Re: How to reinstall Windowx XP on an IBM Thinkpad A31p laptop PC

From: Pegasus \(MVP\) (I.can_at_fly.com)
Date: 03/29/04 

Date: Mon, 29 Mar 2004 20:54:56 +1000

"Orak Listalavostok" <oraklistal@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:44d113e9.0403290220.57e92696@posting.google.com...
> QUESTION:
> Where am I supposed to obtain the WinXP installation CDROM for my IBM
laptop?
>
> BACKGROUND:
> When I received my first company IBM Thinkpad A31p about a year ago,
> instead of handing it to the IT department to image with the corporate
> standard Windows 2000, I immediately (broke company rules and) formatted
> the two 60 Gbyte disks & installed a dual-boot Win2K/RH Linux 7.3 setup
> myself.
>
> That was a mistake. Why?
>
> Because I lost all the IBM-supplied WinXP drivers when I ran fdisk &
format
> on the original hard disk. But, there was no turning back. One by one,
> over time, I fixed all hardware and driver conflicts on that Win2K
system.
>
> In fact, it was fun finding the drivers & software. I learned a lot.
>
> However, for my next corporate IBM Thinkpad A31p, I didn't make the exact
> same mistake. Instead of handing it to the IT department, I simply left
> the WinXP OS as it came installed & upgraded my user software as needed
> (saving a backup of every installation program as I performed the task).
>
> BUT THERE IS ONE INSTALLATION PROGRAM I AM MISSING. Windows XP.
>
> OS SUMMARY:
> In neither case did my IBM ThinkPad A31p come with a Windows XP CDROM.
> In both cases, there is a Windows XP Product Key on the bottom of the
laptop.
> Each also has a Microsoft Certificate of Authenticity on that sticker.
> In both cases, I can ask my IT department to back up and install WinXP.
> However, I like to do things myself when I can (this should be easy).
>
> CURRENT SITUATION:
> If I wish to reinstall the Windows XP operating system on my newer WinXP
> IBM ThinkPad, I assume I merely need to press F-something (which shows
> every time I reboot). I assume that will reinstall Windows XP wiping out
> all my additions (so I won't do it until/unless I first backup contents).
>
> NOW TO MY QUESTION:
> On my older IBM ThinkPad A31p laptop (which I had reformatted &
> installed Windows 2K/Linux) HOW DO I GET WINDOWS XP ON IT NOW?
>
> That is, where am I supposed to obtain the WinXP installation CDROM?
>
> NOTES:
> I assume I already paid for WINXP in the purchase of the IBM A31p laptop
> since the sticker says so on the bottom.
>
> Q: Where do I legimately obtain the WinXP CDROM for my IBM A31p laptop?
>
> Thank you,
> Orak

This might be a good time to consult your IT department.
They will most certainly have a WinXP CD. They would
also have advised you in the case of your first IBM Thinkpad
that there are several ways of installing multi-booting:

a) The gentle way: Use a partition manager to resize partitions
    on the fly, non-destructively, then add OSs one by one; or

b) The sorched earth method: Wipe everything, then start
    afresh.

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