Thinkpads Forum

reading the forum suggests not to use a different windows xp disc to format and install a new windows xp.

In the manual it doesnt mention how to format. It says how to install a new operating system. It says be sure to intstall intel matrix storage manager driver before install the operating system. Otherwise your computer will not respond; it will only display a blue screen.

Then it says 1. attatch a diskette drive to the your computer.

The ultrabase doesnt come with a floppy disc drive so what should i do ? Also should i be copying the folders to a floppy disc instead of a data disc?

Im not sure what this means and how to format the best way.
I dont plan on using a different windows xp disc that i use on my PC. Id like to use the windows xp that the x60 has in its hidden partition?

Step 3 to 7 says make sure that SATA AHCI is enabled, start the BIOS setup utility menu and set the CD-ROM drive to start first.
Then on step 8 it says insert the CD for windows XP into the CD or DVD drive and restart the computer.
What windows xp cd? Is this the one i use for my PC or do i make an image disc of windows that is on the laptop?

Im going to make a data disc of the following folders - drivers, ibmshare, ibmtools, support, swtools, valueadd and windows folder (im doing all these just too make sure i got everything backed up).
I plan on copying all the folders on the c drive (part from program
files) onto a dvd disc.. Should i use a cd instead of dvd to do this?

Im very confused please can someone help me!!!

You read the manual wrong. it says that when you format be sure to set the SATA mode into compatability, and after you install windows and then the matrix driver to set it back to AHCI.

I actually formatted mine last night, and got the majority of the drivers installed but I cant figure out what "PCI Device" is. It yes a yellow exclamation point but I have no clue where to get the driver for it.

why isnt it as easy as formatting a PC?
insert the windows xp disc > restart > format..

can someone explain this to me in a simple way please?

forever wrote:why isnt it as easy as formatting a PC?
insert the windows xp disc > restart > format..

can someone explain this to me in a simple way please?

Its just as difficult to format a PC as a laptop if the PC has SATA harddrives. You need to provide windows with the driver to run the controller.

The laptop gets around this issue by making the SATA controller look like a regular old PATA controller then when you get windows going and provide the nessecary drivers you can re enable the SATA and reap the full benefits of it.

Very smart actually, wish my PC motherboard did that.

my pc doesnt have SATA harddrives

i dont know what SATA or PATA is..

Is the manual telling me to store the drives and tools onto a floppy disc or cd and can i use a dvd ?

what windows disc do i use? the one i use for my pc or is there one on this laptop i need to burn to disc aswel ..

forever wrote:my pc doesnt have SATA harddrives

i dont know what SATA or PATA is..

Is the manual telling me to store the drives and tools onto a floppy disc or cd and can i use a dvd ?

what windows disc do i use? the one i use for my pc or is there one on this laptop i need to burn to disc aswel ..

no offense but this is going to be a little above your head if you tackle this.

You wont be able to use the one from your PC because it is not OEM and the key on your laptop is. Also it would have to be the same kinda of xp that the key is for. Unless you are installin a bootleg then it doesnt matter.

SATA/PATA is the two types of harddrive interfaces used in computer today. PATA is old school, SATA is new school.

Start reading.

non taken..

i kinda understand what to do by reading the steps but im not confident in doing it. Can someone tell me how to do this in a simple way please

forever, why do you want to reinstall Windows? Can't you leave the computer as it is and save yourself a lot of trouble?

http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.php?t=28429

Check my post here. Also there isn't a quick one step procedure. It takes a bit of work and lots of background information on installing and partitioning that seems like it would require much research on your part to complete your task.

An alternative would be for you to mail me your machine ;D

Saml01 wrote:I actually formatted mine last night, and got the majority of the drivers installed but I cant figure out what "PCI Device" is. It yes a yellow exclamation point but I have no clue where to get the driver for it.

SDIO?

MG.

MobileGuru wrote:

Saml01 wrote:I actually formatted mine last night, and got the majority of the drivers installed but I cant figure out what "PCI Device" is. It yes a yellow exclamation point but I have no clue where to get the driver for it.

SDIO?

MG.

Where do I get the driver?

I just finished a fresh winXP installation on my X60s. I think the "PCI Device" is the HDA sound card. According to someone (which I cannot find the thread anymore), you need to install the Common Microsoft Windows XP update modules before installing the HDA drivers.

i dont need to format.. its just something i need to know how to do!

echen770 wrote:I just finished a fresh winXP installation on my X60s. I think the "PCI Device" is the HDA sound card. According to someone (which I cannot find the thread anymore), you need to install the Common Microsoft Windows XP update modules before installing the HDA drivers.

Its not the HDA sound card nor the SD card reader.

Its the SATA controller. You have to point it to the matrix driver folder.

Took some figuring out but I got it.

whys it such a mission to format?

can i phone ibm and get a cd that will format for me ?

forever wrote:whys it such a mission to format?

can i phone ibm and get a cd that will format for me ?

umm no, because they will say just press the think vantage button and do a full system restore. Where is the beneft for them if you reformat your computer? no benefit so why would they help you?

Its not a mission. You just have to change some settings, re install windows from an OEM disk so you can use their key or a bootleg copy, and then install all the drivers.

Its not a mission.

let's all hold forever's hand. all these short indefinite replies are pretty useless to people trying to help.

ask real questions and feedback from what we've said already.

dannyp wrote:let's all hold forever's hand. all these short indefinite replies are pretty useless to people trying to help.

ask real questions and feedback from what we've said already.

I dun wanna hold his hand, he has cooties

id give you feedback if i was actually formatting.. today i had an error when i started it up and errored 0x745f2780

Where can i find this and is it like a format? "press the think vantage button and do a full system restore."

i know how to do a system tools restore..

forever wrote:i dont need to format.. its just something i need to know how to do!

That makes it sound like this is not something urgent. In that case I suggest you read up on ThinkPads, Windows, etc. to acquire the necessary knowledge. The Web is full of free resources. I am not saying this to be mean, I only think that there are more productive uses of your time. Reading is more efficient than sending back and forth small pieces of information in this forum.

forever wrote:

id give you feedback if i was actually formatting.. today i had an error when i started it up and errored 0x745f2780

Where can i find this and is it like a format? "press the think vantage button and do a full system restore."

i know how to do a system tools restore..

did you set the sata to compatibility mode in the bios

hi, I am actually interested in doing this also, I do not like the fact that I have all this IBM software pre-installed, I have 67 processes running in the background out of the box! maybe this is normal but I've only built my desktops and it has 29 processes in the back.

what if I use like nLite and make a winxp SP2 install disc with the SATA drivers streamlined onto it? is this possible?

I remember on my desktop I have 2 SATA's raided and it was a pain to press F6 and etc. etc. so i just made a cd with it all on there and its great.