Starting from scratch again with T60
Posted: Fri Jul 16, 2010 9:50 pm
I have a widescreen T60 (running Windows XP SP3) that consistently hangs when I try to install a particular USB driver. I've been hunting around in other fora for a way to solve that problem, but so far there isn't much luck.
I'm thinking, therefore, that this might be a good occasion to try reinstalling everything from scratch on a brand new disk and getting myself some more space into the bargain. To that end I've ordered a 500GB 7200RPM disk.
My strategy is to install the disk and boot the "restore factory configuration" CD I made shortly after I got the machine. Then install all the Windows XP updates that have accumulated since then. Then install all the latest versions of the system drivers, etc. Finally, reinstall all my applications.
I figure this will take me about a week of babysitting, but at the end I'll have a machine that will have much less grunk and accumulated broken bits than if I tried to migrate my current disk. Because all the data on this laptop is copied from my desktop machine anyway, there is no risk of losing anything important aside from my time.
Is this a sensible strategy? Or is there a much easier way to do it? I'm thinking there's not much to gain from going to Windows 7 because of the 3GB memory limitation, and a new laptop will be that much cheaper if I can get another couple of years out of this one.
I'm thinking, therefore, that this might be a good occasion to try reinstalling everything from scratch on a brand new disk and getting myself some more space into the bargain. To that end I've ordered a 500GB 7200RPM disk.
My strategy is to install the disk and boot the "restore factory configuration" CD I made shortly after I got the machine. Then install all the Windows XP updates that have accumulated since then. Then install all the latest versions of the system drivers, etc. Finally, reinstall all my applications.
I figure this will take me about a week of babysitting, but at the end I'll have a machine that will have much less grunk and accumulated broken bits than if I tried to migrate my current disk. Because all the data on this laptop is copied from my desktop machine anyway, there is no risk of losing anything important aside from my time.
Is this a sensible strategy? Or is there a much easier way to do it? I'm thinking there's not much to gain from going to Windows 7 because of the 3GB memory limitation, and a new laptop will be that much cheaper if I can get another couple of years out of this one.