Make Recovery CDs and Fresh install T60

[Bemps]

I could use some help. I have read over advice from the forums, manuals with the TP and thought I did everything correctly but my fresh install from a new hard drive isn't working. Can someone walk me through step by step just how to make all of the rescue disks correctly? I have startup disk, and 6 product recovery disks as thinkvantage called them. Are these all of the disks needed for a fresh install with a new hard drive? So I took out the factory istalled drive without reformatting or anything and put in the new hard drive fresh out of the package. Now what is the next step? I tried putting in the startup disk and it installed thinkvantage. The next directions are to put in the disk labelled "final c" which I don't believe I have or the last recovery disk (disk 6 for me), but it doesn't work. Thinkvantage keeps giving me the prompt to put in the last disk. I'm guessing I will put the original hard drive back in and see if I need any more disks and what steps to take. Please any help is greatly appreciated. I've never had to make my own rescue disks.

Moderator message: Moved to the T60 forum.

[GomJabbar]

FYI, you can only make one set of Product Recovery Discs until you restore your system to factory state.

I do not have a T60, so the specific help I can give is limited. See if the information in the following thread is what you need. Note: Compatibility Mode setting in BIOS, and cancelling past supplemental disc box.

http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.php?t=23402

[christopher_wolf]

Just a note; after you restore your system, either via the disk set or via the on-board R&R image, you can burn another set of R&R disks.

[Bemps]

I put the factory installed HD back in and was actually able to burn another set up back up disks, this time with one cd and one dvd this time labeleed "final c." From reading through fresh xp install info for thinkpads it seems I need to make a bootable xp disk with sp2 on it. I tried to follow the www.4saad.com/WhatsNew/Fresh_XP_Install/step1.htm but couldn't get the bcd file created in previous steps to convert to an iso file. When tyring run - c:\bcd\bcd wxppro - I get a response file path not found or something like that. Arghh this is agrevating. I will try to make another boot disk from a different set of instructions and hope it works. Heh, this is aweful timing to have to go through such a hassle to do a fresh install on a new HD. I've got way too much going on elsewhere to devote hours trying to get this to work.

[GomJabbar]

Below is from a previous post I made awhile back. As far as integrating SP2, I would not think that step would be necessary with a T60. Surely Lenovo already put Windows XP SP2 on the T60.

I made a slipstream CD for Windows XP Pro, with Intel's Raid Drivers, using the information I found in two magazine articles. The first one was in Maximum PC, and the second in PC magazine. (There is a sticky on this forum that covers this as well, but I haven't read it, so I really can't comment on it).

The part about updating the the files in the Windows folder (where you are building the CD file structure) with SP2, didn't work with Maximum Pc's solution for me. I had to use the solution I found in PC Magazine for this. But generally I used Maximum PC's solution, with parts of PC Magazine's solution thown in.

I was unable to make a CD that would boot using IBM RecordNow! on my T42, or using Roxio on my desktop PC. I did make a CD that would boot using Nero on my old ThinkPad 600E. I would recommend using a CD/RW disc for experimenting, until you get the procedure down properly, then burn one on a CD/R which is a more universal and reliable medium. I made a few coasters before I started using the CD/RW disc for experimenting. After making the CD, see if it will boot up (and use your raid or scsi drivers). You can stop before you choose to partition or format the hard disk.

http://www.maximumpc.com/2005/01/how_to_slipstre.html

http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1759,1838607,00.asp

BTW, I did eventually use this disc, and it did work. It installed Windows XP Pro SP2 successfully.

[GomJabbar]

When I made the above post, I wasn't thinking clearly. I made that CD from a Windows OEM Install CD for a desktop PC. I did a variation on that for making a bootable Windows CD for my ThinkPad. See my posts in the last 2 or 3 pages of the Sticky in the Windows OS forum for that experience.

BTW, I used that CD as well, several months after I made it, and it did work. It installed Windows XP.

[Bemps]

woohoo!!!! Finally got it. I just booted up from the start up cd and loaded the dvd back up cd and it worked fine. The screensaver seemed to ruin the installation so I tried again and just moved the mouse for an hour hehehe, but it is all good, and fast with 2gigs of ram and the 100gb 72k HD. The machine is overall pretty quite, just a little loud when the dvd drive is working but not bad at all imo. Thanks for the input and bearing with my frantic questions.