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| Thread ID: 65600 | 2006-01-24 00:52:00 | Installing XP on old(er) laptop | allblack (6574) | Press F1 |
| Post ID | Timestamp | Content | User | ||
| 423754 | 2006-01-24 00:52:00 | Morning all. Some time ago I got a laptop from work, they were getting rid of them for a small donation to charity. It is a .....ummm... an IBM Thinkpad 390X. It has Windows 98 installed, and I'm trying to see if I can install XP on it. I'm reasonably sure it can be done - someone at work got one at the same time and a bod there put XP on it for her. Unfortunately, this bloke and I don't see eye to eye, so it wasn't feasible for me to ask him to do the same to mine! So, if anybody can help, I'm all ears. I've given it a go and got to the point where it asked me to put in the original 98 disc, which for various reasons I don't have and looking for it isn't an option. Many thanks Tim |
allblack (6574) | ||
| 423755 | 2006-01-24 01:05:00 | And whats the CPU speed and how much ram is on it?? It sounds like the version of XP u have is an upgrade, thats why its asking for the 98 CD (just to check that you've got a previous version of Windows installed). I think u can copy a few files from a 98 CD (altho I cant remember which ones)! so XP will install. BUT, without the 98 CD, (or whatever files the XP install is looking for), you cant go any further, with the XP install. If the laptop has only got 128mb on it, forget it. |
Speedy Gonzales (78) | ||
| 423756 | 2006-01-24 01:09:00 | The IBM390X typically had a 450 MHz CPU, 128 MB RAM and a 12 GB HDD. Thats all about the bottom end but will run XP (well, run is the wrong word, walk may be more appropriate) |
godfather (25) | ||
| 423757 | 2006-01-24 01:54:00 | I had XP-Pro on an IBM Thinkpad 386, and it fit . . but it wasn't happy living there . I think the processor was a string of beads on a chain . . . . or perhaps they sold them later in greeting card music chips . The Thinkpad is now a very neat doorstop . They do not make good self-defense weapons . |
SurferJoe46 (51) | ||
| 423758 | 2006-01-24 01:55:00 | You might want to consider a clean install, in other words reformatting the hard drive and starting from scratch . Beforehand, make sure you do a quick inventory, such as the display chipset, LAN and modem . Occasionally a laptop mfg will vary these within a model; It can make your job a little easier knowing it ahead of time . A Windows 98 to XP upgrade is possible, but it's not going to be as robust . Bottlenecks: 1) CPU 2) hard disk speed 3) RAM 4) hard disk size |
kingdragonfly (309) | ||
| 423759 | 2006-01-24 01:58:00 | Of course, you will have to lighten up the XP that you have installed. No "pretty" features, and no extra services that you don't need. nLite (www.nliteos.com) will do this by making a "lite" copy of your XP installation disc. OR, you can install XP, then remove unwanted/unneeded services using XPLite Pro (www.litepc.com) |
Haze (3028) | ||
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