On 9/26/07, Robert Donovan <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > On 9/24/07, Christian Seberino <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > I want my wife to try Ubuntu on her laptop but I'd like to > > not blow away the "hidden Windows partition" on it. > > > > I'm told somehow there is a hidden Windows dealie on the laptop to allow > > restoration should someone mess up their software? > > > > Anyone know how this works and how to avoid damaging it while installing > > Linux ? > > > > cs > > > > Oh, those damn hidden restore partitions. Definitely image that drive > before you do anything else. I have a Lenovo that came with XP Home > that had one of those stupid things. I bought it, created the restore > DVD as per the instructions and it tested fine. I figured I'd just go > ahead and dual boot it with XP Pro. Little did I realize at the time > how integral that partition was. Figuring I could restore from the > restore DVD I'd just created if need be, I DBANed the drive and tried > to install my retail copy of XP Pro. It wouldn't install. It got to > the first setup screen and then the screen went blank. I have since > used this same XP disk on a subsequent laptop and there was no > trouble, so the disk wasn't bad. I came to find out that the partition > has some sort of encrypted key that will not allow XP to install > without it. I tried to restore from the restore DVD I'd created, and > the also failed at the same place. The Lenovo support site just showed > me how to create another restoer DVD online. I did -- no joy. It seems > you have to buy a restore disk if the hidden partition is wiped out. I > also tried a BIOS upgrade just in case that was a problem. Nothing. > > Fortunately, Linux loaded just fine, and I am still using the laptop > as a Linux-only box. This is an annoying trend in Branded PCs and > laptops. You rarely get a set of restore disks on the cheaper PCs any > more and are expected to create a restore DVD or set of CDs from the > files in the hidden partition. Wipe that hidden partition or have it > corrupted by a virus, and you're screwed if the restore disks fail and > want to reinstall Windows. > > Robert Donovan > Oops, In the midst of my rant, I forgot to include a solution. Just leave the hidden partition alone. It's around one gig. On my Lenovo, it had some proprietary file system that Linux didn't recognize. Create the Ubuntu partitions starting at the end of the hidden partition. If you want to dual-boot, jut create the Windows partition at the end of the hidden partition and then create the Linux partitions. Your system may be different from mine, but I think there is a real risk of turning that computer into a Linux only machine if you mess with that partition. Not that that is necessarily a bad thing.
RD -- [email protected] http://www.kernel-panic.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/kplug-list
