[ltp] Partitioning - how to keep IBM recovery partition active?

[Bret Comstock Waldow]

On Wed, 31 Aug 2005 07:37, Jiang Qian wrote:
> Except that at least in some system, recovery cd wipe out the whole
> disk where recovery partition have the good sense to give one an option
> to install on the first primary partition in the disk, which only
> affect windows if you keep it as first primary partition.
> And the ability to fix windows without breaking linux partition is
> valuable for me.

The Recovery Partition will not fix Windows - it will re-install it (which is 
generally the only way to "fix" Windows).

The CDs I made from the Recovery Partition on my T42 will restore the factory 
installation - meaning wipe the disk, and leave the Recovery Partition plus 
Windows.

Below is a link to instructions on how to make an installable copy of your 
Windows XP copy from your own Thinkpad, which you can install and re-install 
to your heart's content without worrying about messing with any other 
partitions (although you may have to restore your boot scheme depending on 
what you are using).  The author does provide steps for wiping everything, 
including the Recovery Partition, but you don't have to do that.

I have:

1) CDs made from the option in the Recovery Partition to wipe the disk and 
re-install the Recovery Partition and Windows XP just like it all came from 
the factory.  This is approximately what you will get from IBM (the ones from 
IBM may have slightly different driver versions - depends on when you order 
them).

2) different CDs with the license of the particular copy of XP that came with 
my T42 that I can use to re-install just XP any time I want.  For instance, 
since XP isn't installed in a bootable form on my machine any more, I used 
the CDs to install a copy into a VMware machine I could run to access XP for 
work (now wiped as we're building our software on Windows 2000).

Please read all through the pages - you should find answers to all your 
questions there.  Pay particular attention to the fellow's notes - he speaks 
to a lot of concerns - the pages are well written.

So, if you want, follow the instructions on these pages, burn the CDs, then 
wipe the recovery partition.  The CDs you will make from these pages allow 
you to reinstall Windows by itself:

http://www.4saad.com/WhatsNew/Fresh_XP_Install/index.htm


If you want to use some other scheme, no worries.

==================================================
How to Fresh Install Windows XP Pro without a Recovery CD

....

What we are doing here is just reinstallation for the copy of WXPP that you 
have paid for when you bought your computer.

----
In this step-by-step guide, I will show you in details how can you accomplish 
the following:

1- Create a bootable Windows XP Pro (WXPP) CD with service pack 1a or 2 (SP1a 
or SP2).

2- Format your hard disk drive (HDD).

3- Install a clean copy of WXPP.

4- Download and install all the necessary drivers/applications for your 
ThinkPad notebook (TP).
==================================================