaps negative value) to the average customer.

Actually, for the "average customer" it is a tremendous value. The "average customer" doesn't even know what a predesktop area is, let alone have the desire to delete it or otherwise update it.

IBM is not the only vendor to offer something similar, but they have the superior implementation. Both PARTIES and HPA are standards recognized by many vendors (PARTIES being older and HPA being newer)

As for deleting the partition, I wonder just how many of those that do in fact remove this to recover space actually fill their drive to within a couple GB.

As for updating the predesktop area, you'll need IBM's Image UltraBuilder. No the trial version won't work unless you can set up a network build environment since the trial doesn't support build CDs.

fbrdphreak · #6 Post by **fbrdphreak** » Thu Dec 23, 2004 12:51 pm

Could you extrapolate on this IBM Image UltraBuilder? I've never heard of this software and am interested in changing the predesktop image. It would be great if I could somehow change it to restore to a fresh XP install w/all my apps & related updates on there. Is that possible? Thanks!

waterside · #7 Post by **waterside** » Sun Dec 26, 2004 7:25 pm

A simple search for "image ultra builder" at http://www.ibm.com would brink up as the second link: http://www.pc.ibm.com/us/think/thinkvan ... ultra.html

The product is intended for corporate/enterprise use for large-scale deployments. I don't believe it is cheap ($1,000 US or so), and the process is not simple nor is it all that quick to create a new image.

This is the tool used to create the Recovery CDs and PreDesktop Area and is able to both read and write both the CDs as well as PARTIES and HPA partition types.

lvlolvlo · #8 Post by **lvlolvlo** » Mon Dec 27, 2004 2:24 am

when you installed the new HD and placed in the recovery cds it asked you if you would like the image to be copied as well, and you prob clicked yes

i've done this process a couple of times, so that's how I remember

waterside · #9 Post by **waterside** » Mon Dec 27, 2004 9:32 pm

lvlolvlo wrote:when you installed the new HD and placed in the recovery cds it asked you if you would like the image to be copied as well, and you prob clicked yes

i've done this process a couple of times, so that's how I remember

???

The question was how to update the contents of the predesktop area, not how to restore it.

What question were you answering?

As for updating: If you can rebuild new recovery CDs with updated OS/drivers/apps then you can update the predesktop area from that.

ImageUltra Builder is one app that can be used to create new/updated recovery CDs, but there are possibly others that can do similar.

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