IBM Thinkpad
Melvin Toy
I finally received an IBM ThinkPad that I ordered 4 weeks ago and now
I'm returning it. It came pre installed with MS XP Professional. I
didn't want XP in the first but IBM says I had no choice. Well I figure
since it had a 60 GB drive, I'd do a dual boot. Well I finally got my
notebook and I discover no XP cd. Tech support says all IBM systems do
not come with installation cd. There is a 2 GB recovery image on the
hard drive. I asked for a installation cd since I paid for XP which I
didn't want in the first place or credit me for the cost of XP. I waited
another 1 to 2 weeks for a IBM representative for an answer. IBM
couldn't do either for me. If I want to install Linux I would have to
wipe out XP or buy Partition Magic. Both suggestions are unacceptable to
me so I'm returning everything. I'm not wiping out an os that cost me
$200 to $300 that I didn't want in the first place and I'm not buying a
third party software when it shouldn't be necessary.
I vaguely remember a few years back that people were asking for refunds
for pre install Windows on notebooks and desktops. Can this still be
done? I would like to keep it because it is nice notebook.
Thanks,
Melvin
nob...@nowhere.com
: Hello-
: I finally received an IBM ThinkPad that I ordered 4 weeks ago and now
: I'm returning it. It came pre installed with MS XP Professional. I
: didn't want XP in the first but IBM says I had no choice. Well I figure
: since it had a 60 GB drive, I'd do a dual boot. Well I finally got my
: notebook and I discover no XP cd. Tech support says all IBM systems do
yep -that's pretty std these days for many vendors. Saves a few bucks.
I only buy PC's which have full retail OS installed and have disks-
no OEM or "no CD" nonsense.
: not come with installation cd. There is a 2 GB recovery image on the
: hard drive. I asked for a installation cd since I paid for XP which I
: didn't want in the first place or credit me for the cost of XP. I waited
: another 1 to 2 weeks for a IBM representative for an answer. IBM
: couldn't do either for me. If I want to install Linux I would have to
: wipe out XP or buy Partition Magic. Both suggestions are unacceptable to
: me so I'm returning everything. I'm not wiping out an os that cost me
: $200 to $300 that I didn't want in the first place and I'm not buying a
The OEM cost for XP is _way_ less than that (think 2 digits).
Is there any reason you can't simply copy the recovery image
to CD or whatnot and then put it back in place if you need to go back to
Windows? Or for that matter copy it off, then put the image back in place
to create your dual boot?
: third party software when it shouldn't be necessary.
then find a different vendor.
Stan
--
Stan Bischof ("stan" at the below domain)
www.worldbadminton.com
Stefan Patric
> I finally received an IBM ThinkPad that I ordered 4 weeks ago and
> now I'm returning it. It came pre installed with MS XP Professional.
> I didn't want XP in the first but IBM says I had no choice. Well I
> figure since it had a 60 GB drive, I'd do a dual boot. Well I
> [snip]
Try ordering it WITHOUT a hard drive--with a credit for no drive, no
OS, of course--and then install your own HD and OS.
This "policy" of not selling a notebook (or desktop) without having
Windows installed is one of the reasons Microsoft got charged, tried
and convicted for Antitrust violations in the first place. Of
course, nothing has changed. Microsoft is still the tyrant it has
always been and we, the computer users, are its victims.
--
Stefan Patric
too...@yahoo.com
Cecil Rhodes
Salvador Fandiño García
Melvin Toy wrote:
> Well I finally got my notebook and I discover no XP cd.
not even recovery CD?, my TP has one although it was last year when I
bought it.
Anyway, look for your Win XP license SN that should be attached to the
back of the laptop, then obtain a copy of windows XP on CD from any
other place, and use it with your SN (I did it for Windows ME).
I think that is even legal!
Bye,
- Salva
Nikolay Zhuravlev
> Hello-
>
> I finally received an IBM ThinkPad that I ordered 4 weeks ago and now
> I'm returning it. It came pre installed with MS XP Professional. I
> didn't want XP in the first but IBM says I had no choice. Well I figure
We feel your pain, Melvin ;)
> since it had a 60 GB drive, I'd do a dual boot. Well I finally got my
Well, with 60 gigs you can surely forget about your pride (and lost money)
and just do a dual boot. Microsoft is a monopoly. IBM is making some
very good notebooks. So if I were you I would just keep the laptop
and whatever they have installed on it just in case, install linux
as your default OS and forget about it.
> I vaguely remember a few years back that people were asking for refunds
> for pre install Windows on notebooks and desktops. Can this still be
> done?
Did they succeed ? I doubt.
In the long run, though, I would not rely on Microsoft products.
If they screw you the very first time you deal with them, they are
likely to screw you again and again.
So, happy dual booting.
nick
Raphael
does IBM still have the volume control in hardware, or it now like other
ones that you need to install software to control the volume.
That one of the things I loved about my TB 600, I could mute the volume
before BIOS has even done it's beep.
Djtim
-=> Quoting =?iso-8859-1?q?salvador_f to Comp.os.linux.misc,comp.o <=-
=?>
=?> Melvin Toy wrote:
> Well I finally got my notebook and I discover no XP cd.
=?> not even recovery CD?, my TP has one although it was last year when I
=?> bought it.
Speaking of IBM Thinkpads. I've had mine laying around forever. I fux0rd it up
somehow by disconnecting the HD Driver in windows or something.
When ever i boot it up, it displays a blinking floppy with an arrow pointing
at the F1 key. So obviously it's asking for a bootup floopy and for you to hit
F1 after inserting it.
Thing is, there is no floppy on the laptop.. just a DVD cdrom.
I looked up info on the net and realized that because i bought it used i didnt
get this "Docking bay" that has extra battery life (my batt is fried,down
with lithum batteries) and a floppy drive. Along with an optional CDR drive
if you install it.
I dont have a 'cockin' gay'. Does anyone in the Southern Cali hempisphere have
one i can use for 5 secs? or is there some 1337 way around this so i can boot
from my CDrom?
Thanks for listening!
/mit
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CTE
With Windows Product Activation, I'm not sure this will work.
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> I had an older TB 600 laptop,
>
> does IBM still have the volume control in hardware, or it now like other
> ones that you need to install software to control the volume.
>
> That one of the things I loved about my TB 600, I could mute the volume
> before BIOS has even done it's beep.
>
> Melvin Toy wrote:
>
>
I have a really old toshiba that has this feature.
Salvador Fandiño García
> With Windows Product Activation, I'm not sure this will work.
Laptops come with XP installed but not active, you have to activate it
yourself. And I think that activation registers your license with some
physical data from the computer, but you can activate XP several times
as long as you use the same license/hardware combination (I upgraded the
HD of my TP and had to reinstall XP, and the online activation run
without any problem again).
If you are not sure, ask MS!. Even if they are evil they use to be
pollite and help their customers.
Bye,
- Salva
Doug Holtz
"Melvin Toy" <mw...@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:3E41925E...@yahoo.com...
Just try and get OS/2 installed from IBM :)
Doug
Toby Haynes
> I had an older TB 600 laptop,
>
> does IBM still have the volume control in hardware, or it now like other ones
> that you need to install software to control the volume.
>
> That one of the things I loved about my TB 600, I could mute the volume
> before BIOS has even done it's beep.
My A31p thinkpad has hardware volume up/down/mute and that's a pretty new model
:-)
Cheersm
Toby Haynes
--
Toby Haynes
The views and opinions expressed in this message are my own, and do
not necessarily reflect those of IBM Canada.
Ed Skinner
have been able to get one. Return the notebook and tell them why you are
doing so.
In practical terms, finding a notebook that comes without a
Microsoft operating system pre-installed is difficult. A very small
number of vendors offer notebooks this way. Do a search for "Linux
notebook" at google.com and follow the leads -- note that you will have
to read carefully and divide the results into three categories:
1) Vendors would mention Linux along with their Notebooks but who
include Microsoft OSs on their products regardless of your preference,
2) Vendors who will install Linx in a dual-boot (or VMWare)
configuration along with a Microsoft OS (and based on your experience it
is worth asking if the Microsoft product is included on a CDROM or not),
and
3) Vendors who sell notebooks "bare" or with some Linux distribution
pre-installed [I guess you could make this categories 3 and 4 if you were
so inclined].
Category #1 is, obviously, the easiest to find. That is also where
price competition is the most intense. You'll find good prices and fast
turn-over of models.
Category #2 is rare, but does exist. You'll still be paying for a
Microsoft license for which, experience has shown, a refund is difficult
if not impossible.
Category #3 is even rarer but, again, vendors do exist. This is also
the lowest volume category. As such, prices won't be as competitive.
If your goal is lowest price, you may find that paying for a
Microsoft license may be the most economical way to go. Sad but true.
But if you're willing to possibly pay a little more and spend that
extra money to thumb your nose at Microsoft, finding a notebook in
category #3 is possible. Use google.com and be methodical in your search.
Good luck!
In article <3E41925E...@yahoo.com>, "Melvin Toy" <mw...@yahoo.com>
wrote: