Take a look at our
ThinkPads.com HOME PAGE
For those who might want to contribute to the blog, start here: Editors Alley Topic
Then contact Bill with a Private Message

Restoring XP OS on an X41 Tablet

X20/X21, X30/X31, X40/X41 Series
Post Reply
Message
Author
dvallejo530
Posts: 13
Joined: Sun Jul 31, 2011 11:32 pm
Location: Redding, CA

Restoring XP OS on an X41 Tablet

#1 Post by dvallejo530 » Mon Aug 01, 2011 1:18 am

I recently got a great deal on an X41T (Type 1866-6SU) that came without the hard drive, and want to install an XP OS on it. I'm having difficulty finding restore disks for the laptop, but since my intended software applications (including Adobe CS2 Suite) for the Tablet are XP family-friendly and don't play well with Vista (conflicting reports on Windows 7), I want to stick with XP.

Although I may be able to re-construct the OS with an XP disk (retail, not OEM) and Lenovo site downloads, does anyone know if Lenovo still offers recovery disks for this 2005 model? It was my understanding that Lenovo will only offer them (if still available) for units still under warranty (this one isn't).

Also, has anyone had success doing an XP Pro SP2 disk & Lenovo Driver Download install, and achievng full functionality of tablet features?

rkawakami
Admin
Admin
Posts: 10327
Joined: Sun Jun 04, 2006 1:26 am
Location: San Jose, CA 95120 USA
Contact:

Re: Restoring XP OS on an X41 Tablet

#2 Post by rkawakami » Mon Aug 01, 2011 2:28 am

Welcome to thinkpads.com!

I don't believe that Lenovo is still offering X41T restore disks. Your best bet may be to post a WTB (Want To Buy) in the Marketplace.
Ray Kawakami
X22 X24 X31 X41 X41T X60 X60s X61 X61s X200 X200s X300 X301 Z60m Z61t Z61p 560 560Z 600 600E 600X T21 T22 T23 T41 T60p T410 T420 T520 W500 W520 R50 A21p A22p A31 A31p
NOTE: All links to PC-Doctor software hosted by me are dead. Files removed 8/28/12 by manufacturer's demand.

RealBlackStuff
Admin Emeritus
Admin Emeritus
Posts: 23811
Joined: Mon Sep 18, 2006 5:17 am
Location: Loch Garman, Éire

Re: Restoring XP OS on an X41 Tablet

#3 Post by RealBlackStuff » Mon Aug 01, 2011 6:02 am

Check new messages at the top of this page.
Lovely day for a Guinness! (The Real Black Stuff)
Lenovo: X240, X250, T440p, T480, M900 Tiny.

PS: the old Boardroom website is still available on the Wayback Machine
.

dvallejo530
Posts: 13
Joined: Sun Jul 31, 2011 11:32 pm
Location: Redding, CA

Re: Restoring XP OS on an X41 Tablet

#4 Post by dvallejo530 » Sat Aug 06, 2011 3:36 am

rkawakami wrote:Welcome to thinkpads.com!

I don't believe that Lenovo is still offering X41T restore disks. Your best bet may be to post a WTB (Want To Buy) in the Marketplace.
In researching online how to get the best performance from the X41 Tablet, I've come across references to the factory restore image being part of the problem. In an article entitled "How to speed up your Lenovo X41T", the author talks of original IBM X41 utilities and bloatware that, when installed as part of the recovery process, have a profoundly negative affect on system performance.
My thinking here is that maybe installing the original factory image isn't the best way to go.

What do you think of using an OEM XP Pro SP2 disk (with the XP Tablet PC COA key that came with the tablet) and select driver/utility downloads from the Lenovo site as a better approach for installing the XP OS in 2011?

rkawakami
Admin
Admin
Posts: 10327
Joined: Sun Jun 04, 2006 1:26 am
Location: San Jose, CA 95120 USA
Contact:

Re: Restoring XP OS on an X41 Tablet

#5 Post by rkawakami » Sat Aug 06, 2011 10:37 am

I don't believe that you can activate an installation made from an OEM XP disk using the COA on the bottom of the system. Assuming that you could, then yes you could download selected software/drivers from the Lenovo support site. If I were in your position, I'd probably go the opposite direction; perform the system restore using the factory disk but then remove what I don't want.
Ray Kawakami
X22 X24 X31 X41 X41T X60 X60s X61 X61s X200 X200s X300 X301 Z60m Z61t Z61p 560 560Z 600 600E 600X T21 T22 T23 T41 T60p T410 T420 T520 W500 W520 R50 A21p A22p A31 A31p
NOTE: All links to PC-Doctor software hosted by me are dead. Files removed 8/28/12 by manufacturer's demand.

topmahof
Junior Member
Junior Member
Posts: 253
Joined: Mon Jun 28, 2010 8:28 pm
Location: Etters PA
Contact:

Re: Restoring XP OS on an X41 Tablet

#6 Post by topmahof » Sat Aug 06, 2011 10:54 am

x41t restore discs come with a disc called supplemental product recovery cd. This is what puts most of the so-called bloatware in the computer. When it prompts you to insert it, just say no. The install will ask for it at the beginning and at the very end. Not inserting it will give you a fairly clean installation.

Edit: A barebones xp install won't give you tablet features even if you could get it to activate, which won't. Xp tablet os was never offered to the public for sale, only to the mfgrs. So to get the tablet features to work, you have to install the os from Lenovo's restore discs.

Dave
current, T430s, X1C-2nd Gen, Helix 1st Gen, X301, X200T, X61T, X32, X41T, 2-X40s, tc4400, X60 , X61s U-160, Yoga 900, Yoga 910

Post Reply
  • Similar Topics
    Replies
    Views
    Last post

Return to “ThinkPad X20/X30/X40 Series incl. Tablets”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 43 guests