IBM (Lenovo) ThinkPad Recovery CD
Most IBM (now Lenovo) ThinkPad laptops no longer come with recovery cds or even operating system installation cd-roms. Replacing the cds, on the expense of ThinkPad users, is a hidden service partition that contains all the recovery images and files, and provides interactive rescue and recovery predesktop workspace, which is an operating environment specifically designed for rescue and recovery operations independent of the Windows operating system.
The problems with the ThinkPad’s service partition are that it’s easily taking out some 4 to 5 GB of precious hard disk space. Beside, since it’s residing on the harddisk itself, when the harddisk is spoilt, the recovery partition will be gone too. If you change the hard drive, the Rescue and Recovery partition will not be available on the new harddisk too, so there is no way to restore the ThinkPad to the original factory state pre-load only just as when it was manufactured.
So it’s wise to create the ThinkPad product recovery cd. To get hold on the recovery cd, there are several ways:
1. Create Rescue Media or Product Recovery CD
Go to “All Programs > ThinkVantage > Create Rescue and Recovery Media. Then select your desirable type of rescue media. To create recovery CD, check the “Create a set of Product Recovery Discs now” and then click “OK” to start the creation process.
You will need about 7 cds or 1 cd and 1 dvd for the product recovery cd. And you also need to have CDRW or DVDRW drive. An external USB driver will do the job too as alternative.
2. Order Product Recovery CD from IBM
You can get a ThinkPad product recovery cd from IBM/Lenovo. However, you may not be able to do so if you’re out of warranty, and even if you’re in-warranty, you may need to pay for the cds.
To order, contact IBM/Lenovo support centre. You can find contact number of support centre here.
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Entries (RSS)
October 12th, 2008 19:08
I have lost my operating system C.D send by you and I need it now for repair my audio line is not working. How can I get that C.D . Please give me the proper way.
September 27th, 2008 16:41
Hallo brauch Hilfe
Habe einen z61p habe Xp drauf gemacht alles geht auser Audio woher bekomme ich audio treiber das ich mal wieder einen Ton habe.
July 17th, 2008 01:28
[...] drive. Unless you ABSOLUTELY NEED to remove it, I urge you to leave it alone. BTW, you can make a recovery CD/dvd - [...]
May 26th, 2008 19:24
i got lenovo 3000 y500 my rescue partition has got corrupt.it did not have a thinkvintage to make a backup now i cant restore my laptop to factory default.can anyone have solution for it is few months old
May 26th, 2008 16:51
FUCK IBM THINKVANTAGE SYSTEM UPDATE!!!!
ERROR!!! ERROR!!! ERROR!!! EVALUATING….
May 1st, 2008 10:03
I’ve partitioned & formatted my hard drive on a T61 so the hidden partition is gone. I’ve been trying to restore the system to it’s original factory state using the recovery cd(s), however I am getting “An internal error has caused this process to stop.” after the licensing agreement. Any thoughts out there? I’ve scoured the internet but can’t find this error anywhere. Couldn’t even find it on Lenovo’s website.
March 28th, 2008 18:40
When u lost the R’n'R password, simply uninstall R’n'R and reinstall it. Or even change to the most recent version.
Greetings
Ray
March 22nd, 2008 06:05
I have the same problem–I want to do the restore and recovery but have a passowrd which I have forgotten stopping me. How can I bypass it?
March 20th, 2008 20:33
For creating multiple factory recovery sets just dont confirm the last box, where the Program states, that the recovery was sucessfull and start a second instance of the program.
March 15th, 2008 11:36
i had created a password for my resuce recovery long bak..now the problem is i cant recall my password and i want to restore my laptop to its factory settings…so is there any way to do it???
please help..urgent
February 23rd, 2008 04:57
I have a T61. I have created the Startup plus 6 Product Recovery CDs. I rebooted from the Startup CD which erased the C: partition (fine) but the only option I have from the Rescue and Recovery 4 is to Restore from Backup (which I do not have and dont want). How do I get the system to go to a Restore to Factory Default setting with the Product Recovery CDs?
February 18th, 2008 10:23
Loir, Chris & BCM,
I am having the same problem with my 3000N100. I haven’t set my windows assword before. My OS got corrupt and I am not able to restore my system.
Is there any way of resolving this problem
February 15th, 2008 18:57
I have the same problem as chris on an x40 and i do not have any bios passwd set.
how can I reset that recovery password?
February 9th, 2008 04:55
Question for Lior, response #20 — I had the same problem w. my Lenovo 3000 N100. I downloaded some “updates” from the Lenovo site. Now it won’t boot up because of a corrupt XP windows file, which I didn’t have before the download. I had never created a password for the recovery prompt. So I’m stuck in this loop where I can’t get into recovery because it’s asking for a password I don’t have.
Is there a work-around to this problem, short of paying Lenovo $99 for their past warranty service?
January 30th, 2008 05:13
I think it’s funny how many people are ticked off that Lenovo doesn’t include rescue discs, and say they will never purchase from them again.
Fair enough, but in the past two years, I have purchased two Apples, a Sony Vaio, a Gateway, and a Toshiba, and now the Lenovo X61 Tablet, and only the Apples came with restore discs.
January 24th, 2008 23:50
I created the Recovery & Backup discs for my R51 laptop and tried to use them for a new hard drive. The process seemed to go fine thru the first Rescue & Recovery disc. It then asked for the “last” disc of 6 product recovery discs to be inserted but it didn’t recognize that one. I then inserted the first disc. Same thing. I couldn’t get the install to work.
Has anyone actually completed the recovery process successfully with these discs?
January 23rd, 2008 20:50
Thanks admin, the english article makes much more sense than the dutch version…
January 23rd, 2008 19:57
Nederlander, please read the English article here: http://www.mydigitallife.info/2006/01/18/ibm-lenovo-thinkpad-recovery-cd/