New T80 - Recovery CD/Authenticaton Questions ?

I am just about to receive delivery of a new T80 laptop with XP Pro SP2 installed.I understand this does not come with any Recovery/Installation CD .

In the event that this machine will have some recovery files installed in a hidden partition and/or other non-required pre-installed software , I would like to remove this and perform a clean installation of XP Pro SP2 using a previously bought XP Pro Installation CD which I had used on a prevous DELL laptop which has now failed and for which this T80 is a replacemnt.

This , of course , will require a re-authentication of the XP from Microsoft but I'm wondering whether this action could cause booting problems with the T80 should the removal of any such partitions also remove some essential files.

Before performing this "surgery" I intend to make an image file of any partitions existing on the laptop as it is delivered using Boot-It - ( Boot-It will "see" any hidden partitions ) .

As , (at the time of writing this post) , I have not yet received the laptop , I do not know whether the machine will require this operation or not but the purpose of this post is to ask the following :-

1. Will such an action invalidate the Warranty ?
2. Does the T80 have data installed in a hidden partition ?

 

T80 does not exist, perhaps you are referring to the T60.

1. No, such action will not invalidate the warranty
2. Yes, there is a hidden portion for Lenovo ThinkVantage software. I highly recommend that you use Rescue and Recovery to make a backup of those files in case you need it in the future.

 

Yes I was .Apologies for any confusion. I should have said the T60.

Thanks for the prompt replies . I will take note of your advice

 

With reference to point 2 above:- I have just completed a backup of the files referred to and this backup seems to be called "Backup Now" but , after a search , I cannot find this backup file anywhere on the hard disk. I presume its somewhere in the Folder C:\Program Files\Lenovo\Rescue and Recovery ? - would this be a correct assumption ?

If it is , is this backup file also hidden ?

The reason I ask is that I want to transfer this data to a DVD Disk before I wipe the hard drive using BootIt so that I can then perform a clean XP Pro installation without any Lenovo installed stuff so that I may have the full capacity of the drive available to me but still retaining the option of returning the laptop to the delivered condition if necessary.

 

T80:

 

2. Yes, there is a hidden portion for Lenovo ThinkVantage software. I highly recommend that you use Rescue and Recovery to make a backup of those files in case you need it in the future.[/QUOTE]

Are you saying here that I should make a backup of the Rescue and Recovery Folder only or that I should backup the entire C:/ which includes this Folder.

The laptop came with an 80GB drive which is unpartitioned.

The Boot-It image file which I ahave already done includes everything on the drive, including the Rescue and Recovery Folder.