Thinkpads Forum

e-bay item number...... 8815013865


Any thoughts ... i just want this for surfing the net and e-mail...nothing else.

I have an XP disc that i bought when i had an HP desktop...never used it... bought this R51 instead...so can i use the licence from that?

Cheers guys.

well i guess thats about $120 US for a 600E with only 64MB of RAM-

i got a 600E p2 366 128MB for about $150. You will definitely need to upgrade the ram, because even at 128MB it will crawl if you're running firewall, AV plus internet.

so comparing to what i paid for a slightly slower processor (not a big difference), i'd say the price is OK, especially if it works!

make sure you get the right memory though, i've seen frequent BSOD's with the wrong 256MB memory installed. from what i've read on here, you're more likely to find success using two 128MB cards, than one 256MB.

edit: how do you get by with 256MB of ram in your R series?? I'm using 300MB and I don't even have everything I want installed!

Hi dsigma60 .... just paid for it so i've yet to find out whether it works ok or not when it arrives.

Over here in the UK the Thinkpads are a lot more expensive then in the US.

Checked out 600Es...some with smaller HDs and lower processers and they are going for a great deal more...that's why i'm hopeing i got a bargain...asked loads of questions before i bid so it seems it's ok.

A 128 memory from crucial will cost me around £20...$14 dollars or so...already checked that out .

As to the 256 memory on this I've searched on here for info and trimmed everything out i don't use/need...so this 51 runs perfectly well and it's fast...no problems at all and i've had it for over a year

ive got to do some disabling of services on my R40, im sure there is a lot of stuff to free up. I bought another 512MB just to be sure!

good luck with the 600E. It's extremely sturdy- it makes my R40 build quality feel cheap.

Yes, that was a good deal on the 600E. Not spectacular, but good. The 400MHz processor makes it a good deal too. By the time you add the ram and a larger hard drive it will be a very nice system.

Remember, you can always sell the old hard drive and ram here, to make the deal even better.

Have just got around to checking this out...a few issues ( modem is detected but wont let me connect by Broadband or dial up ) that IF i could connect to the net and update everything they could most probably be sorted... it has a 128 memory and not 64 and seems to run XP Pro ok...only the OS is loaded and i dont need to put anything else on...apart from anti virus etc...just want it for mail and the net.

However...i thought the easiest thing to do would be to re-install XP...i have an XP Pro disc with licence number but when i try to install this it tells me the version already installed is a newer one and wont let me continue.

Bought the disc about 5 years ago to update a desktop but when the compatability test threw up what was needed i didn't know where to start...so never used it.

Any help on installing please ...i've checked out IBM website but can't find anything on installing an OS on the 600E

You will need to boot from the cd to perform a clean install of the XP.
Press F1 to get in the menu and choose to boot from the cd drive.
From there just follow the instalation instructions that windows will provide, but remember to do a deep format of the drive instead of the fast one.

Just to clarify, because cmarti's reponse wasn't quite clear.

It sounds like you are trying to install from within Windows.

Try booting with the XP disk in the CD-Rom. If it recognizes the CD, it will ask you to press any key to boot from CD. Once you press any key, it will start the installation process. You might have to tell the system to replace the version of the OS.

If your system DOESN'T recognize the disk, you might have to press F1 at boot and change the startup/boot order in the BIOS.

Sounds like you've got an XP install CD which is either pre SP1 or pre SP2 and the installation of XP on your 600E has SP1 or more likely SP2 installed.

Hence the error message 'version already installed is a newer one'.

So booting from CD and performing a re-install is the way to go.

However an alternative which would allow you to perform a repair install and therefore keep all your existing settings and installed programs would be to create an XP install CD with SP2 integrated (slipstreamed) into it.

That would mean you're trying a Repair Install - with the new XP/SP2 CD - with a version that's the same as, or newer than, the version already installed.

There's LOADS of tutorials on the web showing how to take an XP CD and slipstream SP2 into it and then burn a new XP CD.
It's a short and simple process and as i said would allow you to perform a Repair Install and keep your existing settings and programs.

Take a look HERE for some links.

Good luck.

warwound.

Cheers guys...it'll be another week or so before i get the time again to try out the above.

I'll try the booting from CD first...if no luck i'll try warwounds suggestion...one thing though...it's suggested in the links to use Nero burning...is there any particular reason for this...wouldn't the software i have on here do just as well...IBM Record Now?.

You aren't restricted to any particular burning software when making the slipstreamed XP with SP2 CD.

What's important is that you make a (working) bootable CD.

Did you see in the various web guides that you need to extract the boot-image from the original XP CD and add it to the new CD as the boot-image?
Without that boot-image your new CD will not work.

Check out Google to find out if your version of Record Now can create a bootable CD.

warwound.

Slippedstreamed the disc *dreaded trying to do it* but it went a lot easier than i thought...so!

I want to reinstall XP now...

1... Belarc Advisor tells me the BIOS is 1999... have looked for recent update but i'm getting confused...the IBM identify my system process doesn't give an updated version.

2... I believe i have to update the BOIS before installing more memory...does it matter which slot i use...batteries very low wont charge over 13%....will i need to renew the battery before updating the BIOS...just been reading to make sure there's a full battery as well as being on AC power.


3... Can anyone point me to a step by step guide to installing XP on a 600E...i can't find one...i need to know what i have to have ready to put in...Drivers i need ...Modem etc. and where to download from.

That'll keep me going for weeks as i don't have a lot of time during the week.

Oh and one more thing...sorry! on the screen there are three small marks...inside i think they are...wont clean off anyway...they look like little *sunbursts* only small and once machines booted they can't be seen...anyone know what they are? apart from them the whole laptop is really clean and unmarked...hardly a scuff.

Appreciate your time and advice

lutami wrote:1... Belarc Advisor tells me the BIOS is 1999... have looked for recent update but i'm getting confused...the IBM identify my system process doesn't give an updated version.

Did you give us your 600E model number yet? Maybe I missed it above. There are two different BIOSes for the 600E depending on which model you have:
BIOS Update (Diskette) - ThinkPad 600E (2645: 55x, 56x, 57x, 58x, A5x, A6x, Bxx [except for BAU], JJ1, JJ2, RRA)
and
BIOS Update (Diskette) - ThinkPad 600E (2645 selected models, 2646)

The internal BIOS dates on these updates are not the same as their release dates, so I would just check the actual BIOS release number to make sure you have the latest release.

I don't know about your other questions, but all the files you need should be available for download from the IBM/Lenovo page:Software and Device Drivers - ThinkPad 600.

Phil.

Hi...have downloaded Software installer..let it check for updates and nothing given for BIOS...think i've had three for the R51 in the last year.

Do i need the selected models or the other one.

Will this help...cut and paste from Belarc

Operating System System Model IBM 26458BG

Windows XP Professional Service Pack 2 (build 2600) IBM 26458BG
System Serial Number: 5537NRB
Enclosure Type: Notebook
Processor a Main Circuit Board b
400 megahertz Intel Celeron
32 kilobyte primary memory cache
256 kilobyte secondary memory cache Board: IBM 26458BG
Serial Number: J19RJ9406H2
Bus Clock: 66 megahertz
BIOS: IBM INET28WW 11/20/1999
Drives Memory Modules c,d
10.04 Gigabytes Usable Hard Drive Capacity
6.23 Gigabytes Hard Drive Free Space

LG CD-ROM CRN-8241B
3.5" format removeable media [Floppy drive]

HITACHI_DK229A-10 [Hard drive] (10.06 GB) -- drive 0, s/n 659373, rev 00X7A0B7, SMART Status: Healthy 128 Megabytes Installed Memory

Slot 'DIMM 0 ' has 32 MB
Slot 'DIMM 1 ' has 64 MB
Slot 'DIMM 2 ' has 32 MB
Local Drive Volumes

c: (FAT32 on drive 0) 10.04 GB 6.23 GB free

Based on the info you've sent, this is your model number: 2645-8BG. You should be able to see this written on a label on the bottom of your machine. That means you would need the second BIOS because your machine is a 2645-8xx machine:
BIOS Update (Diskette) - ThinkPad 600E (2645 selected models, 2646)

The latest BIOS is version INET36WW (1.16). Your ThinkPad appears to currently be running INET28WW.

Others here have more experience with the 600E, but I think you may be right that you need a battery that will charge to 100% in order to update the BIOS.

Phil.

Cheers pkiff...have the update on floppy now...will get a new battery before updating BIOS and installing the extra memory though.

Appreciated

Back again...Sorry Bios updated...all running smoothly except with XP loaded it's rather sluggish...there were a few issues with online connections...did the easiest thing and reinstalled XP.

Need to add memory and have been looking on ebay...money a little tight at the moment and as i'm passing this on to a young family member i'd like at least to get it running smoothly for them.

Confused about a few things while searching for compatable sticks though.

Found a couple with the right specs but the pics look different...what's a 'double sided low profile memory' ... it has the right specs ( according to Crucial ) but will it fit?

lutami- i was starting to link to 256mb sticks ive used in a 600e and 570- but the seller only ships to US. at any rate, it was $40 shipped.

Only an hour or so to go on this one...not much time i know but for future ref if i have to look further....will give me some idea what i can use...will this be ok


http://tinyurl.com/rrb8w

These are Crucial specs

· Crucial Part Number: CT483340
· Module Size: 128MB
· Package: 144-pin SODIMM
· Feature: SDRAM, PC133
· Configuration: 16Meg x 64
· DIMM Type:
· Error Checking: Non-parity
· Speed: 133
· SDRAM Timings: CL=2
· Specs: SDRAM, PC133 • CL=2 • Non-parity • 133MHz • 3.3V • 16Meg x 64

here is the description for the memory i use in the 600e/570:

Form Factor: SODIMM 144-pin
Memory Speed: 133MHz
Logical Type: SDRAM
Supply Votage: 3.3V
Data Integrity Check: Non-Parity

draw your own conclusions, i dont want to be responsible for any problems you have!

Hi dsigma....apart from the CL2...this says CL3...it seems to be the same spec...i've been reading up on memory trying to get some idea of differences etc ( still learning ) and it seems the CL 2 or 3 doesn't matter...think i read that on the Crucial website.

What i dont understand is the piece in the description

This is double sided memory, and has only 2 chips per side.
This is "low profile" memory only 1 inch 2.5 CM high compared to normal SDRAM at 1.25 inch 32mm, however the locking cutout is in exactly the same place.
If space to install memory is a problem this is the stuff for you

I certainly wouldn't hold anyone responsible for any mistake i make in buying the wrong one...reached the adult stage well over 40 years ago

Thanks for the help though