Copy of model specific backup partition

[MeCasa]

Whilst I firmly believe in maintaining factory settings backup partition I've changed my HD so often I no longer own my backup

Can I download one? I have an audio problem and factory settings would be a great indicator if my problem is OS.

Thanks

[RealBlackStuff]

Try a Live Linux CD, such as Mint or Ubuntu.
You can start them up from the CD, without installing anything.
If sound now works, you have a (Windows) driver problem.

[MeCasa]

I was told that already and I agree but I was putting it off because this particular drive is important to me and it's having booting problems already (which makes me think OS problem already)

I'll pull this drive and try booting from the CD with no drive (just for sh#ts and giggles) and if it won't boot off of memory I'll stick in a old backup drive and stick in 9.10 ubuntu which is the newest I got.

Thanks

[MeCasa]

Ubuntu 9.10 Live CD
Didn't work without HD so I added HD
Set Boot Order > DVD
English > Enter
Try Ubuntu without any change to your computer > Enter
Ubuntu icon appears and seems to be working changes from dim to bright
Icon goes off and prompt appears on top right

And that's it, it just sits there

EDIT:
Reset boot order and fired up Windows > fired up fine
Tried reboot to see if Ubuntu fired up out of boot order > No
Reset Boot Order and tried to boot bUbuntu 8.04 > 8.04 is loading
1st attempt loaded up to 45% > prompt error reading disk please reboot

[MeCasa]

Despite the fact that Startup is set to ATAPI CD0:HL-DT-STCD-RW/DVD DRIVE-(SM)

my laptop now ignores the Start order and goes straight to Windows

Any ideas?

[MeCasa]

Solution to audio problems

http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.ph ... 04#p641104

Place to buy factory restore

http://www.thinkpadrestore.com/Thinkpad ... 44-x60.htm

[farmall]

When burning .isos burn at lowest speed, and if one doesn't boot grab another or another distro.

Light distros boot fast.

I like this one which is worth keeping on hand for diagnosis and repair.

http://distrowatch.com/table.php?distribution=rip

Some drives respond slowly so one trick I use is to eject the drive, start the machine, then push in the tray so it will spin up instead of waiting for the boot sequence to spin it up.