The lone traveller returns...with a T40 :) And questions...

[lilserenity]

Hello,

*dusts off the cobwebs on her account*

Firstly, thank you for keeping this log in of mine active. Amazing.

I don't expect anyone to recall me but I was here a few years back, and am/was — whatever — a big ThinkPad enthusiast, just for their rock solid dependability. I think it must have been two years ago perhaps I was last here when I owned a fantastic little T23, SXGA model. Then I sold it for a Dell... Hey it was cheap and actually even though it was soon sold (6 months later) it wasn't all that bad. Still, I hankered for the days of old with the black laptop.

Of course the Dell got sold because I finally got a PowerBook, yes I am a Mac person as well, but not a zealot. (Don't you just breathe a sigh of relief at that.) Sadly I had to sell that little aluminium blighter last year after I left my job to make ends meet. Fast forward through this tedious, very English whimsical passage and today I finally got a ThinkPad T40. Hurrah. It will sit nicely with my ancient but used daily PowerBook 1400 and my main work horse will remain my Power Mac..but it's good to return to the fold.

I got the ThinkPad as though the G4 has done a spanking job of running NT 4, I needed a modern Windows laptop. It comes with the job as I now work now for a local authority on the south coast of England as the web developer, that's right I'm it, the gaffer in charge of a web site for a town of 100,000--go figure... With all those meetings and need to develop stuff on the go using Windows, it was an essential item.

Especially considering I picked it up for less than I paid for a T23 all those years ago. Now aside from my ramblings and so forth I do have some questions.

1.) It was cheap as it was a Finnish model replete with a keyboard full of symbols that have left my command of English by the wayside. I am replacing the keyboard with a UK one, are these relatively easy to replace?

2.) Recovery CDs. The second reason this was cheap (though in mint condition) was because the recovery partition is dead, no recovery CDs and I have since noticed the XP Pro COA is from a Dell machine. Gah! Still the machine was cheap and I'll let them off. How easy are recovery CDs to get for these out of warranty models in the UK and is there a charge?

That's about all folks. Yes I know I go on but it is my first post in ages so I am sure you can cut me some slack So thank you, and good to be back. Look forward to participating again, but I am currently on dial up access paying per the minute so...another go figure moment!

Thanks,

Vicky.

[jdhurst]

Welcome back. I *do* remember you, and let's all say thanks to Bill M. for keeping the account going.

You will probably get a response here on recovery CD's and if not, you can likely find them on eBay. I think the machine may be too old to get the CD's from IBM (at a cost) but it is worth trying.
... JD Hurst

[lilserenity]

Indeed a big hand for Bill Morrow

Well I have investigated my machine's origins a little more, which took some time as I no longer had any bookmarks and my old notebooks all referred to defunct locations since the Lenovo acquisition.

It's a 2373-AG2 which is based on something else which ratifies my thoughts of it possibly being a refurb unit (the big red sticker underneath reading "USED PARTS" tends to blow the whistle on that one!)

Interestingly this was a Windows 2000 supplied machine not an XP Pro machine, so the COA even though it's Dell (which is just as illegal as not having a COA etc.) is worth even less as it were on this machine as it never came from the factory with XP. I'll try contacting IBM (Lenovo?) on Monday and see what they say, they'll probably tell me to stick it--in which case I am better off purchasing a new proper OEM copy of XP Home for about £50 with the Vista coupon (not that I plan on buying Vista).

I would very happily use Windows 2000 but it costs just as much as XP more or less where available and as a web developer, access to IE7 is important, as is trying to stay as current as possible.

I would like to know why the 2000 COA was removed in the first place, it must have looked very tatty if they managed to peel it off.

I can hardly complain, I got this with a P-M 1.5GHz, combo drive, 512MB, 40GB 5400RPM HD, 802.11b Intel Wireless, Gigabit Wired-LAN, XGA etc. mint condition for £230. Hardly something to cry about now

Vicky

[agarza]

Welcome back.
I doubt you will receive the CD's from Lenovo, take a look at eBay. Could you post pictures (if you have time) of your new laptop?

[GomJabbar]

I remember you as well. Perhaps being one of the very few who indentify themselves as being female on this forum is a factor.

As far as information on removing the keyboard, here is the Hardware Maintenance Manual which should help you out.

Or you can watch the movie
Keyboard removal movie
Keyboard installation movie
Keyboard removal and installation instructions

Regarding the Recovery CD's; you cannot get the Windows 2000 recovery CD's anymore (courtesy of Microsoft's heavy hand). I am not sure if Lenovo will sell you the XP CD's or not since your T40 originally came with W2K. It's worth a call to find out though.
Recovery CD part numbers - ThinkPad T40

Welcome back.

EDIT: In the top line above, I just realized I have a typo where identify was misspelled as indentify. I just hate it when I make typos, and even more so when they end up being quoted!

[lilserenity]

Welcome back.
I doubt you will receive the CD's from Lenovo, take a look at eBay. Could you post pictures (if you have time) of your new laptop?

I shall do my best to post some photos soon It really is in stellar condition for what is a 2003 T40.

Vicky

[lilserenity]

I remember you as well. Perhaps being one of the very few who indentify themselves as being female on this forum is a factor.

Possibly although there aren't too many as nutty on this small isle that I inhabit so... Thanks for the welcome back!

Thanks for all of the pointers in the right direction, seems to be somewhat like the T2x series from what I recall now.

I might chance calling Lenovo later but I think I'd be better off buying an approved OEM XP Home kit from somewhere like ebuyer.com which is no more expensive that eBay.

I'll let you know what happens, although I do have something else that has dumbfounded me... (I'll start a seperate thread)

Vicky

[DaveMackenzie]

Just to let everyone know, that i currently have the recovery discs for the t41/p series, there are 5 discs in total and will copy for a very small charge, but please bare in mind i dont want any copyright infringement, so those who will buy, make sure you use the windows key changer and enter your own key which is stuck to the bottom of your Dark Evader (Thinkpad)

[rscosworth]

i have recovery cd's pm me

[carbon_unit]

Hi Vicky,
I remember you. Welcome back.

[lilserenity]

Just to let everyone know, that i currently have the recovery discs for the t41/p series, there are 5 discs in total and will copy for a very small charge, but please bare in mind i dont want any copyright infringement, so those who will buy, make sure you use the windows key changer and enter your own key which is stuck to the bottom of your Dark Evader (Thinkpad)

Thank you for the kind offer. Someone else has already kindly offered me a set and I have accepted. But thank you all the same for your generosity.

Vicky

[lilserenity]

i have recovery cd's pm me

Thanks also, however as I noted above I have already been offered a set which I have accepted. Although, again I wanted to say thank you for your kind offer. Most appreciated.

[lilserenity]

Hi Vicky,
I remember you. Welcome back.

Thanks for the welcome, I think I do remember a few names around here, yours included I looked back and it was August '05 I was last here so that's not as long ago as I though. Still it's [censored] good to have a ThinkPad again.

Vicky

[DaveMackenzie]

Its all good its just that i read this site a bit too much and see looooads of people struggling to find the cd's so i thought i would do a deed lol!