Acer Hidden Recovery Partition

try some hard disk recovery software. For my example, "Seagate Recovery".
It might help you 'scavenge' those necessary file from the PQ partition thought it is not visible by normal means. i did it with my aspire 5500z and it simply works.

 

So curry King

If you have the original disk and it works then clone it using a full disk image tool like Paragon backup and restore. Use the bootable CD supplied (ideally) to Copy the image to an external HDD then install the new HDD and booting from CD again restore the image.

If you do it this way the Alt-F10 and other features will just work.

Please so not bother scavenging files if the disk is faulty anyway, the image in PQ service is unpatched, loaded with Acer-ware and includes no programmes for office and other uses.. Just do a clean install, install and patch to a fully useful system then back it up properly to an external HDD.

 

Hi guys, I accidently deleted ALL my partitions and the PQSERVICE partition too. So I was browsing through Google looking at how to fix it, so I decided to use EASUS Data Recovery Wizard to see if I could recover the partition. It's still scanning so I decided to take part in this thread. I'm too lazy to go through the entire thread, so could someone quickly go through the solution if any or what the progress is till now. BTW, I have a Gateway NV54.

Thanks

 

unfortunately my laptop got NO bootable CD available. I want to change the Hard disk before it is too late, although it's still looking good after 4 years. now i will try another way and test it again. Thanks anyway.

 

just a tip I discovered that if you can't access the recovery partition but you did not delete it. You can boot up a retail Vista/Win7 disc into the retail dvd recovery environment, then use the command prompt and access that hidden recovery partition. I think it will now show up as drive X but if you can't find the letter use the diskpart program, from that retail vista/win7 dvd recovery evironment command prompt, and use its " list volume" command and " list partition" command to show you the drive and letter assigned.

I've gotten this far myself when I deleted & recreated the user partitions using a retail Win2K CD. I was able to view the contents of the partition from this command prompt. In my case I never modified the recovery partition so somehow erasing the user partition also removed the bootup pointer that responds to Alt+F10. I still have to experiment between running the Acer eRecovery from within windows or launching the D2D.exe program inside the hidden partition from a retail Vista/Win7 DVD Recovery Environment. I'm trying to make sure wherever I run it from doesn't overwrite on itself.

 

guys.. i can't access the alt+f10 recovery menu anymore! i have a dual boot installation of windows 7 64bit and windows 7 32bit.. with 64bit being the main one.. i had to boot with the 32bit dvd to do a startup repair because the boot menu wasn't letting me into the 32bit OS.. anyways once it repaired the boot menu.. i noticed that the 100mb partition which contains the alt+f10 stuff is now 100% free and unallocated.. i am certain that i didn't delete the partition or anything.. the startup repair must've done something to the boot record to make it seem like the partition is unallocated

how do i get it back?

 

I have gained in my position a dozen usb flash drives made for bank promotional info. These flash drives are partitioned in 2 drives, user writable part and a 2nd part that detects as a usb cd-rom drive on the flash drive using the CDFS filesystem. That 2nd part is write-protected and acts exactly like an optical disc. It can't be formatted or erased and the data in it is write-protected. It loads the windows cdrom.sys driver and disk management and windows explorer show that partition as an optical drive. I can't even erase it in diskpart. So that's the clue I'm working with on getting a usb flash drive to run a recovery dvd.

 

I realy need this NAPP, can you tell me the username and password for the site? or can you upload the file to me, please.

 

Wohaaa... THIS worked! i cound not find the mbrwrwin.exe or rtmbr.bin - call me dumb but i just could'nt....

in addition to the above i would like to add that i used PTEDIT - not PARTedit32 (as some of the toturials on the web indicate) to make the eRecovery partition visible and bootable.

I used MBRWIZARD 2 - command line :
mbrwiz /save=C:\myMBR.dat

i could not make the mbrwizard 3 work..?!

i could not get ptedit to work in vista after the restore either but running mbrwiz as admin shows that my pwservice partition has become hidden again by the reinstall... nice!

(by the way.. running cmd using admin rights can be done by:

press "windows key" on the keyboard
type "cmd"
and in stead of just pressing enter press "ctrl+shif+enter"

EDIT:
Just wanted to add:
if using MBRwiz to change the type of partitions in vista changing a partettion back to e.g. type 07 is done by :

mbrwiz /part=x /type=7h

or eg. to type 12 (diagnostic)

mbrwiz /part=x /type=12h

where x is the partition you wanna change...

 

Just a quick question...

Does running the recovery disks fix everything? If it is a new HDD or if you deleted all you partitions do the recovery disks install the recovery partition again as well as windows? Thanks.

(I have a 1410)

 

I admit i've not trawled the entire thread, so please forgive if answered previously.

Shortly after an upgrade to Windows 7 on my Aspire 8920g, I "lost" my D:\ drive. I have recovered this using minitool Partition wizard and an MBR rebuild. However, one of the 2 hidden partitions is now also visible - go figure.

Can any one tell me what type of partition the R:\ drive should be? is the same as the PQservice partition (type 0x27)?

 

I tried that link and I need a password.

 

I need help!! Few months ago my laptop won't start the windows and it won't let me D2D or use the recovery CD. So I reinstalled new Windows but I didn't delete the hidden Partition. However, when I got all my window setup and working I went back and try to recovery in back to factory laptop. It show this..I don't what to do please help!

 

I wonder if this would work for my laptop?
DVD drive is dead, ribbon cable got hung in tray and kinked in two. now it wont work. laptop recognizes external cd drive. my backups are on dvd.
Copied files from dvd to cd using a desktop with dvd drive. Cant get laptop to us cd backups.
I basicaly need to re-instal vista and cant get it to use the cds. Vista is totaly messed up and not running right. programs used today will not work after boot up the next day. told to check e-management but it wont let me. etc. I posted about this problem here, http://forum.notebookreview.com/acer/539673-aspire-5920-backup-problem.html#post6958297 and I wonder if this would work in my situation. Thanks

 

Hi,

Vista needs DVDs as install media, not CDs. Copying the content of the DVDs to CD media has most likely destroyed the structure of the files needed for a successful reinstallation. So you need an external DVD drive.

Michael

 

Thanks, youve confirmed what I was thinking. Guess ill just have to place it into storage untill I can afford a drive, either internal or exturnal. Leaning more towards external.
Thanks again!

 

i have acer aspire 5584wmxi ,i have formated the drive d acer data) by wrong but i have the recovery cds .how can the recovery files again to that drive and use the f12 again to restore.
thank u

 

i have acer aspire 5584wmxi ,i have formated the drive d acer data) by wrong but i have the recovery cds .how can the recovery files again to that drive and use the f12 again to restore.
thank u

 

Hi guys,
New to this forum but it sure looks interesting.
Have just managed to rebuild pqservice partition for my aspire 5920(Vista).
All I need to complete project is SWCD.WIM from autorun folder.
I know that it's not critical for recovery to work but I wanted to finish with a fully functional restore, (backup disk creation etc.)
Anyone know where I could get hold of this file please... (About 1.5Gb)

 

Acer Aspire 7540, PQService I need to re-enable the F10 Restore Option?
I can see the PQSERVICE partition but no long get the F10 option to recovery. How do I go about correcting the damaged MBR to allow this factory recovery to be re-enabled. This PC has no CD/DVD roms. Short of getting the ACER iso, is there a way to do this fast and easy?
Aspire 7540-1284
P.S. in the BIOS the D2D *IS* enabled, but no longer gives the F10 or ALT-F10 recovery option. Customer used a 3rd party utility to re-size the drive and changed the MBR. I could recover this from a Windows 7 DVD but he would like the factory settings *AS NEW*.

 

Access recovery partition, (make visible with a partition manager). Copy 2 files from "RYTOOLS"... mbrwrwin.exe and rtmbr.bin to your root drive, C:
1. Start your system as normal.
2. Open Administrator command prompt.
3. Type in - c:\mbrwrwin install rtmbr.bin. (Disable D2D in bios first and re-enable after)
This should revive your Alt+F10 option.

 

hello a long time ago i bought this aspire 6935 in Singapore, but i didn't backup and recovery my computer and i did upgrade for win7, but now i have some problems (my hdmi, finger-print) for example don't work and i dont have my empowering tecnology (eaudio management, edatasecurity management)
I almost crazy with my computer

Pls anyone entry in contact with me or put some link for make download

[email protected]

tks

 

I've had a couple of Acer models recently where the recovery procedure hasn't worked, even though the PQSERVICE partition appears intact. It would install Windows, but at the point at which the third-party Acer programs were ready to install the system would halt with a bluescreen or other error message box.

I solved it thus:

Install using Windows 7 DVD, keeping partitions intact, formatting only the partition where Windows would normally be. Did not bother to install drivers or do any updates.

Then using a linux boot disk, toggling the active partition back from the Windows partition to PQSERVICE.

Reboot and the recovery procedure starts up normally. Formatted the Windows partition again, and allowed this to complete, then did the updates.

Of course you require a Windows 7 disk, and if you have the disk why bother with the recovery procedure at all? Well, some people may want the original software which came with the machine and if, as sometimes happens, your licence key sticker has become illegible, by fixing the recovery procedure you can be back up and running again.

 

Just a tip, those of you with a Netgear WNR3500L WiFi Router can read & write from/to the Acer hidden recovery partition through this router. Take your drive with the hidden recovery partition and put it into a 2.5" USB enclosure; you may need additional power (via a powered hub or additioinal AC adaptor to your enclosure) for a 2.5" enclosure as this router's single USB port doesn't provide enough for some bus powered enclosures. Plug your USB enclosure to the router's USB port and follow the routers instructions for setting up it's "READYSHARE" NAS USB file sharing. All contents of the partition are fully readable, editable (I think), and executeable. You won't be able to make any file system changes or partition changes viewing this way as the drive is like a virtual drive to the OS that shows up via Microsoft Windows Network, FTP, and HTTP.

 

Hey All,

I've got an Acer Aspire X1700, and recently had a boot problem. Fixed it with a Vista repair disc, but now I want to restore to factory settings and am having MBR problems. Read through this thread, used a partition manager to peek into the PQSERVICE partition, but cannot for the life of me find rtmbr.bin. The only files in the RYTOOLS folder are NAPP1P.ini, NAPP2P.ini, and NAPP2P_SetHidden.ini.

Oddly, I have MBRwrWin.exe in the Acer eRecovery folder on my C: drive, but no rtmbr.bin.

So is it hiding somewhere else? Can I boot from the recovery partition manually and let it do its thing? My system is totally functional, I just want to reformat essentially as a maintenance thing to address occasional crashes while gaming that have me frustrated.

 

For those curious or interested, I have successfully restored the hidden acer partitions that these silly customers keep wiping out in order to bypass the RTO software or to up/down grade the OS. I used a copy of TestDisk (V6.12) found on a Hiren's Boot CD (Ver 13.1) I should mention that there was 1 out of the 8 that i could NOT restore, but I made Restore DVD(s) to fix that one. I'm friggin ecstatic because the B.Stone store told me that they are bringing me 5 Acers on Monday.....3 guess' what's wrong with 'em....lol
Thanks for this helpful thread and site guys

Beers-N-Cheers!

 

Anyone an acer mbr for windows 7(Home Premium, if does matter)?
I have a 5739G(bought december 09), pqservice deleted , only recover dvds(3), faster 7.2k HDD same size(500GB).

Using Acronis from hiren's boot cd 10.6 I've created first a primary fat32 partition BUT on the last part of the HDD, I want first fast Gigs for OS although recovery will be slower and HDD seek high but I don't recover every day. With other words i set first the partiton size: 10.8GB, after, on space before I've specified the rest of available space(455GB), after that I set the partition active.
Further I've created another primary partition for the OS with the capacity of 55 GB and the last one, a logical with 400GB capacity.

After, with live xp from hiren's CD I've copied the content of dvd to the pqservice partiton. Then I ran the Acer_MBR_F10_Repair found on solution #3.

The first partition(pqservice) change his type to 12, enabling D2D, but doesn't work and get error NTLDR is missing(of couse, no os installed:wub: ).

PQ Partition table editor tells me:
first partition
type 12 boot 80 start cyl 1023 head 0 sector 1 ending cyl 1023 head 254 sector 63 sectors before 954116415 sectors 22651650
2'nd
type 07 boot 00 start cyl 0 head 1 sector 1 ending cyl 1023 head 254 sector 63 sectors before 63 sectors 115346637
3'rd

type 05 boot 00 start cyl 1023 head 0 sector 1 ending cyl 1023 head 254 sector 63 sectors before 115346700 sectors 838769715

I think that the RTMBR.bin that I have is for windows xp OS because I get the message NTLDR is missing. If I change the pqservice partition type it changes back to type 12.

BUT if I run Hiren's Boot cs(thinking @ games)CD 10.6 and select boot from HDD - windows vista/7 (BOOTMGR) the eRecovery starts but fail to run because can't find path D2D\images\*.swm.
OK, change the location of M(This shows me now when goes):\images to M:\D2D\images and recovery works.
The speed is around 1000MB/min with Restore Progress Elapsed Time of about 20 min .
BTW is version V7.5.10

Now.. waiting 2 see if OS starts.. but I do not think will have the chance.. it's almost 7 AM here, I go 2 bed

Any chance to work (d2d using alt+f10) with proper MBR? or I should claim the space dealt by the partition?

P.S.Excuse my english.

 

I'm trying to sort out an Extensa 5220 that does have the PQSERVICE partition, but no recovery discs were ever made. I've tried every variation of MBR and also tried to manually build the recovery discs, but with no luck so far.

I've tried all variations of D2D setting in the BIOS, different mbr files that I installed with mbrwrwin and also tried the Alt+F10 without any joy.
I can now get it to boot to eRecovery but it then asks for Backup Disk 2 or Recovery CD and ejects the DVD tray.

Does anyone have a "Backup Disk 2" or "Recovery Disc" that they can list or screen dump what files are on them so I can try and rebuild them?
Would be grateful also if you could confirm the disc label too as I know some discs are fussy when it doesn't have the correct label.
Much appreciated.

 

I have an Acer Aspire 5732Z and had trouble with the HDD.
After much mess could boot from the partition and appeared Windows7 PQSERVICE where it should not appear.

I tried entar by e-recovery to format the laptop and not start the ALT + F10 and I have the D2D enabled in the BIOS.

I have access to all files from partition PQSERVICE and perhaps it gives to make the recovery dvd to try to restore factory settings, but do not know how.

Or is it possible to reformat the partition recovery to stay with the specifications of the factory to boot from HDD.

Thanks

 

Hello, I'm from Brazil, deleted the recovery partition that came to my computer. But I get the cds created at the factory.

I want to create a hidden partition factory.

Get the 3 CD's of the factory and will be possible through this create this partition again and as factory default.

How can I make this work again and re-create the cds as a normal procedure and installation up on boot?

I want to create a hidden partition factory. Who can
Notebook AS4553, 320 HD, 3 GB DD3, AMD Atholon II X2 P320.

 

Do you have recovery DVDs?

If you do you can recover system from those DVDs not from the partition.
Recreating recovery partition may be a bit hard not to mention unnecessary.

 

I have the DVD's created before deleting the hidden partition.

I want to create the partition again. Do you can help me to create the partition?

 

Hello!

I make this...

Copy DVD partition PQService 12 GB

Create folder AcerBoot copy BOOT recovery1.
Create folder D2D\IMAGES copy IMAGES + PATCH folder to D2D
Create ImageInfo.dat

[ImageInfo]
ImageCount=138
ImageVersion=RV03RC01
ImageLanguage=PO
ImageName=POP0109P0PXX1C31
ImagePath=\D2D\Images\

eRecovery not recognize 3 DVDs

eRecovery recognize 2 DVDs

Why?

 

Judging by a lot of what I've read here, many of the people who find their way to this very old and long thread are people like me, people who can't get the alt-F10 function to work on their Acer laptop and, therefore, cannot restore the machine to factory settings. A lot of people post things like "I don't have time to read all this, please tell me what to do quickly!"

Here's what to do quickly.

A user named Pink posted instructions that worked for me PERFECTLY. Here's a link to the post where I found them:

http://forum.notebookreview.com/acer/11476-acer-hidden-recovery-partition-46.html#post6782924

And here are Pink's instructions:

To do a restore when your ALT-F10 function doesn't work:

1) Make a backup of your existing MBR with MBRWizard. And put it somewhere other than the HDD you're screwing with (duh!).

2) Using PTEDIT32, write down every single parameter it shows for each partition, before you do anything else. If something bad happens, you'll know how to put it all back. Then, change the PQSERVICE partition to type 07 from type 27, and make it bootable by changing boot type from 00 to 80. Make the other partition not bootable by changing it from 80 to 00. Save the changes and exit.

3) Reboot, and go to setup in BIOS to make sure D2D recovery is on (not sure that this matters in this case, but set it anyway).

The system should boot to the PQService partition (presuming it's intact), and restore. If it doesn't, I don't know what to tell you. If it starts and then fails, try formatting the main partition FAT32 and boot again.

4) After the restoration, use PTEDIT32 to reset the values back. PQSERVICE goes back to type 27, boot 00, main partition goes to type 07, boot 80.

5) Use MBRWizard to hide the PQSERVICE partition. For some reason, Vista can still see the partition if all you do is change it back to type 27. Odd.

The only problem with this method is that it does NOT re-enable the ALT-F10 function, at least in my case.

Good luck!

-Pink​

 

I want to recreate the partition from the factory to create the DVD again. I know that before deleting it had 12GB free on my Windows in Portuguese. The model and ASPIRE 4553-1_BR333, but do not want to take to support them is to create the partition again. I use this laptop for my studies and this will take too long. Can you help me create and redo the DVD's factory as it was before?

 

That's incoherent. Please clarify what do you have (i.e. recovery DVDs or recovery partition) and what do you want to achieve.

 

This method does re-enable the ALT-F10 function. I've used it on a lot of different laptos (with xp, vista, and win 7). The only exeption has been a case where some files in the hidden partition had been damaged, and I had to copy them from another system.

 

Hello,

eRecovery create 3 DVD's, but don't information correct. Information 2 DVD's Create, but create 3 DVD's.

 

Anyone have the NAPP CD v7.5.10? I need this.

 

You don't need the napp cd, deathroll. They are almost impossible to come by. What you need is another acer with the hidden partition intact, an external usb drive bay, and a free cloning tool.
Hook your hd up to the good acer, clone the hidden partition, and boot in to it as described in this thread.In less than 20 minutes you arer up and running.
If you dont have an 2,5" external usb drive, where you can can temporarely take out the drive and put in your acer hd, there are casings on the internett for less than $10

 

Thanks for your response, greveakira. I'll try this.

 

Btw. depending on what software you use to unhide and make active the hidden partition, you might have to mount the drive and assign a drive letter. I believe there was a case where it only worked when I gave it the drive letter X.
My memory could play tricks on me though, even though its unlikely since I cant remember that I have ever forgotten anything

 

Hello,

Easy to recreate the hidden partition on Acer ASPIRE 4553-1_BR333.
Remembering the Windows 7 uses seven.
Come on!
you need to have 3 DVDs

Create a folder AcerBoot
Create a folder within this D2D create IMAGES sub-folder and patch.

Recovery1 copy it into the folder AcerBoot DVD minus all the Images folder.
Copy the folder of the DVD into the IMAGES folder D2D.

Recovery2 copy the entire DVD into the folder D2D.
Recovery3 copy the entire DVD into the folder D2D.

Ready your PQservice is done.

Now create 3 files using Notepad windows.

A file must be saved as: "ImageInfo.dat"

[ImageInfo]
ImageCount = 138
IMAGEVERSION = RV03RC01
ImageLanguage = XX
ImageName = POP0109P0PXX1C31
ImagePath = \ D2D \ Images \

2 file must be saved as: "RCD.dat"

; AS4553/AS4553G w7 HomeBasic_X64_XX IMAGE SERIES CD
; XX VERSION RV03RC01
[MAIN]
OS = w7 HomeBasic
= X64 CPU
MODEL = AS4553/AS4553G
CDTYPE RCD =
LANG = XX
LANG_FULL WW = Multi-Base
VERSION = RV03RC01
PN = POP0109P0PXX1C31
PCS = 2
ManagerXVersion = 4, 0, 0, 6
PreloadXVersion = 4, 0, 0, 6
ImageCount = 138
Brand = acer
RCD IN = RV.NBFA7.00R
BaseImg = Y
Group = Generic (Office 2010)
SkuDisplayName = Windows 7 Home Basic

3 file must be saved as: "SystemCD.dat"

[Main]
Project = aHornet_Lite
MODEL = AS4553 / AS4553G
PN = POP0109P0PXX1C31
Version = RV00RC03
CDType = SystemCD
ManagerXVersion = 4, 0, 0, 6
Brand = Acer - Aspire
[Language]
= 00
01 = EN
ES = 02
A1 =
AF =
AR =
AS =
AT =
AU =
BG =
BN =
CA =
CS =
CY =
D0 = A
D2 = A
D3 = A
DA =
DE =
E0 = EN
E1 = EN
E2 = EN
E3 = EN
E4 = EN
E5 = EN
E6 = EN
E7 = EN
E8 = EN
E9 = EN
EL =
EN =
ES =
ET =
I =
F0 = FR
FR = F1
F2 = FR
F3 = FR
F4 = FR
F5 = FR
FA =
FI =
FL =
FR =
GL =
GU =
HE =
HI =
HR =
HU =
IT = I0
I2 = IT
I3 = IT
CI =
Id =
IR =
IT =
JA =
KA =
KK =
KN =
KO =
KS =
LB =
LT =
LV =
MA =
MH =
MI =
MK
ML =
MR =
MT =
N0 = NL
N2 = NL
N3 = NL
NE =
NL =
NO =
P0 = PL
PA =
PL =
PS =
PT =
Wh =
R0 = RU
RO =
RU =
S0 = S
S1 = S
S2 = S
S3 = S
SC =
SK =
SL =
SQ =
SR =
SV =
SW =
TA =
TC =
TE =
TH =
TR =
U0 = EN
U1 = EN
U2 = EN
U3 = EN
U4 = EN
U5 = EN
U6 = EN
UK =
UR =
VI =
X0 = EN
X1 = EN
X2 = EN
X3 = EN
X4 = EN
X5 = EN
X6 = EN
X7 = EN
X8 = EN
XC =
XX = EN
ZH = CT

 

Hi, I am new to this forum. I too had a problem with the Alt+F10 not working. The Gateway M-1628 I was working on for a customer has Vista Home Premium and the OS was so corrupted I had to do a reinstall. Had no recovery discs, and could not get them from Acer so I attempted a reinstall from a Dell OEM disc which installed ok but would not activate the product key. So, I resolved to try to make the recovery partition work even though the Alt+F10 was not functional. I searched on several forums for a solution and found what many of you found - the mbrwrwin install rtmbr.bin process. I unhid the D:Recovery partition hidden folders and searched for any of those files to copy to the C: and found none. I gave up on that to search the recovery partition for anything helpful and found a folder that had all of the install programs with each separate folder with a long alphanumeric name and went through each one and found the one for erecovery or Gateway Recovery Center. I ran the install and then I had erecovery function again and executed the recovery.

This may or may not work for anyone with the same problem whether it be Acer or Gateway or even Emachine, after benefitting from so many forums I wanted to return a favor if it would work out that way

 

I need the User and password of this server that has the NAPP CD. User and password provided on the site do not work. Can anyone help? Thanks to everyone here at the forum.

Server Login

 

actually i uploaded this ages ago, in 2008 and here it is
https://rapidshare.com/files/140665565/AMPP150W.iso

but there are so many,
i allso have some called
STCDBOOT.iso - 121 MB
DiskFormatDT_V1-1D.iso - 209 MB
AMPP150W.iso - 8.20 MB
nappcd.iso - 558 MB
another nappcd.iso - 8.20 MB

 

Thank you! but in this model funiona AS4553? I have the DVD's produced at the factory. I want to build the partition PQSERVICE. Deleted because the site I downloaded a windows microsoft Windows 8 and created the DVD and erased everything here.

 

Hello penrynTech, I believe it is only to help me, I need NAPP cd for the model I have in Brazil. Aspire 4553-1_BR333. I deleted the recovery partition and wanted to recreate it again. Can you help? Sorry for my ignorance of English, but I'm using google translator. I speak Portuguese and inda'm trying to learn English. But I'm 37 years old.

 

Hi all,

Hoping someone is still following this thread that might be able to help.

Short story is, I have an Acer Aspire 3620 that I installed Ubuntu on to give it a try - leaving Windows XP intact. Well now I'd like to restore to factory to sell this PC and of course I can't get into the recovery partition any longer. I have verified that the recovery partition is intact, and tried to follow the procedure below. When I tried the command mbrwrwin.exe install rtmbr.bin, instead of completing successfully I got a message that said "Can't find room for old mbr" followed by a bunch of numbers. Any ideas?

I also tried the procedure in this thread on message #459 (the one embedded as a quote) but it didn't work. When I get the GRUB menu, I only have a choice for the regular Windows XP partition.

Thanks for any help!

 

To make the hidden partition visible in windows use command prompt and type diskpart from there change the partition type to 7 find the volume give it a letter and jobs a gooden no extra software needed