Can't get Rescue and Recovery to Start

[Crimesofparis]

Hey all,

My computer is having hardware problems. I'm at the point of giving up completely on the computer, but I had a few files that I wanted to recover from it first. I've had Hard Drive issues before and usually just have to push the blue Thinkvantage button and rescue and recovery comes up.

However, this time I can't get it to start. I just go to a screen that says "Startup Interrupt Menu" and lists three options, resume normal startup, enter BIOS, and choose a temporary startup device. I can't even get to rescue and recovery if I press F11.

Any ideas? 

I'm running Windows 7, the computer is a T61 that's a little over 3 years old. 

[maica]

I just noticed the same problemon my T61p after trying, and failing, to launch Rescue & Recovery within the OS.  I have no hardware problems, but I'm running W7 64 bit.  Looking at Disk Administrator, the Recovery partition appears intact and unharmed, but I can't boot from it either, so I have no idea how to make a backup of my healthy system.

Suggestion: if you made the "System Recover Disks" from R&R, try booting from that.  IIRC, it boots into the same system as the blue button used to.

[Crimesofparis]

Ah, I don't think I made any system recovery disks. I've never needed them before, and I've had to use R&R twice in the past.

[richk]

I am just guessing, but if your machine came with vista or xp and you installed retail windows 7, perhaps the master boot record has been changed

[Crimesofparis]

That seems likely, that the master boot record has changed. Is there anything I can do when my computer doesn't boot past the Windows 7 screen?

[richk]

you can boot from your windows 7 CD and try repair

[Crimesofparis]

Funny story, I didn't get win7 from a CD. I do have a vista disk though. Do you think I might as well try that?

And it is a hardware issue I'm having, I'm pretty sure, so I don't know if I can even do that.

[mwgroth]

I'm having the same problem as crimesofparis.  My machine is just out of warranty.  It came with XP Pro when I first received it.  A while back, I received a copy of Win 7 32-bit from Lenovo.  I installed it and everything has been fine.  I recently purchased a new Thinkpad Edge and want to sell my T61.  The new owner would like the XP  back on it. I thought I would just run the R&R by pushing the blue Thinkvantage button, but when I do  I'm getting the same thing, 

"Startup Interrupt Menu" and lists three options, resume normal startup, enter BIOS, and choose a temporary startup device. I can't even get to rescue and recovery if I press F11.  Apparently something changed when the W7 was installed, but Lenovo did not make me aware that the restore using Thinkvantage would stop working.  There must another way to get to the restore partition (which appears to be intact) and restore from it.  I also can not find my restore disks.

Lenovo, can you help?

Thanks