T60p WinXP clean install guide?

I tried using the search function, but no luck. I am looking for a clean WinXP install guide for use on a new T60P. Are any of you aware of such a thing?

Thanks,
Lon

 

A clean install?

As in, going from what? Vista? or just an empty laptop?

If its just a normal laptop with nothing on it, just put in the disc, and make it format the harddrive when its installing for a new partition.

If you're going from vista....I'm already going about that, will get to you once I do accomplish it.

 

What are you unsure about? It is a relatively simple process. Here are a couple of things:

1) Make sure you have your Windows XP CDs
2) Download and appropriately categorize all Windows XP drivers from Lenovo for you model and then burn them to a CD.
3) Backup all of your data to an external source.
4) Reboot with XP install CD in drive.
5) Follow on screen instructions. Chances are you already have an NTFS partition sitting around that you can select to install XP to.
6) Boot into XP, install all drivers from burned CD
7) Restore backup data from external source
8) Done

If you want to get rid of the ~5GB recovery partition, you need to disable the "Pre-Desktop Area" in the BIOS setup program. Then you can partition in the installer so that you use all of the drive by deleting both partitions and creating one big NTFS. If you are unsure of anything, you should ask specific questions.

 

I plan on installing/swapping my own new HDD when I get mine. Do I somehow have to format the HDD or will the install disk (Vista) take care of that? Any tips would be appreciated?

 

Don't you need the SATA thingy before the XP disk.

 

The Windows installer should allow you to partition and format your new drive.

 

I've never installed on a SATA computer. It is possible that you will need a driver CD, but the installer should let you know if there is a problem with finding/using the disk.

 

Would I still need to... "you need to disable the "Pre-Desktop Area" in the BIOS setup program"??

BTW, Sorry for hijacking the thread... It's kinda related though.

 

No, that only really applies to hard-drives you get with a computer that were configured by the supplier. Especially when the recovery partition is your Windows install media. This has been the case for ThinkPads for a couple years now.

 

I obviously did not do a very good job of asking this question. The T60p came with XP pro installed. But I would like to free up the hard drive space used in the hidden partition. I would like to retain some of the applications in ThinkVantage, but not all of them. I do have the finger print reader who's function I want to use.
I just wondered if there were any guides floating around that I could use.

Lon

 

I think what you want it base software administrator. Use the search function and you will find postings of it on this forum. You can use it to select what elements you want to keep and then follow the "diskpart" postings to find out how to regain that hidden partition (I must admit it looks a bit complicated for me, but you might have better luck figuring it out). Just please make a back before you touch anything, use the thinkvantage option to create recovery cd's or you may get stuck in a situation like I did where I needed to call lenovo to get the disks after something got botched in the process on my end because of an antivirus program I was trying out. good luck.