XP Professional SP2 on an A20m 2628-2du

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a_ryan1972@yahoo.com · #1 Post by **a_ryan1972@yahoo.com** » Mon Oct 10, 2005 9:35 am

I originally installed Windows 200 on my Thinkpad, but I like XP better. When I try to install XP Pro SP 2, it formats, copies all the files and restarts. Upon restarting, I get the IBM screen to enter set up or boot from another disk. After that, the screen goes blank and everything stops. I can hear the drive spinning for a little bit, but after that, nothing. I have 380 MB of RAM and 500 megaherz processor, so as far as I know, it should be able to handle XP.

After all this, I installed Windows 2000 again. Works great. I then updated the BIOS to the latest version and tried to install XP again and I have the same problem. I would really like to get XP working because I hate 2000.

Any ideas?

#2 Post by **GomJabbar** » Mon Oct 10, 2005 12:52 pm

Do you have the CD drive set up before the hard drive in the boot order in the BIOS? You didn't just press F12 or something like that to boot from CD?

a_ryan1972@yahoo.com · #3 Post by **a_ryan1972@yahoo.com** » Mon Oct 10, 2005 12:58 pm

When I installed XP, I left the BIOS the way it was, I pressed F12 to boot from the CD. Should I have changed the BIOS to boot from CD?

#4 Post by **GomJabbar** » Mon Oct 10, 2005 1:20 pm

a_ryan1972@yahoo.com wrote:Should I have changed the BIOS to boot from CD?

Yes.

a_ryan1972@yahoo.com · #5 Post by **a_ryan1972@yahoo.com** » Mon Oct 10, 2005 1:23 pm

Ok. I will try that tonight. Thank you.

a_ryan1972@yahoo.com · #6 Post by **a_ryan1972@yahoo.com** » Mon Oct 10, 2005 6:51 pm

I tried changing the BIOS to boot from CD first and re-installed XP Professional SP 2. No luck.

#7 Post by **GomJabbar** » Mon Oct 10, 2005 7:01 pm

When you boot up from the Windows XP CD, try removing all existing partitions, then create a primary partition, then format that partition, and finally install Windows XP.

If that doesn't work, try removing any extra RAM, just leaving in the original RAM. Then try the install again. After Windows XP installs successfully, you can put the extra RAM back in.

a_ryan1972@yahoo.com · #8 Post by **a_ryan1972@yahoo.com** » Mon Oct 10, 2005 8:04 pm

I tried both of these last suggestions and no such luck. Any other ideas?

#9 Post by **GomJabbar** » Mon Oct 10, 2005 8:47 pm

Only ideas left...............

Your Window XP install CD has a problem (is defective).

Try flashing the BIOS again with this update. BIOS Update version IWET59WW (1.13)

There is a problem with your CD drive or other hardware. Run PC-Doctor system diagnostics. PC Doctor diagnostics for DOS - ThinkPad A2*

The following page shows that Windows XP is supported on the A20m. Microsoft Windows XP Service Pack 2 installation guide - ThinkPad General

a_ryan1972@yahoo.com · #10 Post by **a_ryan1972@yahoo.com** » Tue Oct 11, 2005 1:46 pm

Thanks for all your help. I figured out was the problem was (or at least a work around).

I had to install xp. When it gets to the part where it restarts, i had to hook up an external drive and put the xp disc in there. Now, Windows finally loaded and it picked up where it left off with the installation, but it would ask me to put the xp disc back in the cd rom of the laptop and from there it finished.

Maybe it was something with the drivers for the cd rom in the laptop? The drive worked for everything else.

Anyway, it's finally done.

Thanks again.

#11 Post by **GomJabbar** » Tue Oct 11, 2005 1:53 pm

Glad you got it finally installed.

Well that's one weekend gone!

Thanks for letting us know what happened.

a_ryan1972@yahoo.com · #12 Post by **a_ryan1972@yahoo.com** » Mon Oct 17, 2005 12:55 pm

Actually, I found out what the problem was - not just a workaround. I replaced my hard drive because I only had a 6 gig drive and I didn't have a problem at all with the new hard drive.

#13 Post by **GomJabbar** » Mon Oct 17, 2005 1:47 pm

Interesting. I don't know what to say to that. Happy that you got it going though.

XP Professional SP2 on an A20m 2628-2du

XP Professional SP2 on an A20m 2628-2du

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