Creating IBM Service Partition

[Gee]

Does anyone know how to create the IBM service partition from scratch?

[jdhurst]

It is created from the CD's you purchased from IBM or from the CD's you can make on a T42 or higher (but not on a T41 )
... JD Hurst

[Gee]

I don't have the recovery CDs. I was just curious to see if there is a way to create the partition from scratch.

I am using an X24

If I hit F11 to enter the recovery partition, I can break into DOS and copy the entire contents of the partition. But I want to know how to create the partition on a new drive so I can transfer it back.

[egibbs]

If you don't have and can't get recovery CDs then you need to do it the hard way.

Use a partitioning tool such as Partition Magic or BootIT NG http://www.terabyteunlimited.com/ (fully functional free trial) to create an appropriately sized partition on the new drive, then use a disk imaging tool to copy an image of the recovery partition to it.

JD - are you sure you can't create recovery CDs on older systems using the latest version of Rescue and Recovery? I was able to do it on a 3 year old Netvista (much to my amazement) after upgrading R&R.

Ed Gibbs

[jdhurst]

<snip>
JD - are you sure you can't create recovery CDs on older systems using the latest version of Rescue and Recovery? I was able to do it on a 3 year old Netvista (much to my amazement) after upgrading R&R.

Ed Gibbs

I have not been able to do it on my T41. I looked briefly again, but I ordered and received the recovery CD's from IBM (free) in any event. Thanks. ... JD Hurst

[LumberJack]

Well I don't know how I got my IBM service partition. Actually I've been trying to get rid of it!! HAHA...

Any ideas on this front would also be helpfull...

LJ

[rssb]

It is not difficult if one is comfortable with creating partitions, resizing and moving them around ( is easy with partition magic, the dos files are less than 2mb when put on the usb flash or floppy )

The partition you are creating should be bootable , i.e contains system files and command.com, either windows98 , windows 2000 or xp

You need to create a fat32 or fat32X partition ( X for extended depending on the size of the partition you are creating), from the end of the drive,
once this is done , with a partition table editor, set the partition type to type "12" , shows up as Compaq diagnostics under partition magic editor.

when you hit F11, when allowed, works with T41 also, assuming you have one of the recent bioses' 3.06 or higher

Whatever is the first active partion from the rear end, ( whether hidden or not ) it will boot from it , if you hit F11 just after the bios post,

hope this helps

[Gee]

The partition is not the hard part and the files are easy to get to. If you hit F11 to enter the partition and then proceed to do a restore. It will prompt you for confirmation.

At that point, hit CTRL-C and you will get the DOS Prompt, you will see all the files on the partition.

The problem is that the partition uses a non standard boot sector. You idea with Partition Magic sounds interesting as it will attempt to boot from a track other than Zero. I will give it a go, but I doubt that is how IBM created this partition.

On my ThinkPad, it is a Windows ME partition and I was able to get the files out by removing the drive and hooking it up to my desktop. Now I want to install a larger drive and create the partition again.

I think I am on to something, but I am not sure, need further examination of the original drive.

Will keep everyone posted.