Project: my first

[sph92173]

A few years ago, I bought a laptop off eBay - I had NO IDEA what I was getting into. I knew NOTHING about computers -internally. I can read and type thought!!! Now I have another laptop and a desktop that I have re-built ... and am curious to re-do my first. That's my IBM Thinkpad 380D - 2635 -2AU. Has a COA for windows 95 sticker on the bottom, but I guess it belonged to a University and they wiped the HDD clean before they got rid of it. No big problem!!! I tried throwing 'Linux' into the machine, but I can't get into the BIOS!!! The machine refuses to read from the CD, it must have the floppy as default. I tried f1 with machine powered off - then powered up laptop while tapping key - but display shows 'error screen' with a few codes below it (00161,00163) I can press enterand get into the clock and date, but that's as far as it'll go. I am asking "iss there ANOTHER trick?".

I can remember I had a few resource addresses for the operator manual and error codes and stuff, but like I said - that was a while ago...

[ajkula66]

Welcome to the forum!

Your CMOS (BIOS) battery needs to be replaced, hence 161/163 errors. These can be found on eBay for $10 shipped or so...

Good luck.

[ieee488]

Once you have the CMOS battery issue resolved, I'd suggest you give Puppy Linux 4.1.2retro a try. Burn the CD at 8x. I have Puppy Linux 4.1.1retro on my Thinkpad600E. I briefly tried D**n Small Linux, but it wasn't as user-friendly as Puppy Linux.

[sph92173]

ieee<<<thanks!!!! I got a Linux CD a while ago (2007)< I was gonna try that. Get the puppy edition off bootdisk?

I got the CMOS battery installed ($4.95 to-the-door), but the dinosaur won't boot from the CD-ROM!!! I got into the BIOS set -up and told it to, but the machine won't listen!!! http://forum.thinkpads.com/posting.php? ... =6&t=72422# So NOW what?

I'm gonna look for that Linux puppy now ...

[Temetka]

Does the BIOS support booting from the battery? If so have you tested your boot disc on another computer? If not you will need to create a boot floppy with CD-ROM drivers on them to access the CD from DOS.

I also recommend putting a copy of himem.sys, emm386.exe and smartdrv.exe on the boot floppy.

I usually create a DOS directory on the floppy and put my CD files, emm386, himem, smartdrv and others such as attrib, fdisk, format, sys.com, xcopy and edit in there as well. This way I have a few tools handy should they be required.

Edit config.sys (on the floppy) so it reads something like this:

DEVICE=A:\DOS\HIMEM.SYS
DEVICEHIGH=A:\DOS\EMM386.EXE
DEVICEHIGH=A:\DOS\OEMCD001.sys /D:001 <-- Where oemcd001.sys is the name of the CD driver and /D is the drive letter

Edit Autoexec.bat to look like this;

@ECHO OFF
LH A:\DOS\SMARTDRV.EXE 4096 4096 <-- Creates a 4MB buffer for DOS and WIN. Greatly improves speed of Windows 95 install process.
LH A:\DOS\MSCDEX.EXE /D:OEMCD001

You should be good to go. If config.sys isn't happy with OEMCD001.SYS, remove the /D stuff from the line so it reads DEVICEHIGH=A:\DOS\OEMCD001.SYS

You should be able to boot off the floppy, switch to D:\ and run SETUP.EXE /IS where the /IS switch will skip the disk check stuff.

Good luck.

[sph92173]

Okay, NOW I get codes 199990302 and 199990305 when I power on the machine ... do those codes relate to not having an OS installed? I can't seem to get an OS installed, b/c the appaerent default is to boot from floppy. I got into the BIOS and changed that - it reads FDD 1, HDD, PCMCIA, Network, and FDD2. I set it to FDD1 ,FDD2, HDD, and network (as there are only four available empty boxes).

Temetka< That all looks pretty involved, and with your advice via post I hope I can pull it off!!! One little problem - HOW DO I GET TO DOS? Is that something that might have been wiped clean by the former owner of the hard disc?

[sph92173]

Temetka< I tried to see if I can do ANYTHING without the power cord attached, but NOW the battery won't charge. I was checking, and I'd pay more for a battery NEW than I paid for the laptop. This lapttp will never have the capabilities that my other laptop has, so I can't see spending the money on it right now. Thanks for you help, amyhow!!!

[Temetka]

You get to DOS by booting from a DOS floppy.

Of course your machine will need a floppy drive. You will also have to create the floppy on another machine. You can create a DOS bootable floppy in Windows.

Go here for some info:

http://www.computerhope.com/boot.htm

Also. Pull the battery out and let it set for 24 hours. Then try plugging it back in and see if it works for you.