where have all the gigabytes gone?

Message

sputnik611 · #1 Post by **sputnik611** » Wed Nov 10, 2004 8:13 am

Hi all. Thanks to your advice and support, I finally got my T42 -- it's a 2378FTU. So far I'm very happy with it. I have a couple questions though.

1. I supposedly have a 40GB hard drive. When I check on the properties of the drive, it says 32.8GB total size and 26.4GB free space. What's the deal? Did they give me the wrong drive? And if not, is there any way to recover some of that missing space?

2. My machine has only 256MB of ram (DDDR333B SODIMM, whatever that means). I definitely want to buy more. Could someone help me with how much to buy, what kind of RAM, and where to get it?

Many, many thanks from a new Thinkpad fan...

Skywing · #2 Post by **Skywing** » Wed Nov 10, 2004 8:34 am

the thinkpad comes with A LOT of preloaded applications and utilities. Thats where the 32.8->26.4 is solved. Secondly, IBM ships all their systems with a hidden rescue partition, this partition contains a fresh image of the OS as it was shipped with the laptop so you dont have to use any CDs should you have to reinstall windows, just push the blue Access IBM button on boot.

for memory, just go to any reputable dealer (www.newegg.com) and search for PC2700 SODIMM. Id suggest getting at least a 512MB stick, they go for about $100.

Plinkerton · #3 Post by **Plinkerton** » Wed Nov 10, 2004 11:14 am

I'll reccomend Crucial.com for RAM also. You can find it cheaper, but many people here use crucial, and it works in my TP, so it's worth a look.

k3vb0t · #4 Post by **k3vb0t** » Wed Nov 10, 2004 12:38 pm

Just seconding what was said above. The space lost is from the rescue partition and all of IBM's preinstalled programs. You can pay $45 to get the rescue CDs sent to you, if you want to remove the partition.

RAM, go with Crucial. It's guaranteed to be correct for your laptop. They have an easy menu online (www.crucial.com) to help you select the memory. Whne I bought mine two weeks ago, I got a 512mb stick for $109+tax (free shipping). Get an additional 512 at least. 1GB extra is substantially more money, but if you can swing it, go for it.

sputnik611 · #5 Post by **sputnik611** » Wed Nov 10, 2004 1:45 pm

Thanks for the help. I think I'll order the 512. ONe more question -- can I keep the 256 that's in there and add the 512, or do I have to replace the 256 with the 512? Excuse my ignorance. I've never done this before.

Skywing · #6 Post by **Skywing** » Wed Nov 10, 2004 2:02 pm

sputnik611 wrote:Thanks for the help. I think I'll order the 512. ONe more question -- can I keep the 256 that's in there and add the 512, or do I have to replace the 256 with the 512? Excuse my ignorance. I've never done this before.

the 256 thats in there will be underneath the keyboard, the 512 you will install will be on the bottom, just unscrew the screws and pop it in, if you NEVER done it before, watch the video on IBMs site of how to install it, it has to be inserted at an angle then pushed down.

Plinkerton · #7 Post by **Plinkerton** » Wed Nov 10, 2004 2:08 pm

Yeah, and it's EXTREMELY easy, so don't worry about that. Took me less than 2 or 3 minutes.

Elhabash · #8 Post by **Elhabash** » Wed Nov 10, 2004 3:46 pm

The video is also on the laptop, somewhere in Access IBM in the help... Very easy indeed. You would get some 760 MB then, quite nice.

Just to clarify once more: This rescue partition is nothing more than the preinstalled IBM WinXP image? It I got another installation of WinXP from school on DVD, I would never need it anyways?

And another thing: Does anyone know of disadvantages of the Crucial RAM compared to the original IBM ones, for instance speed-wise?

where have all the gigabytes gone?

where have all the gigabytes gone?

Who is online