Rebuild IBM ThinkPad

I want to rebuild an IBM ThinkPad -- reformatting the drive and completely reinstalling Windows XP Pro (the original OS). What do I need to do to backup and restore any of the IBM services that are needed for this machine?

 

Thanks for that link. There are a lot of drivers there -- I assume all will be wiped out with the disk reformat. Which of these do I need to have available on CD to get the machine working, or can I get it booted and on the Internet and then download the drivers?

This is my first time rebuilding a machine and I found these directions on how to do it http://www.wikihow.com/Rebuild-a-Windows-XP-PC
Do you have a better recommendation for step-by-step instructions?

 

IBM ThinkPad Model T40P
Yes, I have a full copy of the XP OS and not just the recovery disk (although I have that too).
Your reply was fast but mine took a hour to show up?
Thanks for all of the great help.

 

Thanks very much, Pete. I'll get downloading and think I'm good for now. Will let you know if I get stuck later.

 

If you are interested and if you have the original IBM installation, check in the IBM or ThinkVantage listings in Start -> All Programs and look for IBM Rescue and Recovery. You can use it to make a set of backup disks.

If your system came with pre-installed programs like MS Office, a burning program, etc, if you just install with the Win XP CD you will need to find replacements.

I make the backup disks as a safety precaution (I haven't used them as yet).

Matt

 

Great news -- I have the machine rebuilt and everything is working great EXCEPT for one problem. I can't find one driver -- the wireless card appears to be outdated. It is an 11 a/b/g Wireless LAN Mini PCI adapter from Arcadyan Tech Corp (this is a Thinkpad T40p). Windows can't find a driver for it either. I did a web search but all I got is a lot of sites that wanted to sell me a service to update my drivers. I don't know that I trust these sites. Can anyone help?

 

Have you tried the drivers here

If so perhaps this page will help.

 

Yes to the Lenovo site -- this is the driver I tried -- 15 Jun 2007
v4.1.2.156. It didn't work. Thanks for the link to the Arcadyan website but there is nothing there about a driver. Did I miss something?

 

Did you try any of the other drivers?

Unfortunately, IBM/Lenovo, Intel & Arcadyan may not always agree with descriptions for hardware.

Sorry adeler,

My bad, no you never missed anything, I assumed they'd have drivers available for download but I can't find them either.

 

No -- I haven't tried the other drivers. When I tell Windows to look for the right driver, isn't it searching this same database?

I've spent two days rebuilding this PC and am running out of patience, but if you think that downloading all of them is a good idea, I'll give it a shot. It shouldn't be this difficult.

 

Nope, only Vista drivers are available via windows update for that hardware.

You could always ask lenovo for assistance but there's only 5 drivers there. Short of removing the card and ID'ing it physically I don't have any further suggestions. Others may though.

 

If I can make a suggestion, I have found that when re-imaging a laptop, there are usually multiple types of devices installed on any particular model #. I find that by running SIW, it usually will describe the specific devices installed , making finding the correct driver more of an exact science as opposed to trial by error.

 

I'm not sure what SIW is or how to run it, but before I started I ran MSinfo32.exe and printed out the file -- it is 83 pages of details of everything on the computer. So I've got a ton of info about the card. Here's the only line item that doesn't mean anything to me but might to someone else:
PNP Device ID PCI\VEN-168C&DEV_1014&SUBSYS_833117AB&REVE_01\4&39AB5202&0&10f0

 

(wildfire's link)
http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site.wss/document.do?lndocid=MIGR-46258#wireless
See at the top, under Notes:

It should run a hardware identification on your system and offer you the correct drivers.

If you have installed the IBM image, there should be a folder on your C: drive "Drivers ".

Be careful with the IBM installer. When you run the download it says "Where do you want to install the drivers?" When it finishes it talks about the installation being complete, but all it's done is decompress the files. You then need to find the folder with the files in it and run the actual driver installer.

Try to identify the hardware correctly, don't just install all those drivers or you might get a conflict.

This might help you identify the hardware:
http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site.wss/MIGR-49QTT6.html#hp

Matt

 

Hi Matt:
Maybe you're used to newer Thinkpads, but mine does not have ThinkVantage. We don't have any CDs for this machine so any IBM software and drivers need to be acquired from the IBM website. I already downloaded every driver that IBM has listed for the T40P on their website. Everything is working now except for the internal wireless card.
Note that I noticed before the machine was wiped clean that the driver was old -- from 2004. I tried to update it before I cleaned the machine and I got a message saying that the system could not locate a new driver. That was a red flag at the time but I ignored it. My bad. It just seems impossible that this wireless card would be unsupported.
Right now we've got the wireless working with an external wireless card from Linksys that supports N. We still want to get the internal wireless card for G installed. Not sure that the N card will work on a G network.

Thanks for your help.