Installing Windows - Network Boot

[timbrennan]

When recording audio on my x31 with windows sound recorder ~10% is background noise - sounds very much like EM interference. However there is no such noise on skype calls. I am not sure if this is a software or hardware issue.

I was thinking of reformating the HD and installing XP again because in addition to the sound issue after 18 months of use my x31 has several glitches such as:
- Wireless LAN application doesn't launch - tried many reinstalls
- Some Fn Funtions are no longer responding
- Windows running a little slow

I have no cd drive, but can this be done via my desktop computer?

I am looking for a step by step guide so that i can restore all IBM shortcut buttons etc.

i'm sure this has been asked before now, but i can not find a satisfactory answer (mostly down to the search results being 95% irrelevant).

Once i get the OS the way i like it, I was going to clone the drive with Acronis True Image in case of future problems. I would need to network boot in that eventuality too.

Anyone been there done this already?

Any help most appreciated - I can't wait to get back to work.

[Sweet Pete]

I used the instructions on this page to network boot an X31 using my T22 as a server. Once I booted to DOS, I was able to copy the Windows XP installation files to a partition on my HD and then install XP. Because I had never used DOS to network anything, I had a few issues with the "net use" command. When you get to this point, make sure to use the server name, rather than the IP address. It took me a while to figure that one out. Other than that, those instructions worked like a charm.