Problem creating recovery cd set

[mmthomas]

I am attempting to make a recovery CD set on T41P.

I use the programs>access IBM>burn recovery CD set method to start

It finds the drive, It asks me to insert CD, I do, it completes the burning

Then it waits for a long time, then I get an error message that the verify failed.

I tried this 3 times, each a new blank CD, same results.

There doesn't appear to be an option to continue after the verify fails.

What to do?

System seems to work normally. I can watch DVD on the drive. PCDoctor passes the CDRW test with a RW blank disc.

[basketb]

Try a different brand of CDs (or DVDs, if that's an option on your machine).

[mmthomas]

My understanding is that there is a lockout of burning more that one set. It is possible that the "verify failed" is the way it tells you there is no more recovery cd burning possible?

If I try a different brand, and don't have enough available for the entire recovery set, am I then prevented from burning again later when I get more of the good brand?

[basketb]

For me (on a T61p), it told me upfront that the restore media were already created after I had successfully burnt one set and tried to create another set.
As I understand it, the verify step actually only verifies the media (btw: the first DVD I burnt was also a coaster (failed to verify) and I had no problem burning a complete set afterwards).
My guess is that the option to burn a recovery set is only removed when one set was created successfully, but this is just my guess.

[jamerslong]

I wouldnt worry about being able to create recovery discs after a failed varify.

I dont have a factory setup so i dont know, but is there an option to burn it slower?

maybe if you can find x4 max CD's

[sktn77a]

I could be mistaken, but my understanding is that R&R basically makes a copy of the hidden partition recovery software. So, if you don't have the factory install, I'm not sure what it's doing (?)

EDIT: Oops, got the OP and Jamerslong mixed up. Never mind!

[Johan]

My understanding is that there is a lockout of burning more that one set. It is possible that the "verify failed" is the way it tells you there is no more recovery cd burning possible?

If I try a different brand, and don't have enough available for the entire recovery set, am I then prevented from burning again later when I get more of the good brand?

First: The purpose of the "Rescue & Recovery" functionality is to allow you (the user) to restore the contents of your ThinkPad HDD to its "factory state"; i.e. to the state it came in.

Second: There are two possible ways to restore your HDD to factory state: a) Simply pressing the blue "Access IBM" upon boot, which will take you into the hidden "ThinkVantage" partition on your HDD (of course provided this partition still exist!) from where you can do the restore, and b) Using the Rescue & Recovery CD-ROM set. You should of course beware that if restoring the HDD to factory contents you will loose all your user data... all user files, all the programs you have installed, all settings - so backup first!

For some Microsoft/Windows XP licensing reasons (Google yourself of search this forum for the exact explanation!) IBM will only allow you to make one single set of recovery media (CD-ROM's or on a DVD). Therefore, if, say, you buy an used ThinkPad and the prior owner has made a R&R set on CD-ROM's but you don't receive this set, then you don't have the option of making another set. You have two options in such case: Buying a set (sell for 'round $25 on the Marketplace on this forum), or - and now it gets interesting: b) Using the hidden R&R-partition on your ThinkPad to restore it to its factory contents. Why? Well, simply because you will then be allowed to create a new set of R&R media... because the HDD is exactly as it was upon its initial arrival - BEFORE any R&R media were created!

What happens if the make-R&R-set-process fails while halfway complete, like in your case? I don't know... but I wouldn't personally wouldn't want to abort the process and hope for the option to still be available... I'd say rather leave the ThinkPad "on", and get a set of quality CD's/DVD's, like Verbatim or the like... it doesn't pay off to use some cheap, crappy CD's exactly here. I have also experienced the make-R&R-media process once reporting "verify failed" on a CD, but then I inserted a second CD, and the process completed with no errors.

By the way, you have the option to use a CD for the first (bootable) R&R media, and then a DVD as the second... doing this you only need to keep track of two media. Also, see the thread Possibilites with only one "rescue and recovery" CD - the post by GomJabbar.

Johan