T40 recovery difficulties

[clatsopduck]

First of all, I'm not a techie, but I try.

I had to use the product recovery CDs. (Long story.) Problem is, it's still not really functional. It's like something isn't finished or some settings which are missing.

First of all, I get this little box talking about factory things to set for the end user (which doesn't make any sense to me.)
I thought to ignore that to start, but found that my download speed can be measured in K, not M. (No other changes to my network.)
I managed to install Open Office and did a little writing (saving everything properly) - and allowed the laptop to "sleep".
That's when things got really weird!
I went to bring it back from sleep and it seemed to not respond for ages. I eventually forced it to quit and tried again. Unfortunately, when it came back, all my writing (two files) was completely and totally gone as if I was starting from scratch again - and Open Office brought up the registration prompt again as if I'd only just installed it.
Earlier, it was restarted again to see what would happen and it took, like, 15 minutes to finish the boot into XP (not exaggerating, either!) - it was on the blue screen (windows... loading... like screen) for most of that time. (I think that may be what had happened previously when I though it wasn't responding.)

Can anyone help me restore this machine to an operable condition?
Thanks in advance!

[burns334]

I don't think you let the product recovery CD's finish, you will get many reboots, do not take that last CD out of the drive until the machine boots up normally off of the hard drive. I would try another install.

[clatsopduck]

Thank you!
I thought I'd waited long enough, but I guess not. I'm now able to use the machine to its former glory.

I did have an odd error though which I don't know if it's something to be worried about or not. It was - "sysprep.exe - entry point not found" (I didn't write down the remainder of the message...) Is this something I need to do something about?

[craigmontHunter]

If it came up with the OOBE, then it has finished, and the sysprep error is just the os you are using (designed to work with multiple oses - win2k, xp).

[clatsopduck]

OOBE? don't understand that one, I'm afraid.

My problem arose because it did so much after taking the last CD out (as instructed, only - though it later briefly complained that there was no CD in the drive - not that it mentioned WHICH CD it wanted! lol) Anyway, I just held tight and it just worked as it was meant to this time. (Whew!)

(Like the PETA sig - I have always agreed with that one.)

[killer]

OOBE = Out of box experience.

[clatsopduck]

Ahhh - like when I got my brand new Mac Mini (the only new machine I've had!) - and NOT like when I had the challenge of upgrading it!!! lol
One day, I will have a new PC too!

[craigmontHunter]

the OOBE on the t4x is when it comes up and asks for administrator password, user name, and computer name. It is about an hour after you start the recovery program it will come up with a windows xp setup screen.

(I like my PETA more - it tastes better than tofu )

[clatsopduck]

Thanks - definitely where I should be then.
Happy camper here.

I'm a happy carnivore too - thoroughly enjoyed a bit of that Scottish delicacy tonight - haggis! Yummy!!! (Honestly, I think they let people worry about what's in it so that they can keep it all to themselves!)

[craigmontHunter]

Is that not what you are supposed to do? tell everyone how disgusting it is so you get it to yourself

[burns334]

Glad it worked out, mine said put in disk 3 and I did and it said this is not disk 3, so when I started over I made sure all cd's were well seated on spindle and waited 5 or 10 seconds before clicking okay and let it last disk stay in till I was 100% sure it was done.