How to get Thinkpad recovery CDs?

[manly]

Looks like new Thinkpads have a recovery partition and Access IBM provides for restoration from the partition.

However, is there a good way to make recovery CDs or will Lenovo send them upon request? I just checked on a new Thinkpad T42 and Access IBM's Rescue & Recovery had no way of burning out disks.

It looks like it was previously possible to make recovery CDs:
http://pmw.org/~gardnerj/Thinkpad/Insta...ml#Restore_Options_and_the_IBM_SERVICE

 

[Nonsequitur]

way back when i tried to burn the recovery cd's on my t42, it never worked quite right (always asked for one more cd to burn even if it wrote only a few megs to the previous cd). i ended up making a ghost image and keeping that.

you can call ibm to request the cd's, but they do charge for them (around $20 - $30).

 

[fbrdphreak]

I've not done it myself, but R&R is supposed to allow you to burn.

IBM will send it to you, but since yours doesn't appear to do it just bitch until they send 'em for free

 

[corkyg]

The best solution is to simply clone your T-42's drive and have a spare to drop in whenever necessary. A total drive swap is fast and easier than a restore operation from a CD.

 

[fbrdphreak]

Originally posted by: corkyg
The best solution is to simply clone your T-42's drive and have a spare to drop in whenever necessary. A total drive swap is fast and easier than a restore operation from a CD.

Agreed. The T42's R&R restore SUCKS. It first copies what appears to be a plain XP install over. Then it runs a LONG series of scripted actions, WHICH TAKE FOREVER. On the T43 & R52, it is a simple reimaging process. R&R re-images, you reboot in about 5 minutes 100% ready to go.

I'm going to hose my recovery partition on my T42, as it doesn't even have SP2 on it and none of the current drivers. :thumbsdown:

 

[WackyDan]

You can burn the disks from a utility on your ThinkPad or within the Rescue and Recovery tool itself...

I'll check on mine here in a little bit....

 

[WackyDan]

Yup... You go >Start>Programs>Access IBM and you will find rhe program called "Create Recovery Disks".

If you have an older system, then they will send you them for $35 roughly if memory serves me right.

 

[manly]

I'll try to make recovery disks, but first things first.

Fvcking Microsoft (and IBM). I can't believe Windows is not pre-activated, but Activation would not work, online or over the phone. Instead of hiring humans, they actually use a voice recognition phone system now. The problem is it claims the installation ID on my new T42 is not valid.

So either I go hassle IBM, or just do the smart thing and install a volume-licensed version for my own sanity. I believe IBM installed Windows XP on a FAT32 partition, which is surprising in and of itself.

 

[User1001]

Originally posted by: fbrdphreak
I'm going to hose my recovery partition on my T42, as it doesn't even have SP2 on it and none of the current drivers. :thumbsdown:

If I recall you can update the recovery partition to include sp2 and new drivers. I think all you have to do is say backup under access ibm. This was on a T42 though.

 

[manly]

Restored factory software from IBM Rescue & Recovery. fbrdphreak was right; their software restoration is awful. It starts by dumping Windows XP SP1 onto a FAT32 partition, and then it goes through a long list of scripted actions that almost miraculously ends up with a working system. I guess IBM didn't want to fire their DOS developers. This time, Windows Activation was not required (bizarrely).

Everything seems to be working, albeit a bit sluggishly. This is disappointing since the system doesn't really come loaded with many 3rd-party apps like Dell Inspirons. Besides the IBM crap, it's a fairly basic installation.

I'm finally creating recovery disks now just in case.

 

[WackyDan]

Originally posted by: User1001

Originally posted by: fbrdphreak
I'm going to hose my recovery partition on my T42, as it doesn't even have SP2 on it and none of the current drivers. :thumbsdown:

If I recall you can update the recovery partition to include sp2 and new drivers. I think all you have to do is say backup under access ibm. This was on a T42 though.

The backup (rescue and recovery) is a separate solution from the service partition. Yes, you can invoke a factory recovery from within the rescue and recovery pre-desktop environment however....

The backup solution stores it's image in a virtual encrypted partition on C:, not in the service partition like the old versions used to... Much more efficient, and faster.

 

[User1001]

Originally posted by: WackyDan

Originally posted by: User1001

Originally posted by: fbrdphreak
I'm going to hose my recovery partition on my T42, as it doesn't even have SP2 on it and none of the current drivers. :thumbsdown:

If I recall you can update the recovery partition to include sp2 and new drivers. I think all you have to do is say backup under access ibm. This was on a T42 though.

The backup (rescue and recovery) is a separate solution from the service partition. Yes, you can invoke a factory recovery from within the rescue and recovery pre-desktop environment however....

The backup solution stores it's image in a virtual encrypted partition on C:, not in the service partition like the old versions used to... Much more efficient, and faster.

So the trick is after a installing the factory defaults, update everything (sp2, drivers, etc), and backup on the virtual partition. The question now is: is it possible to store this image on some cds?

 

[WackyDan]

Originally posted by: User1001

Originally posted by: WackyDan

Originally posted by: User1001

Originally posted by: fbrdphreak
I'm going to hose my recovery partition on my T42, as it doesn't even have SP2 on it and none of the current drivers. :thumbsdown:

If I recall you can update the recovery partition to include sp2 and new drivers. I think all you have to do is say backup under access ibm. This was on a T42 though.

The backup (rescue and recovery) is a separate solution from the service partition. Yes, you can invoke a factory recovery from within the rescue and recovery pre-desktop environment however....

The backup solution stores it's image in a virtual encrypted partition on C:, not in the service partition like the old versions used to... Much more efficient, and faster.

So the trick is after a installing the factory defaults, update everything (sp2, drivers, etc), and backup on the virtual partition. The question now is: is it possible to store this image on some cds?

Exactly... You start with the factory preload/recovery... Get the core apps you want loaded, Do all your MS updates, and app updates, antiviral, etc.... Get your internet favorites migrated, and your file and folder views set the way you want.... I wouldn't move over data at this point, but that's up to you.

You now do your first backup - this is called the base backup. It is an image based backup of the drive. You can now either export that out to CD/DVD or to an external USB hard drive or a network share.

At this point I bring over my data, and invoke an incremental backup, and then archive that out to my server -(or any of the choices above).

Set it on a weekly schedule for auto backup... works nice, and you can back up to those other devices as well for redundancy....

but you will always have that base clean image to go back to.

Word of warning...... Do not also attempt to use ghost or drive image pro installed to the drive. They will compete with Rescue and Recovery and over write each other in the master boot area.... causing your system to not boot anymore....

It's ok however to use ghost or drive image pro if you are booting them from floppy or cd to affect a different image capture. Don't really need to though.

THe new version of Rescue and recovery will be out at the end of this month. You'll be able to upgrade over the top of your existing R&R install, though you should probably re-archive the base and incrementals at that point. Not sure yet if the upgrade mods the ver 2.04 images.

It's a great piece of software.

 

[cwgannon]

Follow the needed steps found here to create your XP disc.