Replacing the HD T30 questions

[qmainracing]

I have some questions about replacing the hard drive on my T30. I know how to physically change the HD, it's the software I'm confused about. I want to get a new larger hard drive. I've heard of a CD that is available through IBM, or used to be availible through them, and cannot find the link. Is a copy of windows on that CD or do I have to purchase a copy of windows?

[alagregg]

you will need a windows CD, and also a driver CD.

IBM may have originally provided both with the laptop, but they will not give you a replacment windows CD.

drivers can be downloaded from the web.
(if you do not have a driver CD), for ease i would recommend downloading the drivers before replacing the hard disk and burning them to CD (as it can be hard to get the drivers particularly if you have no network driver).

i would imagine you should be able to use the windows code on the bottom of you laptop (assuming you have the orginal sticker on the bottom). and any windows XP CD (of the same version).

for example if you have a code for windows XP pro, you should be able to install windows from any XP Pro Disk (for XP Home you will probably need an XP home disk).

hope this helps,

- Alastair

[RRHODY]

Wouldn't it be easier to just clone the present HD to the new one?

[ronbo613]

Wouldn't it be easier to just clone the present HD to the new one?

Way easier.
If you don't have an external hard drive, try something like this.

[ashleys]

I'm with you both there.
Either clone it, use Rescue and Recovery or at a push NTBackup

Last disk upgrade I did on my T30 I used Rescue and Recovery and all went without a hitch.

Regarding the disks and drivers ... I think you're talking about the pre-load CDs. The Intel ATA drivers are in the supplementary files and are only required if installing from scratch, for example a retail copy of windows.

[qmainracing]

I want to start with a fresh load of windows, cloning the HD won't help me.

[schen]

When your T30 was new, it came with a set of restore disks to rebuild the machine back to whatever it left the factory on the HDD (most likely Windows XPP). As long as you have the COA on the bottom of the machine, you can legally use a copy of the T30 restore disks to do this. Therefore, you're probably in the same boat I was, in that I put a new drive into my machine and wanted to start from scratch with the bigger/faster HDD. I put an ad in the Marketplace and one of the members was kind enough to burn a copy of the set he had for the T30, so you can go that route. People look for restore disks on there all the time.