Thinkpad - A few Questions

Narrowing my laptop search down to : Asus; Thinkpad; Sony.

I really like the Thinkpad T43 ( 1.85 processor; 14.1 screen; 7200 RPM 60 gig HD; 1 gig ram).

Wish it came with a firewire port - oh well, can solve with a pcmi card i think.

QUESTION : Lenovo tells me the unit does not come with a Windows XP Professional install CD. But instead , creates a back-up /rescue CD. WILL this work if I have to ever replace the original hard drive - or is it specific to the oem HD ? Seems cheap of Lenovo not to include the XP OS CD- whatcha think?

I do like the units design and the pointy stick thing.

Thanks

 

A word of caution about the T43: many models are afflicted with rather annoying fans that run constantly. Not all of them do, but it's a risk I didn't want to take (of course, they sent me a T43 anyways).

Now, about the install CDs... What you are actually able to do is burn a copy of the recovery partition (which is a pretty handy thing to have) onto 6 CDs (or 1 CD and a DVD, if you have a DVD burner). This doesn't just get you Windows XP; it allows you to do a complete factory reinstall that restores the OS and the default setup, and includes all of the stock utilities that the laptop ships with (many of which are really handy).

These disks should work for any hard drives you can install in the laptop. However, due to the SATA-to-PATA adapter used in the T43 models, it can be difficult to install new, non-IBM drives without getting errors as a result of improper drive firmware.

You might also want to take a look at the new Z60t, if it fits your criteria. I'm pretty sure that it gives you a Firewire port, and it has similar construction to the T43. It's also supposed to be much quieter.

 

Aside from the T43, what Sony's and ASUS's were you looking at? Many of them have firewire standard, along with multiple USB's. If you're into 14 inchers, Asus has the W3V. It's a nice compact system with x600 graphics. A lot of muscle for a tiny performer.

 

Yes, you can use the recovery CDs/DVD you created into another Hard drive; no question about that. i've done this countless of times on my T30, R50e, and G40

um, the laws of business i think that they (or say most of notebook companies) do not offer stand alone xp cds. maybe because this is due to the fact that most people will just sell them off ebay or some sort.

when i purchased my T30 in early 2003 it came with a Windows XP Pro CD (gold hologram) plus a full version copy of Office XP SBE (2 cds silver hologram)

:buyIBM: :centrino:

 

Most, nearly all, manufacturers are witholding sending a CD now for recovery. With any ThinkPad you can just hold in on the Access IBM button (at the top of every keyboard) when the system boots up and do a full recovery or restore from there, it can be reset to manufacturer original setup. You can create a backup image and use on other hard drives using built-in IBM software or get a utility such as Norton Ghost or Acronis True Image to capture your setup as you like it to reinstall to another hard drive.

The keyboard and pointing stick navigation are huge in adding usability to the ThinkPad. Specs and speed are all configurable on the T43 of course and you can build a powerful machine (albeit, no fantastic graphics card option) so for me it's the keyboard quality, excellent build and the support you'll get from IBM that make it really stand out. Plus, I like the black professional look -- everyone one know recognizes a ThinkPad and while Apple PowerBooks carry the "hey I'm cool" message the ThinkPad says to people "hey, I just want to get work done and I'm serious about it" message. It's a popular machine with professionals for this reason.

The lack of FireWire and only 2 USB ports is a real bummer, but something I overlook due to the fact I believe the plusses outweigh these minuses. The Z60t does have FireWire, but I still like the 14-inch T series over it for right now. hey, good luck, ask any more specific questions you have.

 

I say toss out the Sony and stick to Asus or Dell. I find Sony to be over priced, and it seems many always mention heat (at least with the S series and FS series).

I've owned a T42, the Dothan model, and was very impressed by it's build quality. The hinges are steel, very little creeking and very sturdy. The keyboard is the best I've ever use. No flex on the palm rest, keyboard or lid. And the chassis uses Titanium. Furthermore, the thing can survive drops too since the HD is protected.

And yes, you are right, it doesn't come with an OS CD, i was disappointed at that. No firewire port either! And just 2 usb ports that are right next to each other

The Asus V6 has those, but both the V6v and V6va only come in 15" sxga screen (V6va is a glossy screen). Since they are both Ensemble models, they are sold at a fix price and non configurable upon purchase, you'd have to buy extra RAM, HD, etc seperately. the IBM T series is configurable on their site, you can choose a 14" or 15" (both are lighter than the V6), as well as RAM, etc. At the moment if you use www.ibm.com/businesscenter/visa you can cut some of the costs and there are some free extras you can get.. right now it's another 512mb of ram or a carrying case (get the RAM).

The downside is, if you're into heavy gaming, the x300 in the T43 won't cut it for you. the V6 has the x600 and the V6va has the x700! So take those into consideration too.