The official 755 Upgrade and general information Topic

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Thinkpad4by3 · #31 Post by **Thinkpad4by3** » Tue Apr 18, 2017 2:59 pm

Nevermind, got it out

Thinkpad4by3 · #32 Post by **Thinkpad4by3** » Wed Apr 19, 2017 7:37 am

Any tips on removing the green crud old NiMH batteries leave behind?

Thinkpad4by3 · #33 Post by **Thinkpad4by3** » Wed Apr 19, 2017 2:28 pm

I'm trying to use the CD-ROM under windows 95 on a 755CDV and It keeps saying it isn't accessible. I did check IRQs and no conflicts there. Akso, the drive will eject through windows so It is communicating. When the floppy is plugged in, it works no problems(minus the floppy bezel

) Anything I can do?

ctg_s · #34 Post by **ctg_s** » Wed Apr 19, 2017 4:02 pm

Are you trying to read a CD-R disk? Most CD drives from that era won't read CD Recordables. I have two 8x drives that fit an 755CD (from a 760EL) and only one (which was made in April 1997) is capable of reading CD-R discs.

ctg_s · #35 Post by **ctg_s** » Wed Apr 19, 2017 4:07 pm

There are at least 10 different threads on the first page of the Legacy Hardware forum regarding the 755-series Thinkpads, many of them about the 755CD machines. Maybe we can start a general topic thread like we have for the 600 and 770 series machines?

Thinkpad4by3 · #36 Post by **Thinkpad4by3** » Wed Apr 19, 2017 4:08 pm

Its a Verbatim CD-R disk burned using Windows 7. The disk doesn't even spin up when I try to access it, it just gives an error.

ctg_s · #37 Post by **ctg_s** » Wed Apr 19, 2017 4:11 pm

What happens if you use a regular (non-burned) CD?

Thinkpad4by3 · #38 Post by **Thinkpad4by3** » Wed Apr 19, 2017 4:15 pm

I just tried that and it still doesn't work, it makes a clicking sound and the activity light blinks. Then it stops like 20 seconds later. I used a 1993 copy of the game Phantom of the Opera.

Thinkpad4by3 · #39 Post by **Thinkpad4by3** » Fri Apr 21, 2017 11:32 am

My 755cdv won't read disks of any type including music cds and old cd rom games. In windows 95 it says d: not accessible but the drive never spins up. In DOS it gives a abort/retry/fail error. When I use Windows to eject the drive, it does work. Is it windows screwing up or do I need to buy a new cd rom drive?

Sent from my E6553 using Tapatalk

ctg_s · #40 Post by **ctg_s** » Mon Apr 24, 2017 6:55 pm

My unit didn't come with a CD-Drive so I can't speak from experience but I've seen a few comments online complaining about the drives inability to read discs over time. Considering the machine (and most likely the drive) are 22+ years old, I would not be surprised if this was the case. One last thing I would check before giving up on the drive would be to see if there's any CD drivers loaded in config.sys and autoexec.bat that would interfere with Win95's own drivers.

#41 Post by **AlphaKilo470** » Sat Jul 08, 2017 2:35 pm

FWIW, you can install a 760 series CD drive into a 755 (but a 755 CD drive won't work in a 760). If you get one of the newer 20x drives from towards the end of 760 production, you'll have faster read times and better luck with CD-Rs. Also, not totally relevant but if you have a Pentium version of the 755CD or a 755CX, you can use the LiION battery from a 760 (but again, not vice versa. Also this won't work with 486 versions of the 755CD).

kiwa · #42 Post by **kiwa** » Sat Aug 05, 2017 8:22 pm

Hi, i want to ask, does anyone have the recovery iso, hdd image with original software or files or something for the 755cd in dos and 3.1?

Thanks.

Thinkpad4by3 · #43 Post by **Thinkpad4by3** » Sat Aug 05, 2017 8:33 pm

kiwa wrote:Hi, i want to ask, does anyone have the recovery iso, hdd image with original software or files or something for the 755cd in dos and 3.1?

Thanks.

I have the factory W95 image on my 755CDV. I just don't know of I can copy it.

kiwa · #44 Post by **kiwa** » Sun Aug 06, 2017 2:38 pm

well if you can that would be cool, i want to test the capture video thing.

thanks!

kiwa · #45 Post by **kiwa** » Mon Aug 07, 2017 1:43 pm

Also does anyone knows the midi port pinout? i want to make a cable.

Thinkpad4by3 · #46 Post by **Thinkpad4by3** » Mon Aug 07, 2017 1:52 pm

Yea, I doubt youll even get the connector for midi. Just search around for someone with a 755CD full kit.

I check eBay around every 6 hours for old thinkpads. If i find a 755CD full kit, ill send the link your way.

kiwa · #47 Post by **kiwa** » Mon Aug 07, 2017 1:54 pm

i have spare connectors so no issue with that

goldeneagle · #48 Post by **goldeneagle** » Sat Sep 16, 2017 10:52 am

fultontech wrote: ↑
Sun Mar 26, 2017 10:51 am
I never opened them. To get the 750/360/PC-DOS systems captured, I had to get a copy of LapLink 5 installed and hooked to a win98 ThinkPad with a USB port.
Once I was able to transfer the entire directory structure to the USB key I could take it to a modern system and create a VMware copy of the old TP.

If you need to open them, there's a phillips head screw on each side of the interface connector, and a small nut on the bottom. On a 755-style caddy, you'll need to carefully loosen the tabs along the side. Start with one side until the side itself moves at a 90 degree angle. I know these are crappy instructions, but I'm not sure how to explain it better.

As for transfer, I've used Laplink before and it's painfully slow. Might as well watch a golf game (which might actually progress faster). Anyways, I will use PCMCIA, usually off a DOS-based floppy (assuming it's a DOS-based system), and load up the relevant PCMCIA drivers, so I can copy to a 2GB ATA CF card. Then, I can put that into a card reader and archive/save the files on my W520.

Faravid · #49 Post by **Faravid** » Thu Oct 05, 2017 4:11 pm

Hi,

I have a IBM Thinkpad 755CDV with a dead HDD I have replaced with a new one, so I would love to have a factory image!

markgm · #50 Post by **markgm** » Thu Oct 19, 2017 1:33 pm

Add me to the list of folks who wouldn't turn down a copy of software to restore a 755CD.

f13dev · #51 Post by **f13dev** » Mon Mar 12, 2018 3:08 pm

I'd be interested in the 755 factory image. If needed I also have access to a couple of web servers so can host a download link or two to help others out.

Faravid · #52 Post by **Faravid** » Mon Mar 12, 2018 11:36 pm

Old Thinkpad recovery disks:
https://archive.org/details/LegacyThinkPadRecovery

f13dev · #53 Post by **f13dev** » Tue Mar 13, 2018 3:50 am

Faravid wrote: ↑
Mon Mar 12, 2018 11:36 pm
Old Thinkpad recovery disks:
https://archive.org/details/LegacyThinkPadRecovery

Well I never, that's a good resource. Will be bookmarking that link.