R&R XP SP2 with USB stick

[jazz]

I didn't found anywhere (or didn't ask Google the right question) how to back thinkpad HDD to factory state without CD / DVD bay device (and with erased IBM_SERVICE partition).

I made (maybe 10 years ago) R&R backup (R52), to 1 CD and 1 DVD, and use it few times for backing HDD to factory state (XP S2) by using CD/DVD drive. Drive is not working anymore, so I tried last week to repeat the same but using USB flash memory (16 GB).

I made CD/DVD ISO image on another PC by PowerISO (http://www.poweriso.com/). CD image was extended to DVD size, and RECOVERY directory from DVD image was added. I guess that this can be done also on another (more simple or complicated) way, and with another tool.

Final (CD + DVD) ISO image was copied to USB stick by rufus (https://rufus.akeo.ie/).

AFAIK, older thinkpads have some problems with (new) USB sticks (larger memory), so it will boot at 1/10 cases. Or, this is related only to my R52. I repeated few times until R&R from USB stick was started.

Interaction with R&R interface was equal to version from CD / DVD (except, no message to exchange media), and at the end, result was C: partition IBM_PRELOAD with XP S2 factory state. However, system didn't create missing IBM_SERVICE partition. To be more precise, partition was created but as empty and OS visible D: (without name).

[RealBlackStuff]

For such an old machine you need to replace the CD-drive, otherwise it won't work.