T42 Restore factory configurat​ion impossible - but recovery part exist

Question

Hello,
I have a T42 (IBM bought in my business school)
When  I bought it the PC had 4 part in the Hard Drive
2 part visible
- C: SYSTEM
- E: USER DATA
1 part hidden
- IBM_Service W:  (the recovery part) - all the program and a 2 drive partition C and D or E
+ BIOS
To be able to restore the factory configuation I had in the menu to start Windows Two choices
- Start Windows normally
- Restore factory configuration
Due to a problem on the laptop I had to restore the factory configuration 2 or 3 times in the last two yearss. It worked well two times.
But  Last time the Laptop did not recognize after the restoration the E: DRIVE. It was on the computer but with no name and no possibility to access it.
I uses TESTDISK to regive a name E to this part and be able to use it and restore the data in it but during the process the Recovery part (Drive W which was hidden appeared on the System list 
On the same time the choice "Restore factory configuration " on the list of the start of Windows disappear. I use my friend computer to put back on the list the name of the choice but this link can't restore the Factory configuration because it is no longer configurate for it.
Is there a possibility to boot the PC on the Recovery part in order to restore the factory configuration?
does this manipulation will keep my 2 drive configuration C: + USER DATA drive (E with all the data saved in it? That works the first two times
Thanks in advance for your help
This will help me very much
Thieum
Sorry for the english I did my best

Answer 1

Thumper wrote:
I also have a T42, but it’s a different model. I once tried my disks
on a T41 that I was trying to revive, and they didn’t work...
and was later told by IBM that each machine has unique disks.
Whoever told you this was mistaken.  With the exception of hardware changes (eg modem from T41 to T42) the disks within a series should work just fine (I've just recovered aT41 with my T42 CDs).  The only difference in using early T42 recovery with a later T42 is the fingerprint reader.  Later T42 disks should work just fine with an early T42.  Go ahead and use your T42 disks on her machine.
Keith
Formerly 600E 2645, T30 2366, X31 2673, T40 2373, T41 2379, T42 2373, T42 2379, T60 1952, T61p 8889, T61p 8891
Currently T420 4177-CTO, T430 2347-A54, T430 2349-L64, T430 2347-UN9, T430 2342-CTR, Ideapad K1, H520S 2561-1LU