Solve : Help, I have a Thinkpad brick/paper-weight!?

1.	Solve : Help, I have a Thinkpad brick/paper-weight!?
Answer» I have a 1999 IBM Thinkpad that originally had Windows 98 on it. I reloaded it with Windows 2000 but did not like it due to how slow it make it run. I'm attempting to go back to Win98 by using my IBM Recovery CD that came with the computer. I know it works, because I used it once before with no problem before I loaded Win2000. Problem: When I boot the laptop with the Recovery disk in the CD ROM drive, it will not grab it and start the "recovery" process. Instead, Win2000 would continue to load as NORMAL. I've done the following below trying to fix this and get the CD to start "recovery." 1. I checked the CD drive, it is working and would run in Windows2000 and also in MS-DOS when selecting files or doing "DIR" commands. 2. I checked the boot sequence in my BIOS and it is set to CD first, floppy second, and hard drive last. I don't have the ability to disable the hard drive, or any item for that matter. I can only change the sequence or order they are accessed. 3. I removed Win2000 by reformatting the drive and partitioning it. So now it is a blank FAT32 drive with no OS on it. 4. I boot the laptop using a Win98 start-up floppy disk and can view the files on the Recovery CD using DIR commands, but when I attempt to run any of them they don't start the process EITHER. The ".exe" commands are the only ones that do anything when I type their name at the E: prompt (CD drive letter), but none of them thus far have started the "recovery" process successfully. I don't know DOS well enough to know if I'm not typing a specific command sequence to get it to start "recovering", but I can't figure out why the Recovery CD will not begin as usual in the first place. It's not the CD, because I have a backup which won't work either. I also have a Knoppix and Helix boot CD, and they will not start either, they begin to spin-up, but would allow Win2000 to load as usual, or do nothing after I reformatted the drive. What can I do? Is there a sequence of DOS commands I can type to have it run every EXE file on the CD until something HAPPENS? It appears my Recovery CD and my boot CDs are not starting for some reason, but the CD drive seems perfectly normal/in good working order. Help, I have a Thinkpad brick/paper-weight! Thanks!I may be wrong here, but I have a feeling that a Win98 "recovery" disk, as opposed to a "full install" disk, is designed to recover a damaged existing installation. If that is zapped, it won't work any more, and you may need to get a full install CD. Furthermore, it may depend on a hidden "recovery partition" that may not be there any more! Quote A recovery or recover CD is one designed to restore your PC to default "factory condition". There is usually a (mirror) "image" stored on a partition on the hard disk. When you insert the recover CD it reads that image and resets your PC, Windows, drivers and everything else to how it was on the day it shipped to you. It is a low cost option to providing you with a proper Windows CD. Quote Recovery CDs are the bane of the industry. Fight them. MOST computer manufacturers [in the UK] provide you with only a recovery CD when you buy a PC. Don't settle for that. Always insist on a full Windows CD with all the necessary drivers; you've paid for it! Top 10 Reasons to not have a Recovery CD http://www.bestpricecomputers.ltd.uk/profile/recovery_CD.htm Double post, the other thread has been locked. Not sure if this is the best board for the problem, but let's wait a while to see where the problem is.Quote from: SandW on June 02, 2007, 11:53:21 PM ... I don't know DOS well enough to know if I'm not typing a specific command sequence to get it to start "recovering", but I can't figure out why the Recovery CD will not begin as usual in the first place. It's not the CD, because I have a backup which won't work either. If it were me, I'd be looking - on the CD - for a file named setup.exe , and trying to execute that. Contrex is probably right. But just for the heck of it, boot with your floppy again. Did you say that your CD drive becomes E: drive? If so, do dir /a/o/p e:\.exe How many files are displayed? Too many to list here? If not, please name them for us. If it was too many to list here, then do dir /a/o/p e:\set.exe What did you find? Name them (it) for us. Quote I also have a Knoppix and Helix boot CD, and they will not start either, they begin to spin-up, but would allow Win2000 to load as usual, or do nothing after I reformatted the drive. Did these ever work? Could you ever boot this machine with them? How about other computers... could you ever boot another computer with them? Can you double check them again - got another computer or a friend that will let you try to boot with these? Just to be sure that they really will/still boot. Quote What can I do? Is there a sequence of DOS commands I can type to have it run every EXE file on the CD until something happens? With the above metioned dir e:\*.exe , you will at least get a list of all the .exe files in the root dir of the CD. Tell us the filenames before you try running them. Quote It appears my Recovery CD and my boot CDs are not starting for some reason, but the CD drive seems perfectly normal/in good working order. Help, I have a Thinkpad brick/paper-weight! Thanks! If it were me, I'd want to try all those CDs in another computer, and prove that they either will or will not boot, first. Hi. Yes, all the CDs actually work, and work in my other computer. Below is what I did and results thus far, some progress, but still not good-to-go. 1. Went to IBM site and downloaded newest BIOS version and loaded to laptop. Returned all settings to factory settings as website suggested. Apparently when I loaded Win2000, it corrupted my BIOS to some degree but it wasn't evident until trying to revert back to Win98. Strange and scary at the same time isn't it? 2. Also dowloaded the PC Doctor UTILITY and completed complete diagnostic on system, all checked OK. 3. Loaded the Knoppix CD and wiped the drive and repartioned and formatted to FAT32. All sectors TESTED good. 4. Put "Recovery" CD in and reboot, it initialized successfully and seemed to complete the "recovery" process, right down to the last success sign of saying, "your computer has been successfully recovered, please reboot after removing the Recovery CD." 5. Reboot machine w/ all CDs removed and now I get an "I/O error" that prevents Win98 from completing to load. I read on the IBM site that for older laptops that have "recovery" issues with the CD (which I thought I overcame with step 4) that the hard drive may have to be reformatted in FAT16 prior to running the Recovery CD. The note is vague though and seems to apply to hosts that won't start the Recovery process at all, not ones with my "I/O error" after going thru the whole process. The default Recovery settings splits the hard drive into two halves, and loads the OS onto one partion, and leaves the other logical partition for personal files/storage. I tried it twice thus far, allowing it to do that, and making it use the single FAT32 partition I create as well (it gives the option). Both give me the same result with the "I/O error" upon reboot after recovery. I'm game for trying to format my hard drive to FAT16 to see if this is the final fix for the Recovery process, but don't know how to do this. Does anyone know if FAT16 reformatting is available from the 3.5" floppy Win98 boot disk? Any other suggestions I'll do as well, just name them. thanks, AndrewQuote from: SandW on June 03, 2007, 01:13:21 PM I'm game for trying to format my hard drive to FAT16 to see if this is the final fix for the Recovery process, but don't know how to do this. Does anyone know if FAT16 reformatting is available from the 3.5" floppy Win98 boot disk? Yes, you should be able to do this. Boot to your Win98 Boot Disk, and run the FDISK command. The first screen that comes up should say something like "Do you want to enable large disk support". If you choose 'N' at this screen, it runs fdisk in FAT16 mode, while choosing 'Y' runs fdisk in FAT32 mode. So choose 'N', then delete all existing partitions. The new partitions that you create should be FAT16. Also be sure that you set your boot partition to "Active".

Answer»

I have a 1999 IBM Thinkpad that originally had Windows 98 on it. I reloaded it with Windows 2000 but did not like it due to how slow it make it run. I'm attempting to go back to Win98 by using my IBM Recovery CD that came with the computer. I know it works, because I used it once before with no problem before I loaded Win2000.

Problem: When I boot the laptop with the Recovery disk in the CD ROM drive, it will not grab it and start the "recovery" process. Instead, Win2000 would continue to load as NORMAL. I've done the following below trying to fix this and get the CD to start "recovery."

1. I checked the CD drive, it is working and would run in Windows2000 and also in MS-DOS when selecting files or doing "DIR" commands.

2. I checked the boot sequence in my BIOS and it is set to CD first, floppy second, and hard drive last. I don't have the ability to disable the hard drive, or any item for that matter. I can only change the sequence or order they are accessed.

3. I removed Win2000 by reformatting the drive and partitioning it. So now it is a blank FAT32 drive with no OS on it.

4. I boot the laptop using a Win98 start-up floppy disk and can view the files on the Recovery CD using DIR commands, but when I attempt to run any of them they don't start the process EITHER. The ".exe" commands are the only ones that do anything when I type their name at the E: prompt (CD drive letter), but none of them thus far have started the "recovery" process successfully.

I don't know DOS well enough to know if I'm not typing a specific command sequence to get it to start "recovering", but I can't figure out why the Recovery CD will not begin as usual in the first place. It's not the CD, because I have a backup which won't work either.

I also have a Knoppix and Helix boot CD, and they will not start either, they begin to spin-up, but would allow Win2000 to load as usual, or do nothing after I reformatted the drive.

What can I do? Is there a sequence of DOS commands I can type to have it run every EXE file on the CD until something HAPPENS? It appears my Recovery CD and my boot CDs are not starting for some reason, but the CD drive seems perfectly normal/in good working order.

Help, I have a Thinkpad brick/paper-weight! Thanks!I may be wrong here, but I have a feeling that a Win98 "recovery" disk, as opposed to a "full install" disk, is designed to recover a damaged existing installation. If that is zapped, it won't work any more, and you may need to get a full install CD. Furthermore, it may depend on a hidden "recovery partition" that may not be there any more!

Quote

A recovery or recover CD is one designed to restore your PC to default "factory condition". There is usually a (mirror) "image" stored on a partition on the hard disk. When you insert the recover CD it reads that image and resets your PC, Windows, drivers and everything else to how it was on the day it shipped to you. It is a low cost option to providing you with a proper Windows CD.

Quote

Recovery CDs are the bane of the industry. Fight them. MOST computer manufacturers [in the UK] provide you with only a recovery CD when you buy a PC. Don't settle for that. Always insist on a full Windows CD with all the necessary drivers; you've paid for it!

Top 10 Reasons to not have a Recovery CD

http://www.bestpricecomputers.ltd.uk/profile/recovery_CD.htm

Double post, the other thread has been locked.
Not sure if this is the best board for the problem, but let's wait a while to see where the problem is.Quote from: SandW on June 02, 2007, 11:53:21 PM

...

I don't know DOS well enough to know if I'm not typing a specific command sequence to get it to start "recovering", but I can't figure out why the Recovery CD will not begin as usual in the first place. It's not the CD, because I have a backup which won't work either.

If it were me, I'd be looking - on the CD - for a file named setup.exe , and trying to execute that.

Contrex is probably right.
But just for the heck of it, boot with your floppy again.
Did you say that your CD drive becomes E: drive? If so, do
dir /a/o/p e:\*.exe
How many files are displayed? Too many to list here? If not, please name them for us.

If it was too many to list here, then do
dir /a/o/p e:\set*.exe
What did you find? Name them (it) for us.

Quote

I also have a Knoppix and Helix boot CD, and they will not start either, they begin to spin-up, but would allow Win2000 to load as usual, or do nothing after I reformatted the drive.

Did these ever work?
Could you ever boot this machine with them?
How about other computers... could you ever boot another computer with them?

Can you double check them again - got another computer or a friend that will let you try to boot with these? Just to be sure that they really will/still boot.

Quote

What can I do? Is there a sequence of DOS commands I can type to have it run every EXE file on the CD until something happens?

With the above metioned dir e:\*.exe , you will at least get a list of all the .exe files in the root dir of the CD. Tell us the filenames before you try running them.

Quote

It appears my Recovery CD and my boot CDs are not starting for some reason, but the CD drive seems perfectly normal/in good working order.

Help, I have a Thinkpad brick/paper-weight! Thanks!

If it were me, I'd want to try all those CDs in another computer, and prove that they either will or will not boot, first.

Hi. Yes, all the CDs actually work, and work in my other computer. Below is what I did and results thus far, some progress, but still not good-to-go.

1. Went to IBM site and downloaded newest BIOS version and loaded to laptop. Returned all settings to factory settings as website suggested. Apparently when I loaded Win2000, it corrupted my BIOS to some degree but it wasn't evident until trying to revert back to Win98. Strange and scary at the same time isn't it?

2. Also dowloaded the PC Doctor UTILITY and completed complete diagnostic on system, all checked OK.

3. Loaded the Knoppix CD and wiped the drive and repartioned and formatted to FAT32. All sectors TESTED good.

4. Put "Recovery" CD in and reboot, it initialized successfully and seemed to complete the "recovery" process, right down to the last success sign of saying, "your computer has been successfully recovered, please reboot after removing the Recovery CD."

5. Reboot machine w/ all CDs removed and now I get an "I/O error" that prevents Win98 from completing to load.

I read on the IBM site that for older laptops that have "recovery" issues with the CD (which I thought I overcame with step 4) that the hard drive may have to be reformatted in FAT16 prior to running the Recovery CD. The note is vague though and seems to apply to hosts that won't start the Recovery process at all, not ones with my "I/O error" after going thru the whole process.

The default Recovery settings splits the hard drive into two halves, and loads the OS onto one partion, and leaves the other logical partition for personal files/storage. I tried it twice thus far, allowing it to do that, and making it use the single FAT32 partition I create as well (it gives the option). Both give me the same result with the "I/O error" upon reboot after recovery.

I'm game for trying to format my hard drive to FAT16 to see if this is the final fix for the Recovery process, but don't know how to do this. Does anyone know if FAT16 reformatting is available from the 3.5" floppy Win98 boot disk?

Any other suggestions I'll do as well, just name them.

thanks, AndrewQuote from: SandW on June 03, 2007, 01:13:21 PM

I'm game for trying to format my hard drive to FAT16 to see if this is the final fix for the Recovery process, but don't know how to do this. Does anyone know if FAT16 reformatting is available from the 3.5" floppy Win98 boot disk?

Yes, you should be able to do this.

Boot to your Win98 Boot Disk, and run the FDISK command. The first screen that comes up should say something like "Do you want to enable large disk support". If you choose 'N' at this screen, it runs fdisk in FAT16 mode, while choosing 'Y' runs fdisk in FAT32 mode. So choose 'N', then delete all existing partitions. The new partitions that you create should be FAT16. Also be sure that you set your boot partition to "Active".

Solve : Help, I have a Thinkpad brick/paper-weight!?

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