[ltp] sysrescue cd in hidden partition booting with the thinkvantage-button

[Micha Feigin]

On Mon, 12 Jan 2009 14:33:04 +0000
Richard Neill <rn214@hermes.cam.ac.uk> wrote:

> >
> >> Welcome to Linux - I hope you enjoy Ubuntu. As to the system rescue=20
> >> feature, it's in the BIOS on the "hidden partition". As long as you do=
n't=20
> >> unhide that partition (in the BIOS option), you almost certainly won't=
=20
> >> break the system restore function.
> >=20
> > This is NOT true for all models of ThinkPads. =20
>=20
> I think you've quoted the wrong bit of my message here - I think you=20
> wanted to disagree with my assertion that the rescue partition can trash=
=20
> your linux install; not my assertion that if you leave the hidden=20
> partition hidden by the BIOS, you won't be able to delete the rescue=20
> partition by accident.
>=20

=46rom experience of trying to restore the system from the rescue partition f=
or
warranty purposes and some playing with installs. This is true for a t61 th=
at
came with vista btw don't know about others.

the thinkvantage button is dependent on partition information. IIRC after t=
he
debian install it just booted into grub so it's not looking for the first
hidden partition but plays with vista boot information or something else.

I could boot into rescue mode by setting up the first partition as a windows
boot partition.

There was an option to restore all the disk or just the first partition (bu=
t it
was really scary because at first no matter what you choose it looks like i=
t's
going to format your entire drive). It is dependent though on the first
partition being recognizable as a vista partition. Once I wiped it and put
another linux install on it, it refused to restore until I put a partial vi=
sta
install on there first.

> AFAICT it is true only for the
> > rescue CDs.  On my T41 I have restored Windows at least 4 times without
> > touching the Linux partitions.  The rescue partition overwrites just the
> > first partition; so just leave Windows there, shrink the partition and
> > install Linux in the new partition(s).
> >=20
>=20
> I stand corrected - though I think what I say was correct at least for=20
> the A22 I used to use. (I wiped the HDD clean on my T60p). Doesn't the=20
> rescue program also zap the partition table or bootloader?
>=20
> > IMHO, I've paid for Windows and it is occasionally in necessary to get =
the
> > job done.  It gets booted several times a year, mostly to update it.  A=
nd
> > the rescue partition is insurance against MS f*cking with dual booting =
in
> > their "security" updates, which it sure looks like they are doing. =20
>=20
> But these days, KQEMU or VMWare are both sufficiently good that you=20
> needn't use a "real" install of Windows. Also, Wine handles a surprising=
=20
> amount of software.
>=20
> Richard
>=20