[ltp] recovery partition

[John]

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On (21/07/05 16:47), dim wrote:
> To: linux-thinkpad@linux-thinkpad.org
> From: dim <dim45@gmx.net>
> Subject: [ltp] recovery partition
> Date: Thu, 21 Jul 2005 16:47:26 +0300
> X-Spam-Status: No, score=3D-2.6 required=3D5.0 tests=3DBAYES_00 autolearn=
=3Dham=20
> 	version=3D3.0.4
>=20
> Hi,
> what is the exact purpose of ibm's recovery partition? Does it only=20
> store recovery information or are applications (ibm's fingerprint=20
> software and etc) also stored on and run from it? What I'm asking is if=
=20
> I remove the partition, will all ibm's applications function properly?=20
> If not, is there a way to install linux on a thinkpad (t43) without=20
> breaking the recovery partition?
>=20
> Thanks.
>=20

My experience with an A31 Thinkpad may or may not still be relevant
for your T43.  So bear in mind, YMMV!

That said, the purpose of the recovery partition, which was a hidden
partition at the END, not the beginning of the hard drive, was to
reinstall Windows from scratch, either on first booting or later, when
you give up on fixing some Windows issue and decide to reinstall.
Everything runs fine if you remove it. =20

I chose to get a (free if you ask for it in the first month) "Product
Recovery CD" from IBM and wiped out the recovery partition.  The
"Produce Recovery CD" installs VFAT, not NTFS, by the way.

If you have not yet booted your T43 even once, you will discover, or
at least I did on my A31, that the first time you boot the laptop, it
will install XP on the first partition. So repartition the hard drive
FIRST.  If you repartition for Linux -- I used PartitionMagic --
BEFORE that first boot, it will install Windows on the much smaller
first partition.  After that, you can either set up two primary
partitions for Linux BETWEEN XP on the first and recovery on the
fourth, OR you can wipe the recovery partition (if you have the
recovery CD), and have three primary partitions for Linux.

I _think_ (after only one use) that both the recovery CD AND the
original recovery system on the last (second) partition install
Windows XP on the first partition and recovery on the second.  Bear
that in mind if you ever need to reinstall Windows.  Maybe use the
second partition as swap, and reformat it as VFAT if you ever need to
reinstall, and after reinstalling, return the second partition to
swap?

If you have already booted the machine and have Windows installed,
just follow the procedure in
http://www.debian.org/releases/stable/i386/ch03s05.html.en

HTH, and remember YMMV!

--=20
John
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PGP key 1024D/99421A63 2005-01-05
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gpg --keyserver subkeys.pgp.net --recv-keys 99421A63

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