Here is the guide I was looking for: http://holland-consulting.net/9xinstall.html
It's probably over twenty years old, but the method worked for me several times in the past.

Yes, I'm fairly sure you can format and all booted from the install CD. Back in the day, I did not have a bootable CD so a Win98 Start Up floppy worked best for me. Boot the floppy and format HDD, then copy system files from floppy to HDD so it will be bootable, make a directory to contain the cab f...

It's been years since my doing so, but when I wanted to install Win98 on old machines that would not boot the install media, I would attach the HDD to another computer to format, copy system files and the cab files, then move the drive back into the old Thinkpad, boot up and run setup from the comma...

I happen to have a couple of spare magnesium frames if you are interested in replacing the broken one, along with a few other T500 parts. PM if interested.

Now that I've had a few days to think about it, I think what I did when I had a 600X was to remove the hard drive, and connect it to a different computer to install whatever operating system I wanted, be it Linux of some sort, or Windows, because I could not get the 600X to boot from USB and my opti...

I had an X60 battery that did similarly a while back, only with mine, Battery Maximizer (or whatever it's called) showed the batter had few cycles on it and it seems to hold a good charge, but then I let it sit un-used for several months, and when I tried to power it up again the battery was dead.

I have two or three T500 machines around here... let me see if I have something that would be to your liking...

Linux Mint in a 600x? Oops! I overlooked that bit of info. It's been a very long time since I've installed an OS on a 600 series machine, and I don't remember what exactly the USB boot procedure is. Probably not exactly as I wrote above. IIRC, back when I last installed something, I was still using...

Most likely a fan (how do you know the fan is off?), but could also be inductor hum I suppose.

While booting with the USB stick inserted, press F12 while the Lenovo logo is still being displayed (just like you did with F1 to enter the BIOS). USB devices will usually be the last item on the list. The Linux Mint installation media can be used to delete Windows, format the HDD and install Linux....

Yep, I agree, do as MrBurgerKing says. I also have an X40 with CF card and almost every time I've had to remove and re-install for some reason, I'll miss the socket the first time or two I try, and that has left the X40 where it won't power back up. Removing AC adapter and battery and pressing the p...

What I'm wondering is if beyond the increased capacity for multitasking, heavy editing, poor browsing habits, and virtual machines, is there any noticeable speed boost like there is going from HDD to SSD? No...there will be no actual, measurable speed improvement. However, you may experience the il...

Good job of trouble shooting. You have eliminated any hardware as the source of the problem, and successfully identified Windows Licensing as the problem, since the licensed version of Windows works and Linux works. The solution can be found here on the Mocrosoft Community forum.

Oh, OK...

Never tried it myself, but a couple of years ago, I sold my last 770 ThinkPad to a forum member who was working on just such a project. Here is the story: viewtopic.php?f=21&t=118517

PM will stay in your outbox until the recipient opens it.

I think I'd have to say A31p also. I've owned two or three of them in the past, but no longer have one. I do, however, still have an A30p which in some ways is just as good. But mine has a defective GPU, so it's not very useful, but I suppose that doesn't matter so much for a collectible.

Well, several years ago, I had a 600X that ran W98SE for a long, long time. I had a factory pressed install CD for W98SE. Eventually sold the 600X, but acquired an older 600E some time later, but still several years ago, and ran a few Linux distro's on it, but Win XP for the longest time. Pretty sur...

-Is there any way to replace the ccfl backlight with an led one? Probably...but it's not a job that I would be willing to take on any longer, on any ThinkPad. My eyes are not good enough, my hands are not steady enough, I don't have to right tools or environment. Even the CCFLs I have replaced in t...

So am I correct in understanding that this "machine language" is only displayed after Windows boots to the desktop? What about the BIOS? Is the display still corrupt displaying the BIOS? How about when booted from a live DVD or USB operating system?

...just enjoy it as is? That has mostly been my experience. There isn't really anything that "needs" to be done. Almost all the changes that can be made are a matter of personal preference anyway. Usually just after a fresh install, I change a few things about the look of the desktop and install my...

Re-seat the cable connection on the back on the LCD panel. Maybe it's a little loose.

My 2core CPU handles my needs just fine. I think I'm an avg guy, so no, I don't need more than a quad core CPU.

I have the following available: ThinkPad X200 7454-95U P8600(2.4GHz) 2GB RAM - Other options available 160GB 5400rpm HD - None 12.1in 1280x800 LCD Intel 4500MHD Intel 802.11agn Bluetooth, Modem, 1Gb Ethernet, Secure chip, Fingerprint reader 4c Li-Ion - None WinXP Pro 65W AC Adapter - optional If thi...

I'm not sure if the pin out is the same or not on each panel. But, I do know that the LCD cable on a T40 determines the panel resolution and on a T60 the resolution is determined by an EDID chip in the panel, not the cable. So at the very least a EDID chip from a T60 LCD would have to be added to th...

Physically fit...yes. Work without extensive modification...no.

OK, I'll take it. PM coming.

Aspect ratio has no affect what-so-ever on where I use a computer. I occasionally use each of mine on my lap, but more often it's on a table, desk, some other furniture or my chest as I'm lying on my back. But, aspect ratio still has no affect on it.

T60 series HDD is SATA.

While I have upgraded BIOS on several computers, both ThinkPads and others, even un-official modified BIOS, I have never bricked a computer. Still, my policy is, unless there is a benefit from the upgrade that I need, or a problem that an upgrade will fix, I stick with what works no matter how old i...