How to fresh install winXP on a T42

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mrflynn · #1 Post by **mrflynn** » Mon Jul 05, 2004 4:01 am

I just got my new T42 2373-3UU from Bill Morrow and I'd like to make a clean install of Win XP on my machine, because with the bundled software the system is too slow, both in loading winxp and starting applications (it talkes 12 sec to open up Firefox browser for example...).

So it could be nice if you can share your experience in what are the right sequence of steps of software/drivers installation to get a fast working XP system. Maybe it could be become a sticky post...I think many people could be interested in that.

thanks in advance.
tony

benz · #2 Post by **benz** » Mon Jul 05, 2004 8:58 am

I apoligise to the original poster, but your post was soo good that I saved it in a word document a while back for reference. Here is the quote:

I just got my T42 (2378-FVU) recently and did just this. I could not stand how the 40gig HD had only 26.5gig free out of the box (1/3 of the drive eaten!). After reformatting and clean installing everything, my T42 boots much faster and I have recovered several gigs of HD space.

I'll try to outline what I did if anyone else wants to. If you don't have the recovery CDs from IBM already call them and ask for them. If not no problem, just follow these steps. I followed the tips in this thread: http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.ph ... s&start=45

1.) Burn a bootable CD, then copy the C:\I386 folder from your HD to it. Don't forget to slipstream in Windows XP Service Pack 1. Instructions at: http://www.nu2.nu/bootcd/#wxp

2.) Copy the C:\IBMTOOLS, C:\DRIVERS, C:\SUPPORT, C:\VALUEADD, and C:\IBMTOOLS\APPS. These store all the stuff that comes installed on your new Thinkpad. As I understand, this is the same contents as the Recovery CDs.

3.) Disable the hidden partition in the bios.

3.) Boot with your homemade WinXP installation CD. Let the thing reformat your HD and install XP, don't forget to delete all partitions (or re-partition your HD how you want). Re-activate WinXP with the serial # on the bottom of your Thinkpad. You have to call MSFT, but it's an automated recording.

4.) Now that WinXP is installed, there are lots of IBM drivers and tools you need to reinstall to make your Thinkpad work properly, since many components were made after WinXP (so XP does not have the drivers...i.e.- wireless cards, network cards, active protection system, modem...etc). Fortunately you don't have to do them all one-by-one. Find the "Thinkpad Software Installer" that you copied from your old C:. Install it. This program searches for all IBM utilities and lets you install them all at once or selectively. Run this program and have it search wherever you put the files you copied from your old C:.

5.) Cross reference the Thinkpad software matrix on IBM's website if you think you missed anything.

Hope this helps!

I'll find the link in a bit...

Humpa · #3 Post by **Humpa** » Mon Jul 05, 2004 9:57 am

I saved that link too.

Here's the thread that is from:
http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.php?t=1009

kjarrett · #4 Post by **kjarrett** » Mon Jul 05, 2004 10:55 am

I'll defer to the others here who have posted precise instructions ... but just want to say that your efforts will be richly rewarded.

My T30 loads Firefox 0.91 within a second (blank page).

I did a bare-drive XP install on my T30 simply by installing XP from the CD, then downloaded what I needed via the awesome T30 Driver Matrix:

http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site. ... MIGR-42358

The "Display My Drivers" link appears to be a real timesaver - allowing you to download what you need in one pass. I scrutinized the list carefully and only got the utilities I wanted, then, I used the Thinkpad Software Installer (one of the downloads) to get it all loaded. Totally amazing!

-kj-

Nabeel · #5 Post by **Nabeel** » Mon Jul 05, 2004 5:56 pm

How can you recover the i386 directory? I (foolishly perhaps) deleted it to save space. I wanna just copy it so I have a bootable install for Windows XP since I needed one the other day. Is there a way to extract just that portion to disk?

Skywing · #6 Post by **Skywing** » Mon Jul 05, 2004 9:36 pm

i just popped in an XP CD and formatted, i burned all the drivers and utilities on a CD before hand and used the latest Omega drivers instead of the IBM display drivers since the Omegas do provide better performance. Other than that it went off without a hitch

Nabeel · #7 Post by **Nabeel** » Mon Jul 05, 2004 9:57 pm

Omega drivers?

T23_Owner · #8 Post by **T23_Owner** » Mon Jul 05, 2004 10:27 pm

Save yourself the grief of a re-install and just disable all IBM tools and stuff you don't want to run when the computer boots. Its all in the registry.

Remove a startup application
If you're trying to remove a program and can not find it in the StartUp folder (usually C:\WINDOWS\Start Menu\Programs\StartUp), then it may be launching from one of the registry keys below. To remove it, delete the value associated with the program you want to remove.

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run]
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnce]
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunServices]
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunServicesOnce]
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon\Userinit]

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run]
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnce]
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunServices]
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunServicesOnce]
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Windows]

It may also be loaded from the [Load] or [Run] sections of your WIN.INI file, found in the Windows directory.

Leon · #9 Post by **Leon** » Mon Jul 05, 2004 11:19 pm

use this tool... free and much easier (even I can do it!)!

http://www.windowsstartup.com/

T23_Owner · #10 Post by **T23_Owner** » Mon Jul 05, 2004 11:26 pm

WOW, that is one great utility. THanks for the link. I am using it now.

kjarrett · #11 Post by **kjarrett** » Tue Jul 06, 2004 5:13 am

Be very careful using this software: http://www.windowsstartup.com/!

I just downloaded it and while it is an interesting little app, very handy, with a great interface ... it has some MAJOR and potentially highly destructive habits.

The issue is the size of the database of applications. I am running it right now on a Win98 system I know to be "clean". It listis many applications as "unknown" when in fact they are very common, including:

- Microsoft Office Startup (I know this can be removed)
- Epson status monitor (needed for my kids' old printer)
- scanregw.exe (common for Win98 systems)
- systray.exe (!!!)
- LoadPowerProfile
- ccApp (Norton)
- ccRegVfy (Norton)

... and some others. Here's the kicker: when you press "Consult" it REMOVES any entry listed as UNKNOWN. Fortunately, it doesn't "Apply" the changes automatically. When I pressed "Consult" it took out ALL BUT ONE of the unknown entires, all of which were at least benign, several of which were required.

Again, this is a great little application. With improvements to its database it will be awesome (I will contribute information to the author), it could be a lifesaver.

Thanks for the link!

-kj-

Leon · #12 Post by **Leon** » Tue Jul 06, 2004 8:10 am

strange, I just tried it again..on my system (XP), it does NOT remove ANYTHING when you press CONSULT. I have several "unknown:" items listed, and all are still "checked". I even pressed CONSULT a second time to make sure... wonder what the difference is?

Nabeel · #13 Post by **Nabeel** » Wed Jul 07, 2004 9:16 pm

You can also just use msconfig. Start->run->msconfig

Also going ot blackviper.com and following his recommendations works great.

Leon · #14 Post by **Leon** » Wed Jul 07, 2004 10:04 pm

msconfig only covers a small percentage of startup files (as compared to windowsstartup.com)

blackviper site/recommendations are great

I use all three intelligently, my system runs great!!!

How to fresh install winXP on a T42

How to fresh install winXP on a T42

http://www.windowsstartup.com/ - be careful!!!

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