ACCESS IBM Button & Missing Pre-Desktop Area

[splouie]

So i followed the instructions of ACCESS IBM Panel in windows, that all I have to do is restart the computer and hit the Access Button and this will take me to an area that will allow me to reset computer operating system and original software to factory state. Yet, when i do this it does not come up, only the old fashioned blue bios setting screen comes up.

What is wrong here, the bios does have a security setting for pre desktop area which is on normal mode, but where is this menu to actually activiate this reset function?

[SYU]

might NOT HAVE anything to load from 'recovery partition'
or that it might be 'corrupted' ,,,,

Please read forums re 'recovery' etc as there are heaps of pple who have tried various things on different laptops.

[emeraldgirl08]

Recovery CD/DVDs for your model and type of Thinkpad. This would mean wiping out whatever you have on it so make sure you back up your valuable data (documents, pics, music,etc) and use the Recovery media. It should create a recovery partition and enable the Access IBM features. Things will be outdated for sure so going to this page, choosing Driver Matrices, and navigating to your Thinkpad type will show a list of the most recent drivers etc.

If you need Recovery media put an ad in the Marketplace here as a WTB (want to buy) and you should get some responses. Good luck

[splouie]

Well its an x40 if that helps, and the pre access software in windows says it exists, but during bootup nothing there other than the blue screen. it came originally pre-bundled with Ms Office, and right now my excel somehow got corrupted. everything else is good.. one morning i booted and windows said my user setting was corrupted....and reloaded a factory desktop, so pee'd off as i was, i used system restore from a few days back and that messed up my excel...i was better listening to my ibm desktop in the first place as it new something was corrupt. if there is a way to reload excel that would be great instead of the format.

[Harryc]

To reinstall excel, you can try the howto at the following link;
http://www.techforbes.com/2010/05/03/ho ... owerpoint/
I 'think' it might require the original MS Office DVD but you can try. Other than that, take a look for the excel (or MS Office) installer in a sub-folder of C:\IBMTOOLS\APPS
Even if it's an entire MS Office installer there, you should be able to uncheck everything except for excel in the installation routine. The other thing is that the MS Office that comes with Thinkpads is generally a trial version. I'd guess you'd need a license key if you go mucking about, but again I do not know. Finally, if the recovery partition actually exists as you say, there is a repair tool for it to boot properly -
http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site. ... MIGR-54483
You'll need an external or internal diskette drive.