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Thinkpad 770X recovery with 770Z discs?
Thinkpad 770X recovery with 770Z discs?
I recently got a set of 770Z recovery discs from Bill Morrow that I wanted to use to recover my 770X. Bill didn't have the 770X specific discs but I figured that since the two models are so close hardware-wise that there would be little issue doing this.
However, when I booted the recovery disc, it flashed "Starting Windows 95..." like I had figured and then it restarted. It would continue doing this until I pulled the plug. I tired the discs in two other computers and the same thing happened.
There was a floppy image on the recovery disc that I pulled and wrote to a floppy and the same thing happened. My best guess is that it's looking for some certain hardware configuration that it isn't finding so it kills the process? I've been trying to modify the autoexec.bat and config.sys files on the boot floppy but I haven't gotten anywhere yet.
If anyone knows any tricks or has the 770x boot floppy image, that would be great. The discs from Bill are definitely written correctly.
However, when I booted the recovery disc, it flashed "Starting Windows 95..." like I had figured and then it restarted. It would continue doing this until I pulled the plug. I tired the discs in two other computers and the same thing happened.
There was a floppy image on the recovery disc that I pulled and wrote to a floppy and the same thing happened. My best guess is that it's looking for some certain hardware configuration that it isn't finding so it kills the process? I've been trying to modify the autoexec.bat and config.sys files on the boot floppy but I haven't gotten anywhere yet.
If anyone knows any tricks or has the 770x boot floppy image, that would be great. The discs from Bill are definitely written correctly.
IBM 380Z, 770X, X31
Lenovo T61p, X61s
Lenovo T61p, X61s
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Re: Thinkpad 770X recovery with 770Z discs?
I've used the 600X Win2K recovery CD's successfully with the 770X, but the 600X Win98 Recovery fails during the OS customization part and will blue screen after a reboot.
If you are trying to do Win95, it may be failing due to a real mode driver version difference between the X and Z models.
If you are trying to do Win95, it may be failing due to a real mode driver version difference between the X and Z models.
IBM P75
IBM ThinkPad 700, 720C, 750Cs, 360C, 360P, 360CE, 360PE, 730TE, PC110, 365CSD, 365ED, 701Cs, 820, 600X, 770X, 240, T30
IBM RS/6000 43P 150
Lenovo ThinkPad X41T, X61T, X200T, X201T, X220T, X230T, X280
Lenovo ThinkCenter M92p Tiny, M900 Tiny
IBM ThinkPad 700, 720C, 750Cs, 360C, 360P, 360CE, 360PE, 730TE, PC110, 365CSD, 365ED, 701Cs, 820, 600X, 770X, 240, T30
IBM RS/6000 43P 150
Lenovo ThinkPad X41T, X61T, X200T, X201T, X220T, X230T, X280
Lenovo ThinkCenter M92p Tiny, M900 Tiny
Re: Thinkpad 770X recovery with 770Z discs?
Thats interesting about the 600x recovery discs. The recovery disc I have is Windows 98. I can get slightly further by running the batch files off of the CD after booting from a different floppy but still nowhere close to getting the OS installed.
IBM 380Z, 770X, X31
Lenovo T61p, X61s
Lenovo T61p, X61s
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Re: Thinkpad 770X recovery with 770Z discs?
I've always had to install Win98/98SE on the 770X from retail media and install drivers later by hand, but of course I don't have the correct recovery media either. 

IBM P75
IBM ThinkPad 700, 720C, 750Cs, 360C, 360P, 360CE, 360PE, 730TE, PC110, 365CSD, 365ED, 701Cs, 820, 600X, 770X, 240, T30
IBM RS/6000 43P 150
Lenovo ThinkPad X41T, X61T, X200T, X201T, X220T, X230T, X280
Lenovo ThinkCenter M92p Tiny, M900 Tiny
IBM ThinkPad 700, 720C, 750Cs, 360C, 360P, 360CE, 360PE, 730TE, PC110, 365CSD, 365ED, 701Cs, 820, 600X, 770X, 240, T30
IBM RS/6000 43P 150
Lenovo ThinkPad X41T, X61T, X200T, X201T, X220T, X230T, X280
Lenovo ThinkCenter M92p Tiny, M900 Tiny
Re: Thinkpad 770X recovery with 770Z discs?
The main reason I wanted it was to get my hands on the video capture software since I have the DEVA card
IBM 380Z, 770X, X31
Lenovo T61p, X61s
Lenovo T61p, X61s
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Re: Thinkpad 770X recovery with 770Z discs?
Yeah, me too. I have not been able to get the movie playback/decoder to work on W2K. There are several long threads here regarding the subject.
IBM P75
IBM ThinkPad 700, 720C, 750Cs, 360C, 360P, 360CE, 360PE, 730TE, PC110, 365CSD, 365ED, 701Cs, 820, 600X, 770X, 240, T30
IBM RS/6000 43P 150
Lenovo ThinkPad X41T, X61T, X200T, X201T, X220T, X230T, X280
Lenovo ThinkCenter M92p Tiny, M900 Tiny
IBM ThinkPad 700, 720C, 750Cs, 360C, 360P, 360CE, 360PE, 730TE, PC110, 365CSD, 365ED, 701Cs, 820, 600X, 770X, 240, T30
IBM RS/6000 43P 150
Lenovo ThinkPad X41T, X61T, X200T, X201T, X220T, X230T, X280
Lenovo ThinkCenter M92p Tiny, M900 Tiny
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Re: Thinkpad 770X recovery with 770Z discs?
Hello, if you don't mind my unsolicited advice, did you try to download the latest windows 95 boot diskette compatible with the 770X, and try booting from that? It should work with all kinds of models not just the 770/770X/770Z so if it doesn't boot from that there may be something wrong with your laptops, or boot diskette.
Just an idea to try.
Just an idea to try.
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Re: Thinkpad 770X recovery with 770Z discs?
In this case we were talking about using recovery media for a different model. The older the system, the more specific the drivers were for devices and chipsets.
The recovery media is a series of batch files and compressed achieves that work fine for the intended systems. Mileage varied for other models.
The recovery media is a series of batch files and compressed achieves that work fine for the intended systems. Mileage varied for other models.
IBM P75
IBM ThinkPad 700, 720C, 750Cs, 360C, 360P, 360CE, 360PE, 730TE, PC110, 365CSD, 365ED, 701Cs, 820, 600X, 770X, 240, T30
IBM RS/6000 43P 150
Lenovo ThinkPad X41T, X61T, X200T, X201T, X220T, X230T, X280
Lenovo ThinkCenter M92p Tiny, M900 Tiny
IBM ThinkPad 700, 720C, 750Cs, 360C, 360P, 360CE, 360PE, 730TE, PC110, 365CSD, 365ED, 701Cs, 820, 600X, 770X, 240, T30
IBM RS/6000 43P 150
Lenovo ThinkPad X41T, X61T, X200T, X201T, X220T, X230T, X280
Lenovo ThinkCenter M92p Tiny, M900 Tiny
Re: Thinkpad 770X recovery with 770Z discs?
Exactly, a regular boot disk will work just fine but still doesn't get me anywhere. Currently running Win2k still but it would be very cool to get the video capture feature working.
On the bright side, the battery is now rebuilt and working well
On the bright side, the battery is now rebuilt and working well

IBM 380Z, 770X, X31
Lenovo T61p, X61s
Lenovo T61p, X61s
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Re: Thinkpad 770X recovery with 770Z discs?
Hi, I realized that you were discussing using the recovery media for a different model. I'm not sure about Windows 95, but with Windows 98 you shouldn't just get it to turn off as soon as it boots up, if the recovery fails, it is usually after the files have been copied to the hard drive, and are being extracted and installed. I.e. it is during the recovery process itself, not when it just starts.fultontech wrote: ↑Sat Jan 13, 2018 10:51 pmIn this case we were talking about using recovery media for a different model. The older the system, the more specific the drivers were for devices and chipsets.
The recovery media is a series of batch files and compressed achieves that work fine for the intended systems. Mileage varied for other models.
It should boot into a DOS environment, and then just install Windows 95 with customizations, when the customizations, and drivers are incompatible it should fail during installation. From what the poster explains, even the boot floppy, i.e. not the recovery disk but the boot environment fails. This was a problem with some of the boot disks, that's why I suggested using the updated boot floppy image that can be downloaded from the internet and compatible with the 770X and many other models. That should allow booting into the DOS environment, and then using the 770Z recovery CD to complete the recovery process. It would at least be worth a try.
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Re: Thinkpad 770X recovery with 770Z discs?
Hi, my point was that you said that you took the boot floppy disk from the recovery CD, it should have a file size of about 1.44 MB, I believe this allows to boot into a DOS environment that would then give you the option of continuing recovery with the recovery CD. From what you wrote, it sounded like the boot floppy also failed. There was a problem with some of the old boot floppy files, and IBM released an updated version that is compatible for many different models. I.e. it is compatible with the 770X, and 770Z, if you download that boot floppy and boot from that it should work. Then once it does you would presumably be able to attempt a recovery with the 770Z recovery disk.
I.e. if the boot floppy you created from the disk failed, download an updated one for the 770X/770Z/etc and boot into the DOS recovery environment, then attempt to use the 770 disk.
Re: Thinkpad 770X recovery with 770Z discs?
Ah, I thought you were just talking about a regular DOS boot disk. I’d love to try an updated IBM boot disk, any idea where I could find one?
IBM 380Z, 770X, X31
Lenovo T61p, X61s
Lenovo T61p, X61s
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Re: Thinkpad 770X recovery with 770Z discs?
Hi, sorry for the delay, I've been very busy.
Your could find the diskette, and other drivers here:
https://thinkpads.com/support/Thinkpad- ... m/770.html
Look for the diskette under the "recovery" section of drivers. And let me know if it works, in case you try it, as I'm genuinely curious.
Re: Thinkpad 770X recovery with 770Z discs?
Well, I downloaded the boot disk maker for the 770/E/ED since there wasn't one under the driver list for the 770X or Z and I did get a little further.
https://photos.google.com/share/AF1QipO ... k4UDN2TktB
So, I'm thinking there may be a problem with Bill's disks.... They did begin to unpack but failed. Although this may be an issue with using a boot disk for a 770 and CD for a 770Z.
If anyone else has another 770x or z recovery ISO they could send me it would be interesting to try.
https://photos.google.com/share/AF1QipO ... k4UDN2TktB
So, I'm thinking there may be a problem with Bill's disks.... They did begin to unpack but failed. Although this may be an issue with using a boot disk for a 770 and CD for a 770Z.
If anyone else has another 770x or z recovery ISO they could send me it would be interesting to try.
IBM 380Z, 770X, X31
Lenovo T61p, X61s
Lenovo T61p, X61s
Re: Thinkpad 770X recovery with 770Z discs?
So, I'm curious if anyone out there with a 770Z would be willing to try the recovery disc from Bill just to make sure it isn't a compatibility issue once and for all. PM me for a link to the ISO.
IBM 380Z, 770X, X31
Lenovo T61p, X61s
Lenovo T61p, X61s
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Re: Thinkpad 770X recovery with 770Z discs?
One suggestion could be the memory modules at fault? This is where certain installations of the win 9x fails.
Cheers, thinkpadcollection
Cheers, thinkpadcollection
Re: Thinkpad 770X recovery with 770Z discs?
I suppose it's possible but I doubt it. I've recovered the system with a Win98 recovery disc for the 770X and a 98SE disc for the T20 over the past couple days.
Running Win98 SE from the T20 disc and it seems to be working well. I'm using it to type this right now
I guess the old girl still has some life in her yet
Running Win98 SE from the T20 disc and it seems to be working well. I'm using it to type this right now

I guess the old girl still has some life in her yet

IBM 380Z, 770X, X31
Lenovo T61p, X61s
Lenovo T61p, X61s
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