how to test the (created) Recovery Discs

[ThinkCris]

Anyone knows a way to test the discs created by the Lenovo Factory Disc Creator (or whatever the right name is) ?

Preferable another way than effectively using them and reload the laptop? For example, the Linux distro CDs have an option to test the media(s) before the actual install of the OS. You can see if/how will the drive read the media, then you decide if you proceed or not.

The thing is I've created the BOOT + Data 1 + Data 2 ( all DVDs just in case); however when I try to check them, the Data2 disc is not recognized (although the Creator said "Successfully written" or so).

Trying to create another set, the utility will refuse, saying only one set is allowed. Ok, I've put my nose in and succeeded to create yet another set ( Data2 is recognized now) but still the incident made me suspicious.. Any way to test them for real?

Thank you.

PS: I don't know if I'm allowed to share how I've 'passed' the Lenovo limitation, I would post otherwise.

[Harryc]

I am not aware of any way to 'test them' other than an actual install. If the checksum's existed somewhere you could verify the discs that way, but I am not aware that they exist either, probably because there are too many combinations of discs that you could use to write the recovery files to.

[ThinkCris]

Checksums would be very nice

I believe there could be one set of disc for every hardware/OS combination; given an x301 with four OS as options, it means four sets.

Normally, a recovery process will copy the files to the OS partition (with all the drivers for that model) then the process will attempt to identify the actual hardware and set the drivers. For example, as the x301 has optional Verizon/AT&T cards, one person could not buy any, so no driver will be loaded.

This is logical if I think the hardware has an internal identifier which is displayed somewhere in devices; for example, take the MAC of a network card (these are unique) so when the Windows is loaded it should store like "LAN Connection 1" + type + MAC etc -at the recovery/copy time, with all the phyhical details!

Not impossible but would be quite complicated for the Lenovo Recovery Disk Creator utility to particularize the disks to contain the low level identifiers. It will prevent the disks to be used for another system BUT then, the original Lenovo disks would need to be created for each particular system (including MACs/etc) at the order time which is not the case.

So, the x301 could have four (4) types of Recovery Disks, each with 3 disks, meaning 12 checksums which can be listed on a simple page

[mgo]

Anyone knows a way to test the discs created by the LenovoAny way to test them for real?

Thank you.

When the discs are created, they are also verified during the write. This give one some assurance that the discs are OK and will work. Sadly, the whole Rescue & Recovery program is pretty old and clunky. My results have been 50/50 on the Recovery end, and because of that I started using a 3rd party program which is six times faster and very much more reliable.

If you are running Windows 7, their native Backup and Recovery has finally become rather good.

[ThinkCris]

When the discs are created, they are also verified during the write. This give one some assurance that the discs are OK and will work.

Very good said "some". In my case, the first try of creating the disks finished "successfully" but the Data2 (dvd) is not recognized by the OS (the others show files, directories like a normal disk). I insist, the Verify went 100%, the window announced the completion but the last disk is not working.

Beware!

[aviography]

I started using a 3rd party program which is six times faster and very much more reliable.

Care to share which software you use?

If you are running Windows 7, their native Backup and Recovery has finally become rather good.

So the Win 7 software can be used for this recovery purpose? I've never used Win 7 before and am in process of waiting for the X201 to arrive.

TIA

[ThinkCris]

About MD5:
Creating more pairs of Recovery disks I've noticed the files have the date/time when they got written on the media; a MD5 over a CD will clearly be different because of the time. The MD5 idea would be feasible as local checksum (over the years) or when Lenovo will let us download them