recovery cds costing $45?!

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acjc33 · #1 Post by **acjc33** » Thu Mar 24, 2005 1:30 pm

I just called IBM to order the recovery CDs and they tell me that it will cost $45! Isn't it supposed to be free within 30 days of purchase? I deleted some programs yesterday and that means I am not able to burn the complete package on the CDRW.

Did anyone have the same problem? I called 1800-ibm-serv
did anyone try other number? thanks.

zelchenko · #2 Post by **zelchenko** » Thu Mar 24, 2005 1:45 pm

Yes, they told me the same thing. I even escalated as suggested by "dfumento", but the supervisor(s) stuck to their guns. They apparently instituted a new policy of charging for the CDs about 6 months ago. It may have taken awhile for the information to filter down to all their reps, so some people lucked out and got their CDs for free. Luckily, I didn't delete the "Access IBM" stuff or the recovery partition, so I was able to burn my own.

They may make exceptions for sad cases such as yours--provided the unit is still under warranty.

#3 Post by **daeojkim** » Thu Mar 24, 2005 2:15 pm

Well if you have not changed anything on the hidden partition where all the recovery data is stored, you could just bring your notebook back to factory setting then burn the recovery disks from then.

slagmi · #4 Post by **slagmi** » Thu Mar 24, 2005 2:19 pm

I work for a computer manufacturer (not IBM) and I can tell you that it's 'a Microsoft licensing thing', not really IBM's call.

IBM is big enough to get 1st tier pricing tho, you won't get recovery CD's cheaper anywhere else.

Personally, I'm a believer that the disks should just come with the computer in the first place. IBM could do that, you know...

Kenn · #5 Post by **Kenn** » Thu Mar 24, 2005 2:41 pm

As stated above, you can burn your own set of rescue and recovery discs. It's actually better that way IMO, since IBM only shipped out burned (rather than pressed) copies anyway.

CChoi83 · #6 Post by **CChoi83** » Thu Mar 24, 2005 5:56 pm

I received my Recovery Disks from IBM two days ago. It only took them 2 days to get here. I'm assuming that everyone would like to know how I got them without paying for them so here it goes.

I deleted the DRIVERS, IBMTOOLS, and etc folders. Shortly after I had decided to do a complete system recovery of my T42 so it would be like it was from the factory. I had burned the R&R CD but I what I didn't do for some reason was burn the product recovery CD's. Why? I have no freakin' clue. So I rebooted and put the R&R cd, continued with the reformat and everything only to find "Please insert Product Recovery CD 1" on my screen and I started going haywire (that's right, me, not my system, lol). So I was screwed. I called up IBM and told them that I burned all the cd's but for some reason it keeps asking me for PR CD 1 over and over no matter what I do. Okay, so I fibbed a bit. The rep on the phone just told me to give him a minute and when he came back, he told me that the CD's were on the way. I didn't even have to ask. I guess that's one way to get them without paying for them.

jmagbita · #7 Post by **jmagbita** » Thu Mar 24, 2005 8:09 pm

i got my recovery cd's from ibm about a week ago..

all i did was call 800 ibm serv and told the rep that i had just received my t42 a week earlier and wanted the recovery cd's.. he said sure, he'll send them out right away and i got them about two days later!

he did mention that if i had not called within 30 days, it would have been $45.

so.. just call and insist that they send them to you.. and make it absolutely clear that you just received your thinkpad days ago..

chbone · #8 Post by **chbone** » Thu Mar 24, 2005 9:27 pm

I called them, but I get nothing.

ehsu · #9 Post by **ehsu** » Fri Mar 25, 2005 1:41 am

Have you deleted the IBM hidden partition for recovery yet? If you haven't, you can still make your own recovery disk. I didn't bother asking IBM for a set when I could just make my own set before deleting the hidden partition.

slagmi · #10 Post by **slagmi** » Fri Mar 25, 2005 11:33 am

Yea, there's provisions for OOB (within 30 days) also for defect such as a blemish on the origional cd which makes it unreadable.

IBM used to provide these disks and most of their competitors still do.

I'm not sure if the change was made only to save a couple of bucks or also to please corporate IT managers that don't want endusers to have the disks.

But it is unfotunate since we do pay a premium for these machines!

IMO the best way, maybe the only way, to get IBM to rethink is call, call, call!

recovery cds costing $45?!

recovery cds costing $45?!

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