RESCUE AND RESTORATION PROBLEM

[nayyarsheikh]

Hi. I need urgent help. I requested my brother to buy me new T61 laptop (being a fan of IBM) from States while he was visiting me in Pakistan for vactaions and as I had some problems after having some software installation problems which started giving me erors at the start which was really irritating for me.

 As being a perfectionist I just opted to restore the machine its just one month old to the original factory settings. I made a rescue and recovery DVD as per the instructions following each and every step and the data was all verfied. I just put teh DVD in the DVD rom and started the laptop. It showed me the rescue and restortaion setup and I opted to restore to factory setup it started installing the files. Then it said remove DVD /CD from the drive and startup. I did that and as it booted it went direct to The Recue and Recovery and asked me to put the Supplement Restoration DVD in the DVD rom so I just put teh same DVD and pressed ok. The DVD started and it said thats not teh required DVD so I cancelled that nad the pc restarted and again it went into rescue and Recovery Mode and asked me teh same question I clicked no as I didnt have the restoration DVD thinking that it will take the necessary files from the Hidden Hard Drive Partition.Unfortunately nothing happened.

Now i am really stuck and i dont have a clue what to do. I dont know what to do or lenovo can support me as the machine is still under warannty I dont know why laptop or pc manufacturers dont supply the restoration DVD/CDS with the system. Even I wanted to ask any question to Lenovo but unable to find any kin dof support via email.  Plz help me its really very urgent I have an important meetings coming up and I have to go abroad on business trip. I will really appreciate if someone can help me ASAP.

Thanks

N Sheikh   

[Centex]

You don't have to restore to original factory settings from CD/DVD's.

When the machine boots, press the blue ThinkVantage button at the prompt.

After the ThinkVantage Rescue and Restore application initializes, press the Continue button.

On the left, near the top, under "Rescue and Restore", select "Restore your system."

Follow the instructions. It will take up to an hour to restore the system.

Centex

[DaveS]

 You appear to have attempted to 'restore to factory state' using the CD / DVD's that  you created. However this is not possible without an IBM  /Lenovo disk(s). Sadly you have probably 'trashed' the diagnostic partition and lost the ability to restore to factory state using that method. If you made an image of the diagnostic  partition (Ghost) it is possible to recover the diagnostic partition with some messing around and partition editing.

However all is not lost !. try again but do not select the factory reset option. You should be able to restore to a functioning system. Read carefully the options on the recovery screen and select to restore from CD / DVD (s).

It is sad that a restore from CD / DVD trashes the original diagnostic partition and that IBM / Lenovo provide inadequate warning that this will occur. I guess they have their reasons.

Message Edited by DaveS on 01-27-2008 10:41 PM

[nayyarsheikh]

Yes. I think that is teh problem as soon I started restoring from the DVD it dmanaged the hidden partition and frankly it doesnt stop you from doing that it just says the data will be removed without even intimating about the hidden partition. Its really sad amd annoying.

 I am stuck as I dont have any support here in Pakistan. I just called up Lenovo they said that the Restoration DVD can only be requested from where the machine is bought. They told me that there are two different options which we have to selct and then create a Restoration DVD. Why so complicated what abt the people who are just beginners or they are new to this what about them. It has to be simple process. Its really sad and I dont know what to do because my brother is still on vacations until he goes back and send me one Recovery Disk it going totake ages. Kindly give out Rescue Disks with the machines PLZZZZZZ so much money is charged and why not give out couple of buck DVDs to help customers. If we can make a Recovery Disk why not give out with the machine so a simple click can recover the sytem or both options are offered to customer with one on hard drive and one on DVD disk.

 I had an Sony Vaio before when I created a DVD for that it was one complete Restoration DVD and just once I had to restore from it and it was just perfectly done no issues or any problems just simple click and all the things were in place.

Plz if Lenovo people read this help me plzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

[sivaneswaran]

Hi

1. Set your boot sequence in the bios to read as CDrom
2. Insert your rescue media CD so it will load to Rescue & Recovery, From here i believe that u will select the Following Options:

a. Restore your system
b. Restore your entire harddrive to original factory state > next all the way till u initiate the process and it will start asking u to insert disc 1 and so on

3. When u see it prompt you for supplimentary disk, insert it if u have a supplimentary disk, if u dun have it the click cancel

4. Now once the process is complete your machine will reboot, dont be suprised if it brings u back to the rescue and recovery screen, becoz it jus extracted from the CD to your Service Partition,

5. Remove the cd, Power on the machine and keep pressing the F11 key(every 1 second once)
follow the step again and run recovery, it will work

[nayyarsheikh]

Hi Its not working like that because there is no partition data there so its not wqorking as soon i turn on the laptop it just opens up the THINKVANTAGE rescue and recovery without the dvd I have tried many times but no avail plz help me i am still stuck

[sivaneswaran]

i dont understand what u trying to say, but if u read my post after u use the dvd everytime u start if it load the the rescue and recovery u need to run the recovery process again without the DVD

The 1st process u run using the DVD only extracted the data to service partition

jus run the recovery ( restore to factory setting ) without the DVD and everything will be ok

[nayyarsheikh]

Dear Sir,

I have tried that many times as soon i boot the laptop it asks for the funfer print as soon as it confirm the rescue and recovery program starts all by it self and before i can do anything the Product Recovery messages pop up now if i clieck yes i have suplement disk it read the dvd and say wrong disk if i click no it says insert the prduct recovery Dik 1 now kindly tell me what to do here......

[sivaneswaran]

provide me ur Machine type & model and the FRU P/N which u can find from the recovery cd
i will check for you if this is the correct recovery cd for your machine, i cant reply you right away now becoz im afterwork and going back home now, will check and reply your post tomorrow morning

[DaveS]

As previously  mentioned once you have attempted a recovery in the way you did, the 'factory'  diagnostic partition is blown away.

Return to the disks you created.(do not discard whatever else you may do)

Insert the RR disk (the first disk of the set). Then follow the instuctions to restore the other disks you will be asked to load 'final C' and so forth. Make sure that you select the internal DVD as the source. This maybe you require you to scroll down in the source selection 'box' to select. DO NOT  USE THE RESTORE TO FACTORY option again as you will end up in a loop, you must reboot NOW from the first RR disk you created, which will allow you to select the option to restore the disks you created.

Once the system is restored using this method you will have a new 'stub' diagnostic partition of about 1Gb replacing the original 5gb diagnostic partition, (perhaps that is why IBM decided to blow it away) However it will NOT contain the image files with  the ability the ability to restore to factory state, or to create diagnostic diskettes and run diagnostic routines. Restoring the disks you created takes some time (hours). DO NOT think it has 'screwed up' if nothing seems to be happening. watch the HD drive lamp for the odd flicker of activity. I know this works as have done it to many times ! . Seems it is the only way to recreate the MBR following a 'disaster. (The IBM MBR recovery program does not work in these circumstances).