Need help on restoring Vista in T61

I just bought a T61, and had a problem running some tools I need to do my stuffs. What I did was I immediately formatted c: drive without making any backup disk and install windows xp sp2 with all the IBM tools downloaded from their site. The hidden partition that consumes 6 gig was still there untouched when I install xp sp2. Now that I've found some solutions on how to run my tools in vista I want to restore back my preinstalled operating system. So I restarted my T61 and upon boot up I pressed the blue button named "ThinkVantage" and the Rescue and Recovery 4 was loaded. When the main menu shows, I clicked the restore system and choosed the third option "restore your system to the original system when it was shipped". And so I followed the instructions and when I was on the last step I was prompted with this message "The Product Recovery function has been removed from this system" and I don't know what to do next, how am I going to restore back my Vista, all I know is that the hidden partition is still intact and I can see it in Computer Management -> Disk Management and the Volumne name is "ServiceV0002" but I don't know how to restore it back to drive c:...

Anyone encountered the same scenario?

Thanks

 

Get a disk and do a clean install according to playmakers instructions. It is like night and day with regard to performance.

see this thread about getting a disk
http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=151907

and this one about the clean install
http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=151907

 

Thanks TPA, is there any other way than doing a clean install since my hidden partition is still ok???

 

It's probably possible, but I haven't seen the instructions anywhere to do it with the files that already exist on the computer. Be the first to work it out and get lots of reputation! I bet you could find an anytime upgrade disk at one of your local electronic type stores. Might try calling to speed things up a little.

 

When your computer starts up and you see the lenovo screen, hit the blue thinkvantage button and you will be able to recover your pc from there, assuming you didnt modify your master boot record.

 

I think that is one of my problem also, when I installed windows xp I reformated drive c: did not do any quick formatting. And Im not sure if the MBR is wipe out with the new one upon installation

 

Playmaker says connectivity with blue button is restored with a reinstall of rescue and recovery from thinkvantage update or the website. Worked for me.

 

Hi guys, thank you for all the suggestions that you gave me it really helped me a lot. Good news I was able to restore back my licensed operating system using the hidden partition and here are the steps I did.

1. Format C: drive and Install Windows Vista
2. Downloaded Rescue and Recovery 4 from IBM Site
3. Installed Rescue and Recovery 4
4. Restarted my T61 and pressed the "ThinkVantage" button
5. Click the third option "restore your system to the original system when it was shipped"

And after doing those things I was able to restore my licensed Vista. Just wondering why when I used XP SP2 and installed Rescue and Recovery 4 and used it the error message is "The Product Recovery function has been removed from this system" but now when I used Vista and installed R & R 4 and used it, everything works fine.

I'm not that sure, but I think the operating system back up in the hidden partition is tied up with the specific version of windows preinstalled when you buy your IBM laptop.

Anyways, thanks for all the help guys I hope this thread will be of a benefit to others having the same problem

 

No....It has something to do with rescue and recovery. This software somehow links you to your service partition. If you are still curious there is a guy on here named Playmaker who knows these things, ask him.