Problem with recovery

Hello,
Half a year ago I bought a Lenovo Thinkpad R61 with Windows Vista, I then decided to remove windows vista and install XP. There is a hidden partition with which i always could go back (i thought), but to be sure i created the recovery files and saved them on my external harddrive.

Now on XP i installed rescue and recovery, but for some reason it wont find the hidden partition (which still exists though, if im not mistaking). So I wanted to try to recover using the files on the external harddrive, but rescue and recovery doesn't seem to be able to detect the files on the hardrive, so i burned them on a DVD, but still rescue and recovery doesn't show them.

On the dvd (and external hardrive) are the following folders/files:
- Boot (folder)
- Preboot (folder)
- SWSHARE (folder)
- SWTOOLS (folder)
- tvtos ( folder)
- bootmgr (file)
- fcopy.ini (file)

About SWSHARE and SWTOOLS, i'm not sure if they really are part of the recovery media. All the files together are 2,50 GB.

Do you have some tips for me?

Thanks in advance.

PS. I called IBM Support to order a new set of recovery discs, but i got a recorded voice saying that if i'm out of warranty i need to pay to get support and I am out of warranty. (I'm willing to pay for the recovery discs though.)

 

what is the problem you are really having? we can help but you need to take time to study this "restore" problem and get back to us with more specifics in what you are trying to accomplish but are having dead ends. and as far as the restore partition on your harddrive it probably contains some kind of file system used by a bootable cd, given to you or otherwise pay for, that will exclusively have access to this partition. my 2006/2007 acer laptop "had" this but after trial and no error i realized what do i really need this partition for? it hasn't served me in any obvious way. it has just been there for me to worry about. so the partition is not required. and you don't have to back it up. your computer's OS(s) run fine without a recovery partition. In short...the recovery partition is probably a tool used by your OEM company with bootable CDs that they have to offer as stated about. not a requirement to be happy with your laptop. anything else?

 

My goal is to go back to the settings (and OS) with which my laptop got delivered, so instead of windows XP i get windows vista then. The problem i'm having is that I do not know why rescue and recovery doesn't find the hidden partition while it does actually exist.
And when i go to the rescue and recovery program and choose "full recovery (to go back to the fabric settings with which the laptop was delivered), i need to select a location of the backup. When i select my external harddisk or the cd/dvd drive, both don't show the backup.

I allready posted on this (or another) forum about why it doesn't find the hidden partition anymore, but i never found out why.

Now one thing i'd like to know is whether the files i listed above are actually the files that you need to recover the original laptop settings?

I'm just wondering if somebody has any tips or hints to solve my problem (getting vista back). A good solution would be to order a set of recovery discs, but when i call they say that if im out of warranty, and i am, i need to pay for phone support.

Thanks for your reply.