Hi Brian,

Sorry if my message was unclear.. I'm talking about doing a recovery partition..

The hard disk in A got reformatted because I figured something went wrong with the entire hard disk (an encryption software was previously encrypting the hard disk, but later, the OS could not be loaded most of the time). Recovering the system didn't make any difference, so I made a full reformat of the hard disk (I feel like I'm regretting doing a full reformat of the hard disk - should have left the recovery partition alone)..

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I'm not sure if I understand you.. Could you explain / elaborate further? Right now, I'm doing Tools -> Copy Recovery Point in Ghost v12. Will this be created as a bootable CD?

dt_aiying

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You're mixing *apples* with *oranges*--the above switches are for the DOS based Ghost program--last retail version was Ghost 2003.  The corporate DOS version was through Ghost v8.3, then Symantec skipped v9.x, 10.x--these version numbers were given to the retail *drive image* based Windows versions of Ghost (Symantec stuck in here the version named *Save & Restore* without a version #)--and now the latest Ghost v12.x is the next version of the Ghost 9, 10, and *Save & Restore* line of retail products.

Ghost 11.x is the next DOS version of the corporate Ghost sequence after v8.x!--are you getting the sense that Symantec has really screwed up the whole concept of sequential naming of the Ghost version #'s?  Obviously, Symantec marketing department has determined that the *Ghost* name is important in name recognition and sales--but the public has little awareness of the totally unrelated functionality of the various Ghost versions--past and present!

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The *drive image* versions of Ghost (which includes Ghost 12) use a bootable CD emergency *Recover Disk* to boot a version of the Windows PE (Pre-installation Environment)--Ghost 9, 10, Save & Restore, and 12 can only run under a Windows OS--not DOS!  Did the trial version download include the iso file for burning the *Recovery Disk*?  If not, then you will not be able to boot your system to the Ghost *Recovery Environment* from the *Recovery Disk*--you might be able to restore a partition image to the laptop A if you use networking--you would have to have Ghost 12 installed on laptop A, and booted to Windows--and then pull the image in from a network share--or it could be on an external USB HDD.

As Brian has mentioned, the recovery partition may require special handling beyond just a simple restore placing the partition back onto the HDD--there can be *special* partitioning coding that goes into the Master Boot Record and/or the Master Partition Table--where the partition is placed may be critical--it might have to be at the beginning of the HDD--there may be a special *partition type* code that's needed in the partition table--or, perhaps the systems BIOS handles everything for you as long as the partition exists--these are details that are system specific--and we probably don't know the answers.

Here's references about the recovery and utility partitions for a Dell system:

Dan Goodell's *Inside the Dell PC Restore Partition*

Dan Goodell's *Inside the Dell Utility Partition*

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Oh no, so this means that the Copy Recovery Point (to CDs) is not creating a bootable CD, but merely as a backup copy?
What should I do next?

On A, there aren't anymore recovery partition (because like I've said, I did a complete re-format of the entire hard disk  ).
And yes, I'm also planning of doing a bootable CD of the recovery partition's image in B to copy it into A.

dt_aiying

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I see nothing there that suggests that you can *restore* an image--so the trial version appears to be very limited in terms of testing its functionality except to make backup images (recovery points).

There are several imaging programs out there besides Ghost by Symantec--the real question is can you recover the functionality of the recovery partition using an image of laptop B?  I don't know the answer to that--only trying would answer that question!

Is Laptop B *identical* to Laptop A?  If yes, I would consider experimenting with this general outline--image laptop A's only partition with the OS--it is the only partition now, correct?--and I'm assuming you want to preserve the functionality of your laptop A's OS?--to an external HDD.  Image the *whole* disk of the laptop B--making sure it includes the complete Master Boot Record sector--and I'm assuming it has the two partitions--the OS and the recovery partition--save that image to an external HDD.

Wipe the HDD on laptop A, making sure the Master Boot Record is *zeroed out*--this is in preparation to restore the Master Boot Record saved in the *whole* disk image of B--sometimes imaging software will not replace the Master Boot Record sector if one already exists--at least not without using explicit commands to over-write an existing Master Boot Record.

Restore the image of *whole* disk of laptop B to the HDD in laptop A making sure the restore includes replacing the Master Boot Record.  This gets the recovery partition from laptop B back onto laptop A' HDD--hopefully in a functional state because it includes any necessary Master Boot Record code that controls the functionality of that recovery partition.

Now, restore the laptop A partition image over the laptop B's OS partition that is now on the laptop A's HDD to make that partition once again the laptop A OS partition.  Now, there is the potential for drive letter assignment and boot partition issues because your image of laptop A is a single partition, and the image of B is a two partition HDD--so you may have to adjust the *boot.ini* so it knows which physical partition has the OS on it for booting--and you may have to force WinXP to reassign drive letter assignments because the registry of A is not currently aware of the a two-partition HDD.

Now, all the above is doable with DOS Ghost 2003, or Ghost 9, 10, 12--along with some helpful other *tools*--I haven't given specific steps--just an outline--but you will have to have a fully functional imaging program--not a limited *trial* version.

And, you have to be in a position to recover in the case of total disaster--i.e. you need your important data backed up if it's critical to you--so in case you loose everything doing one or more of the above procedures--you are able to continue--having additional HDD's to experiment with while removing the original HDD for safe keeping can make this experimenting *easy* in terms of not worrying about loss of data!

After all that--how do you intend to test if the recovery partition is functional?!  Usually that restores an image of the original factory fresh installed software--you will then have over-written you laptops A OS partition--is that the final end point of where you want to go with this?

dt_aiying

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Working with optical media can be fine if your burner is compatible with Ghost--I've used both CD's and DVD's--but optical media is the slowest Ghost procedure--but, if you have problems with using an external USB HDD in DOS--that can cause headaches too.

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There are a number of different programs out there that could be used--have to be able to boot to DOS using a floppy disk or using a bootable optical disc.

If you happen to have Ghost 2003, you will also have Ghost's partitioning tool called *gdisk*--it has the ability to wipe a disk, including the Master Boot Record.

This freeware DOS tool can also wipe the Master Boot Record:  MBRWizard - The MBR utility you've been looking for!.  

Be careful with these type of programs--make sure you understand what you are doing--and that you are ready to do the deed--because there is little chance of going back once you commit to the wiping!

seeing that it is IBM computer here is some useful information:
http://www.911cd.net/forums//index.php?showtopic=14127&st=23&start=23
there is a floppy there with IBM boot manager on it .
I remember I changed F11 function key to F10 function key on that Floppy.
also the recovery partition has to be called IBM_SERVICE or the boot manager will not work
read it as it is along time ago I did that and have forgotten most of it.
I hope the links still work.
If I was you I first check to see if that recovery  partition is still in place as if it was hidden partition
the Dos format command does not effect hidden partitions(I remember it did not effect the old Packard Bell computers )
if so that floppy boot manager can sort it.
I also noted that you got further complication that you are dealing with 2 Laptops.
you need to remove the HDD and stick it in a usb Case they sell them these days
for 3.5 " and 2.5" IDE or Serial then you can plug it into the other laptop


Regards Ben