[ltp] X60s: Reinstalling on a 100 GB

[Atul Chitnis]

I recently purchased an Thinkpad X60s, along with an extra 100 GB disk 
(5400 RPM, SATA).

The original 60 GB disk came with the pre-desktop reinstall partition, but 
the 100 GB drive (which I want to make my main drive), does not have the 
installer.

Under normmal circumstances, this would not be an issue, since I use Linux 
primarily, and installing FC5 is not an issue.

However, IBM/Lenovo requires the original OS shipped with the machine to 
be installed in case service is required - which is why I usually have a 
small Windows partition on the disk, installed using the shipped 
installer, and the rest Linux (IBM/Lenovo are OK with this).

Now here is my issue - no physical media (i.e. no reinstall CDs), and no 
way to install Windows as IBM/Lenovo/God intended on the 100 GB disk. :(

I could order reinstall disks from the USA (I live in India, and for some 
strange reason, they refuse to give/sell us reinstall media here), but 
that would take too long.

Does anyone have a clue how to back up the pre-desktop partition from the 
60 GB disk and transferring it to the 100 GB in such a way that it becomes 
bootable by hitting the F11/ThinkVantage key, so that I can do an install 
of Windows, alon with all the required drivers (after which I shrink it 
down to about 5GB, and use teh rest of the space for Linux)?

I have tried DD'ing the partition (type &12, about 4.8 GB, VFAT formatted) 
to a file, then booting into knoppix, partitioning the disk to fill all 
but the last 4.8 GB with an NTFS partition, then creating a second primary 
partition, setting it to type &12, and DD'ing the originally saved 
partition image into the second partion. This worked to the extent that I 
can see the partition under Knoppix, can mount it and see all the correct 
files there (and it passes a binary compare as well), but booting refuses 
to boot off it. :(

After several days of trying, I am throwing in the towel and asking for 
help. :) Can anyone tell me what to do to transfer the partition to teh 
new disk, or how to turn it into a bootable DVD?

Help?!

Atul


-- 
http://atulchitnis.com (Professional)
http://atulchitnis.net (Personal)