# Thinkpad T40 Protected Recovery Area to Bootable CD problem

## username234

Okay I'm not sure where to post this, so I figured here was the best place.

My old Thinkpad T40 has been returned to me, so I decided to try to put Linux on it.  However, before I do that I want to remove the Windows Recovery Area from the drive for two reasons.  1) It frees up disk space and 2) recovery stuff should be on a CD or DVD and NOT ON THE FRAKKING HARD DRIVE.

...ahem... sorry.

Anyway, I've managed to pull the files off the drive, and now I'm trying to use them to create a bootable cd.

Here's the files:

```
autoexec.bat  filler.txt   ibmdos.com    plnrchk.bat  subst.exe    tpplga4.exe  tpplgd4.exe  tpplgt1.exe  tpplgw4.exe

command.com   finddrv.bat  launchit.bat  rexx.exe     tpdiag.exe   tpplga6.exe  tpplgd5.exe  tpplgw2.exe  tpplgw5.exe

config.sys    ibmbio.com   pcycle.exe    rxdinfo.rx   tpdiag2.exe  tpplgd3.exe  tpplgm2.exe  tpplgw3.exe  version.id

dos:

himem.sys  mouse.com  mouse.ini  ramdrive.sys

tptools:

ati_ctyp.exe  dos4gw.exe  plnrid.exe
```

 and they're all inside a directory I created called rdisk.

Now in my attempt to convert them into a bootable ISO, I used the following command:

```
rdisk % mkisofs -r -b ibmbio.com -o ../trd.iso -no-emul-boot -c boot.catalog .
```

 but when I try to test my ISO in VirtualBox (I'm low on blank CDs) it dies (the simulation enters "Guru Meditation").  So my question is, am I doing something wrong, and if so what is the correct way to fix it?

Thanks in advance.

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## Link31

VirtualBox does not emulate Thinkpad hardware, it only emulates some generic PC devices. If the recovery software only includes drivers for you specific Thinkpad hardware, it is not surprising that it crashes right at the start. Just try it on the hardware it was intended to run on.

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## username234

 *Link31 wrote:*   

> VirtualBox does not emulate Thinkpad hardware, it only emulates some generic PC devices. If the recovery software only includes drivers for you specific Thinkpad hardware, it is not surprising that it crashes right at the start. Just try it on the hardware it was intended to run on.

 I don't expect it to work completely, but I do expect it to boot at the very least.

Somethings I've found out since my first post:

    1) the protected area may not be a single partition

    2) ibmbio.com is not a bootloader (though some sites implied otherwise)

    3) as a result of 1 and 2, my mkisofs command is completely wrong.

If I get this to work I'll post the full instructions.

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## Rexilion

*Maybe* I'm a bit late with this. But Vista usually has tools to do that for you. Or is that not possible/doable anymore?

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## username234

 *Rexilion wrote:*   

> *Maybe* I'm a bit late with this. But Vista usually has tools to do that for you. Or is that not possible/doable anymore?

 I don't know.  The T40s were released around the year 2003, so they didn't come with Vista.

EDIT: Okay I'm done with this.  Xfburn just ate two DVDs and the troubles of pulling out the data is just too great to justify the reward.  My recommendation to anyone who gets a laptop where the restore data is on the drive is to immediately call the manufacturer and ask for a restore disk.

For anyone else who wishes to try this the following link will most likely shed some insight.

http://bellet.info/laptop/t40.html#the_predesktop_area

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## Rexilion

Erm, btw I'm sure that you don't really need the restore disks. These days you can get a 'copy' of Vista easily and download the drivers from the manufacture's website. That also has the advantage of you installing new stuff when you 'restore'.

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