Thinkpads Forum

I just got a new/old Thinkpad 760XD Type 9546 and love it. The sturdiness and workmanship are outstanding. IBM made really good machines. But I want to upgrade from Windows 95 to Windows 98. How can I get the computer to boot from the CD-ROM on start-up. I've forgotten whatever I knew about Windows 95. Thanks to all.

Moderator edit: Moved from X series forum

Have you tried the BIOS?

The 760 series machines don't support booting from the CD.

James

There is a boot floppy somewhere that re-boots using the CD-ROM drive. It may well work in your 760XD.

Have you tried to upgrade from inside Win95 with the Win98 CD inserted? It will install a few prep files and then reboot or ask you to reboot. The full retail version can do this so can the Upgrade version. An OEM Win98 disk I'm not sure about.

Just a suggestion.

The boot floppy that can boot up the CD drive is called "Smart Boot Manager" and here is the link;

http://linux.simple.be/tools/sbm

Great tool to have with chunktops, just follow the directions. If you get confused just Google it, there are many outstanding explainations on how to create it on floppy and how to use it as well.

Enjoy your new 760XD!

phool@round wrote:Have you tried to upgrade from inside Win95 with the Win98 CD inserted?

I thought it would be self evident to start W95, put the CD in the machine and run setup.exe from the CD.

Sorry for not answering completely the first time.

James

LOL, it is James, it is.

I spelled out a "just in case it isn't" scenario.

Just in case someone has a "I've got a new laptop!" fever sorta thingy happening and they have a momentary lapse of reason.

Hey, I still get giddy from time to time, especially when my better half smiles at me, I tend to forget all sorts of things

I tried the Windows 98 installation disk but received the message that I need not the new system disk but the disk with the change from 95 to 98 which I don't have. Actually I'm trying to reinstall the 95 system now from the recovery CD and seem to be having problems, the system hanging up. I don't have a floppy disk drive, will likely get one after I learn how to install it in place of the CD-ROM. So I may stay with the Windows 95. I have no idea of how to change the BIOS, am getting books from the library about this old OS. Does anyone know of any WiFi and phone modem PCMIA cards that support Windows 95? Thanks.

The 760XD should have a modem installed, it's a 33.6. As far as PCMCIA cards there are plenty of threads in this forum you should read up on, it's a hot topic, it's a long topic. Look for 16bit cards, that's my advice which you will understand why when you read. Do a search for "760" in "Thinkpad Legacy Hardware". That will give you every thread on 760's. It's worth your time to do so.

I wouldn't worry about the BIOS, not much you can do to change your boot order without a floppy drive anyways, you only have a hard disk and a cdrom drive. You'll need a floppy and floppy drive to update the BIOS as well. 760's don't boot off the CD, it's a BIOS limitation, there's nothing you can do other than work arounds. Find an external floppy drive, that way you can leave your cdrom drive installed. They are cheap.

Press the L1 key when you boot up, that will get you into the BIOS for a look around. Can't harm it so don't worry.

Well, at least your excited, I haven't gone to the library since I was in school many eons ago, I have the net now.

The Lucent/Orinoco Silver or Gold wireless cards work very well with the 760's and 95/98. The silvers have 64 bit WEP and the gold are 128 bit. They are 16 bit cards. Cheers...