Recovering the preload and FDISK - ThinkPad X20

The Product Recovery Program
You have the ability to restore the software that was shipped with your computer, if your hard disk drive data is damaged or accidentally erased. This software includes your preinstalled operating system, applications and device drivers.
If a Recovery CD was not provided with your computer, your computer will contain the Product Recovery Program. This program is located in a hidden partition of your hard disk drive. It is not displayed when using Microsoft Windows Explorer.

Using the Product Recovery Program
To use the Product Recovery program to restore your preinstalled software, do the following:

1. Save all your files and shut down your desktop.
2. Turn off your computer.
3. Turn on your computer. Quickly press F11 when this message is displayed on the screen: "To start the Product Recovery program, press F11." This message is displayed for only a few seconds.

   NOTE: If this message does not appear, you can use a Service Partition Repair Diskette (see below) to get access to the Product Recovery program.

4. From the list displayed on the screen, select the operating system you want to recover.
5. Select the recovery options you want, and follow the instructions on the screen.
6. Restart the system by pressing Ctrl+Alt+Delete or by turning the computer off and then on again. Your computer will restart with the preinstalled operating system, drivers, and software.
   

Using a Service Partition Repair Diskette
If the message in Step 3 above does not display, you will need to create and boot from a Service Partition Repair Diskette before using the Product Recovery Program to recover preinstalled software. Do the following:

1. Click here to download and create a Service Partition Repair Diskette .
2. Turn off the computer. Insert the Diskette into the diskette drive and turn on the computer.
3. Follow the instructions on the screen.
4. Remove the diskette, turn off the computer and then turn on the computer.
5. Follow the instructions above for Using the Product Recovery Program. The message in Step 3 will display.
   

Important information about using the FDISK utility
If you use the FDISK utility to repartition your hard disk drive, make sure that you do the following:

• Repartitioning deletes all data on the hard disk drive. Be sure to back up your data first.
• When using the FDISK utility, do not delete the service partition because it contains your Product Recovery Program. This partition will appear as a Non-DOS, or reserved, partition.
• Verify that you do not have an outdated version of the FDISK utility. If your FDISK utility is dated prior to 5/18/00, it should not be used. If an outdated version of this utility is used, your Product Recovery program will fail and you will be unable to access your hard disk drive.

Obtaining an updated FDISK utility
If your FDISK utility is dated prior to 5/18/00, you will need to download an updated version in order to repartition your hard disk drive, by performing the following steps.
If you are using Microsoft Windows 98, create a bootable repair diskette for your computer as follows:

1. Go to the Microsoft web site and download the updated FDISK.EXE file (search for article ID Q263044) onto a computer that is loaded with Microsoft Windows 98. The Microsoft Web site is located at: http://www.microsoft.com
2. Insert a diskette into the diskette drive and enter FORMAT A: /S at the DOS prompt.
3. Copy the FDISK.EXE file to the diskette by entering COPY \WINDOWS\COMMAND\FDISK.EXE A: at the DOS prompt.
4. Proceed to "Using an updated FDISK utility" below.
   

If you are using Microsoft Windows Millennium (Me), create a bootable repair diskette for your computer as follows:

1. Using a computer with Windows ME, click Start, choose Settings, click Control Panel.
2. Double-click the Add/Remove Programs icon.
3. Click the Startup Disk tab.
4. Click the Create Disk button.
5. Insert a diskette into the diskette drive and click OK when prompted. The FDISK utility will be automatically copied to the diskette.
6. Proceed to "Using an updated FDISK utility" below.
   

If you have access to another IBM ThinkPad X20 computer, create a bootable repair diskette by doing as follows:

1. Restart the computer. Quickly press F11 when this message is displayed on the screen: "To start the Product Recovery program, press F11." This message is displayed for only a few seconds.
2. When a menu appears, press F3 . This will open the DOS prompt window.
3. Insert a diskette into the diskette drive and enter FORMAT A: /S at the DOS prompt.
4. Enter DIR C:\FDISK.EXE to view the date of the file. If the date of the FDISK.EXE file is 5/18/00 or later, go to the next step. If it is not, you must use one of the above methods to obtain an updated version of the utility.
5. Copy the FDISK.EXE file to the diskette by entering COPY C:\FDISK.EXE A: at the DOS prompt.
6. Proceed to "Using an updated FDISK utility" below.
   

Using an updated FDISK utility
After you have obtained an updated version of FDISK.EXE, as described above, use this utility as follows:

1. Insert the bootable repair diskette in the diskette drive and restart the computer.
2. After the computer has completed starting up, enter FDISK at the DOS command prompt to use the utility.
   

NOTE:

• Do not delete the service partition. It will show up as a Non-DOS, or a reserved, partition.
• Repartitioning deletes all data on the hard disk drive. Be sure to back up your data first.