Lenovo notebooks come with Factory Recovery Disks creation software. This allows you to create recovery disk in case you want to re install the notebook other than from the local hard disk. You can create the recovery discs on CD/DVD, memory disk or USB hard disk.
Attention: The USB hard disk will be formatted and you loose all the data!
It takes a long time to prepare the creation of the recovery media. Everything is copied into c:\swshare before then it gets copied to the external source you selected.
You can do this only one time! If you want to create the recovery disks more than once, you get a message:
You can have only one copy of the Microsoft Windows operating system. The Product Recovery Media Creator will exit now.
This is the workaround for this problem:
All you need it in the Lenovo_Recovery disk. In my case its drive letter Q:\
If i click on this drive in the explorer it show you nothing cause the content is hidden!
1. Open the Explorer and then click Organize -> Folder and search options
2. In window Folder Options click tab View
3. Now enable Show hidden files, folders, and drives and then click OK
4. Click on the Lenovo_Recovery drive, in my case drive Q:\
5. Here is every thing needed to create the recovery disks!
6. Edit the file FactoryRecovery\service_done.ini
7. Change the string DONE=1 to DONE=0 and exit the editor saving the changes
8. You can now recreate the Factory Recovery Disks
Have fun, always backup data before restoring any disks!
Thank you for this info. I lost the original recovery disk I created and was unable to create a replacement.
ReplyDeleteIn addition to the steps you listed I had to uncheck Hide operating system files.
+1 Thanks You.
ReplyDeleteThis was helpful.
Worked, thanks!!!!
ReplyDeleteThank you
ReplyDeleteHi, I am looking into making a USB copy of my X230 recovery files that I burned to DVD's to keep with me while traveling. Not planing on bringing the Ultrabase dvd drive...
ReplyDeleteI'm following your guide, and there is no "service_done.ini" file in the FactoryRecovery directory.
There is a RECOVERY.ini file that was edited at the time I created the recovery dvds.
How do I make another set?
I also had to uncheck the "Hide protected files" option. (Not sure if that is the exact wording).
ReplyDeleteGreat Tutorial, I originally created restore discs but they were damaged.
Regards,
Yes, in addition to that, I had to do what anonymous suggested. But this worked! You are awesome!!
ReplyDeleteFails now (Windows 7 system). I get further with these changes, but I get a notice that files are missing and it stops, versus getting an error at the beginning. I tried removing the hidden and system attribute on all the files in that partition, but that didn't fix it.
ReplyDeleteGood tip, however I found 1 additional step was required before I could view the folder content. Uncheck/disable "Hide protected operating system files (Recommended)".
ReplyDeleteThen all was visible and ini file edited. Thanks!
Thanks, a quick way to do this is to press the Windows Key, Plus R to bring up the run dialog then type:
ReplyDeletenotepad q:\FactoryRecovery\service_done.ini
(where Q: is the recovery drive)
That way you don't have to unhide/hide files.
they changed it, although you can find the recover images, the .ini file does not exist anymore. recreating one with the suggested settings did not help.
ReplyDeleteI imagine they figured people were doing what you suggest above and changed it. Could be a registry setting or some such now. If anyone knows, please post.
This is on a W540.