Just a tip:
if you can't get it to activate, just call the number and the people on the other end will activate, no questions asked. They could care less, i suppose -- i've done this 5 or 6 times

I just recived my T60 Core 2 duo. Has anyone tried these steps on this notebook yet? I wasn't aware when I purchased it that a fresh install was going to be more complicated then just inserting the disc. I guess the i386 file is the one that has the drivers so the install will actually see the hard drive that is installed instead of telling me that there isn't a disc installed in the machine. THanks in advance for any insight.
-Perky

Has anyone made the CD via the original post's 23 steps? The links on Step 5 are broken. I didn't bother searching for the file on my own, because frankly I don't know how it works. I don't know what slipstreaming is.

Also, my German is rusty, and I have a question before running the script above. I see a link to the German version of a SP2 file required in Step 2 of the original post. For English the name is WindowsXP-KB835935-SP2-ENU.exe <== do I need to download that file? (Luckily, I already have it from Step 2)

UPDATE -- My German isn't quite as bad as I thought. Here's how an English speaker got the script to work:

I tried the script, successfully designating a Service Pack file. It's convenient for those of us who like SP2 with machines that shipped before SP2. The script has 3 data entry fields, the last one is not hightlighted by default

"Installationsdateien" (installation data) Click the [...] box to select c:/i386

"Zielordner" (?? output directory?) Point to wherever you want the *.iso

Check box: "Service Pack" Point to the location of your copy of WindowsXP-KB835935-SP2-ENU.exe (See Step 2 of the original post in this saga--it's a download from microsoft) ... Has anyone run the script without doing this step? ... Is the script smart enough to add SP2 to the disk without the step?

The script shows progress of its work, mostly spending time on i386 files. Then it gets to the SP2 stuff. The script interface is in German, but when the script is working, the progress work is in English. Beeps "Service Pack 2 Setup" Integrated install has completed successfully -- then it creates the cd image, showing progress in a DOS window. Finally only the original Slipstreamer window is open, showing "Fertig" or "Finished." Burned the ISO using RecordNow! software.

... The GNU spirit makes me feel all warm and happy inside.

Right now I'm backing up important stuff such as c:\IBMTOOLS\APPS\RECNOW and will reinstall after that. If I don't post again, it means my reinstall worked well. Cheers

EDIT:
C:\IBMTOOLS\APPS\DVDPLAY is also good to backup. (Thank-you Acronis True Image)
Also, if you use wifi only, grab the driver from Lenovo before starting. (Thank-you secondary PC) ..and while you're at it, it's a good idea to grab the other Lenovo/IBM software that you like. Software Installer doesn't/can't find every last package.

I acquired my T21 already installed with faux Win XP, although it did come with a Win 2000 Key. I am planning on buying legit XP of eBay, hopefully the price may drop with Vista now released.

Question:

How do I tell if my laptop still carries the hidden IBM partition? When following 4saad.com guide there appears to be no "Security" tab in Bios. When I press "ThinkPad" button, top left next to Esc, nothing happens. I assume this is the factory reset button??? I will need to go back & re-read this topic to clarify the exact procedure but hopefully should be pretty straight forward.

to the moderators: This sticky gets a lot of hits, but the original post no longer works, and who's going to read through 9 pages? Many people (myself included) in recent months report that slipstreaming scripts work. Might we do a bit of housekeeping? I volunteer to write a concise step-by-step "How To" based on the German script that I used (above) and the magic jelly bean utility. However, I predict there must be a good script in English out there, hopefully as a sourceforge project. (Anyone know?) Also, I vote for a better title of the sticky: "How to fresh re-install Win XP (Step-by-step Guide)"

Normally I would guess that a person enlightened enough to remove their IBM apps would also be nice enough to pass along whatever recovery/upgrade media they have, should they sell/give the machine. Oh well..

fleamourian: the term "acquired" might lead some to question exactly how you got it but I trust you because the hardware is old and you mentioned wanting to buy a used Win XP disk. Although my answer is probably the internet's top insensitive response to someone seeking help... you would probably benefit from reading (in place of the new sticky I'm suggesting) this entire post, as well as the advice on the main forum FAQ. ... The FAQ has a link to Lenovo's hardware database, which should help you evaluate if Windows has access to the full space on your disk. (Assuming your machine has the original hardware.) Regarding the Access IBM button, for my X40 it's function depends on the specific IBM packages you have installed.

Regarding the windows key, it sounds like someone upgraded the machine without giving you the key you need to legally run Win XP. Unfortunately (or is it fortunately?) to my knowledge the magic jelly bean utility discussed in this thread will reveal your PC's current key regardless if it's legal for you to run it or not. Your plan to buy a legal copy is a wise one, as I'm sure someone out there is keeping tabs of keys that get over-used. Good luck

Hmmm...

That article is majorly confusing. Well here goes...

Well I have scoured the BIOS for anything vaguely relating to a "Predesktop Area" & turned up a big fat nothing. However I will try again...

The only visible partition on the 20GB HDD is 19,077.2 MB in volume, not sure which way this indicates??? (hidden partition/no hidden partition). I think the best/cheapest work-around, as I do not have a RW drive, is to purchase one of those CDs for the T21 with XP drivers & then proceed with fresh install, personally I don't think there's much call for the original IBM software that shipped with laptop.

I don't know for the older T-series, but in my T60 the option is under Security and it is called "Predesktop Area" or something very similar (I'm not home right now to check). Maybe it's called Restore or Rescue or something similar?

So jst to make sure & you may want to speak s-l-o-w-l-y here guyz, (Computer Dunce). ...

After trawling through some nine pages, & I admit I skipped quite a bit, these are my conclusions:

If I have no need of the IBM software that shipped with my laptop and I were to download all necessary XP drivers from Lenovo, saving them to an external HDD. Providing that I have a Win XP CD with valid key, then surely it is just a straight forward format/wipe & install; or have I missed something here?!?

In anticipation of your patience...


fleamourian

The main point of this thread and the document is to use the license of Windows XP that came installed on the computer. That requires making a custom Windows XP CD.

If you have your own CD and license for XP, the install should be straight forward. The only downfall is that the factory-installed copy that was included in the original price just goes to waste. If this is ok with you then there is no need to go through all of the extra trouble.

Many thanks KF for that clarification!!!

Cheerz

Maybe I'm beating a dead horse, but here is an English version of how to slipstream Windows XP with SP2:
http://www.theeldergeek.com/slipstreamed_xpsp2_cd.htm

The file mentioned in previous posts, win51ip.sp2, is only 2 bytes long, and contains
hexadecimal values: 00000000 0D 0A
and can be created with an editor that can do HEX.
Just open a blank file, set the editor to hex, you already get the 8 zeros, then type in OD and 0A and save as win51ip.sp2

I am a newbie, but have some questions about this dated, but extremely useful subject.

I have a 1 year old R50e Thinkpad. Now that the warranty has expired, I have a new 80GB HD coming, and wish to do a fresh install of the XP ( SP2) that came on this laptop to this new HD.

I have followed UCI_Mech's latest instructions to a Tee, but am running into a serious problem on step 7, where I am slipstreaming the SP2 file with the I386 folder contents. When I start the process, it appears that the SP2 files are copying to a temp folder OK, but before the slipstreaming process starts, I get an error message indicatint that Windows can not read from a memory 0x000000. This is a consistent error and I can not get past it.

Here is what I wonder about. I have chosen to use my desktop to do this work and have created the c:/bci folder on it and have copied all the Thinkpad folders/files to the appropriate folders on this desktop. This desktop is running Windows 2000. Is that an issue? I have yet to try doing all this work on the Thinkpad, but may try that if someone can explain why the slipstreamed CD can not be created on my Windows 2000 desktop, given that I am only using the SP files from the THinkpad and those that were downloaded for the SP2 .

OR - should I try using the German program ( 0603-202.zip ) recently mentioned in the forum? I do not have a factory XP install disk, but am trying to create one from what files are available on my Thinkpad before I remove its old HD for safekeeping.

I want a fresh XP install for the new HD, not a recovery which will include unwanted IBM stuff.

Thanks for any comments on this.

See if my post in the previous page of this thread is any help. I made my slipstreamed XP Pro CD for my ThinkPad on a desktop PC running XP Pro. I don't know if using W2K would be an issue, but offhand I wouldn't think so.

http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.ph ... 331#239331

Thanks for the response and info. However, Just moments ago I did what I should have done before posting; I performed the operation on the Thinkpad R50e rather than the Windows 2K desktop I was trying to use. ( Reason I wanted to to use the desktop is that it has a DVD writer and the Thinkpad didn't... I had wanted to create a boot DVD rather than a boot CD.)

Anyway, the process from UCI_Mech went smoothly once I got on the correct platform. I apparently now have a nice slipstreamed Windows XP (Home) SP-2 Install CD. I will find out how well it works when my new HD arrives.

Do I need to delete the hidden IBM parition? (I believe its step 10 in the guide)

I was planning on:

1) Partioning the remainder of the drive just in case I needed to reformat
2) Installing Windows Vista

I though it would be good to keep the original IBM partition just in case Vista turns out to be too sluggish on my T43. If this happens I'll revert back to XP.

Does anyone foresee any problems?

Thanks in advance

I am a newbie here, so hello everyone.

I encounterd the following problem with a clean xp pro sp2 install on my T60 (2007FUG)

I did a bootable xp CD by using the I386 folder from my preloaded partition and run the windows setup.
The installation process went fine (files were copied and thwen installed), but after the reboot there was no "Windows logo and the welcome screen", the computer was restarted automatically.
After that the system displayed a message that "windows was not shut down properly etc."
So now I can choose between the "normal boot" (which of course causes a reboot) or a safe mode.

In the safe mode everything is OK, I can log in, install a new drivers etc. but I cannot run my system in a normal mode.

Does anybody have an idea what could be wrong?

weststaines: you can keep the hidden partition

I had this same problem and was never able to figure out the problem. Instead of using the original I386 folder, I used the I386 folder of another Windows CD I had and replaced the following files with files from the Lenovo I386 folder:

OEMBIOS.BI_
OEMBIOS.CA_
OEMBIOS.DA_
OEMBIOS.SI_
SETUPP.INI

In order to get the special key Lenovo uses, you need to be running a factory install and use Magic Bean Keyfinder to get it (as shown in the instructions). If you do all of this correctly then you shouldn't even need to use the Microsoft Activation process.

Read the very last Note at the bottom of that step 10. It is NOT necessary to expose, and remove the hidden partition before doing a fresh installation. HOWEVER, please note that this entire set of instructions is predicated on your reinstalling the same version of Windows as was originally put on the Thinkpad.... XP. If you are going to install Vista instead, it is likely that nothing you read in these instructions will have validity for your situation.

Good luck.

ok I have solved my problem mentioned above.

Well in the safe mode I noticed that only one processor was recognized as Intel Core 2 Duo, the second was "Intel Pentium".
I found this article on the microsoft tech support:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/896256/en-us
The hotfix (KB896256) which is available in this article is a solution to this "reboot problem"

Just a quick note in response to the above post a week ago from me. The installation went extremely smoothly. I used the unattend.txt key with no problem. After installation, I went to Windows update for all the new stuff, and no problem. Recognized me just fine, apparently.

Again, my thanks to the devloper of the process to do this!

Did you just apply this patch in safe mode and Windows worked? Maybe the patch could be slipstreamed into the Windows install using nLite? If I get the chance I may just give that a try since my ultimate goal was to use the original I386 folder to make my install CD.

Yes, I have just applied it in a safe mode. It will also work when you slipstream it into the windows.

Nice work, I have come up with instructions for making the CD using nLite and slipstreaming the patch in. I'm hopefully going to give the new CD I made a try this weekend. I'll report back once I know for sure that the slipstreaming worked, but I'm betting it will all go smoothly. It's funny because at the time I had this problem, the patch hadn't even been released yet. There must be something about the Lenovo install that causes this to be a problem when a normal Windows install works just fine...

I have my guide posted below:
http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.php?t=38187

Hey tokyo_x40,

I made an ISO image using the suggested tool and burnt it (the ISO image and the cdroot folder created) to a DVD.

However, when I try to reinstall WXP using the boot DVD it doesn't read (I changed the order of booting). Do you have any ideas why it didn't boot from the CD?

Thanks

Perhaps you made the same mistake I did in trying to create a bootable CD from an ISO image (I was trying to make a bootable firmware update CD in this case). In Nero 6 I chose: Data > Make Bootable Disc. That was the wrong choice. For the CD to boot, I had to choose instead: Copy and Backup > Burn Image to Disc. HTH

Thanks it works now

I know I'm missing something here but what is the sense of all this when one of the steps requires you to purchase a copy of windows??

It doesn't. Where do you see that? I am not going to read all of this again to find it.

FYI, there are different ways to do this. The OP of this thread outlined a method that does not require one to purchase a copy of Windows. The disc is made from the files already existing on the ThinkPad that has a copy of Windows installed. The OP and others wish to have a clean copy Windows installed without the IBM/Lenovo add-ons (except for necessary drivers).