VOGONS

Accessing an IBM Thinkpad restore partition

Topic actions

First post, by xjas

Posted on 
User metadata
Rank l33t
Rank
l33t

I have this Thinkpad X24 which has Windows XP on it. I'm debating doing a wipe & reinstall on it... Everything's set up & works with the factory IBM utilities but there's a lot of stuff from the previous owner on there. He was apparently some kind of systems or networking engineer, so he knew what he was doing and it's not crapware, but I prefer to start with a fresh slate.

It has a recovery partition, but I can't figure out how I'm supposed to use it. The machine also has Linux & Grub installed, and the partition has seemingly been moved to the middle of the disk. I'm guessing there would have been an IBM recovery boot option originally but it's long gone. I know this isn't its original HDD either, but it looks like it's been copied over.

The attachment ibm_service_part.png is no longer available

How do I get into this thing, and will it do what I want?

I do NOT feel like reformatting the drive and doing a bare install from scratch. I want the IBM laptop utils & drivers as it was originally set up. I have a docking station and a bunch of accessories, so I don't feel like fiddling for hours trying to get those all to work again. If I can't do an OEM-type reset, I'll just leave it as-is.

Any of you dealt with these before?

twitch.tv/oldskooljay - playing the obscure, forgotten & weird - most Tuesdays & Thursdays @ 6:30 PM PDT. Bonus streams elsewhen!

Reply 1 of 1, by Stiletto

Posted on 
User metadata
Rank l33t++
Rank
l33t++

Yeah, back in the day you'd hit F11 on boot (immediately after the BIOS screen) and be taken to the IBM Product Recovery Program.

Sounds like the code to let you do that (boot code early on in the hard disk partitioning/file table) has most likely been completely overwritten. There's not typically a lot you can do to restore that short of getting your hands on a stock IBM Thinkpad X24 hard drive and copying the first XXX sectors over.

There *might* be extremely rare IBM repair center utilities to restore that functionality, HP had some, Gateway had some. Real uncommon though, and I couldn't tell you what the name of them would be.

Fortunately for you Thinkpads have one of the more religious followings out there when it comes to non-Apple products so you'll probably have it figured out soon.

This should have some relevant information I should think: http://www.thinkwiki.org/wiki/Rescue_and_Recovery

"I see a little silhouette-o of a man, Scaramouche, Scaramouche, will you
do the Fandango!" - Queen

Stiletto

Go to top of page Go to top of page
Back to General Old Hardware
Close window
Close window