Reinstall XP on factory refurb ux390

[Argonaut]

Ok... I've spent the last 3 days looking over the web for how to do this.

I've encountered nothing but problems with this process even with the mountain of data I've mined from this site.

FIRST - I followed Sull's instructions on creating the new install image using his install pack and a XP SP2 disk image. I used Sull's instructions to create the .iso, but honestly... I don't know what to do with it. I hoped burning the file to CD and sticking the CD in the external CD drive would somehow make it all work out. Fat chance.

SECOND - I just decided to try to install from XP Pro SP1 disk I have and muddle through upgrading to SP2 and fixing the device driver problems that popped up. Then I found that Vista is very picky about downgrading. I've heard that NEC has a downgrade application, but couldn't actually find the app.

NOW - I'm looking at this very cool device with a very cruddy OS and thinking... what a waste of 1400.00 bucks.

If someone could explain to me EITHER:

1) What to do with the .iso Sull helped me create which I understand fixes all the driver issues simultaneously with installing XP

2) How to just do a fresh XP install with the XP Pro SP1 disk I have

I would be uber grateful!

[Sull86]

Slow down !!!

Let me explain

The .ISO file is a image you need to burn to CD, you can use a program like nero or imgburn to burn this file. Once you have burned the image to CD you then need to boot to the CD..

Booting to CD with UX

under Advanced tab - External Drive boot = Enabled

Under Boot tab - USB Optical Drive has to be first in the list. or i link if that applies...

[Argonaut]

Sull, awesome! Thanks for the reply.

I just managed to find the bios key command for this beast. (Fn-2 for those of you who don't know)

I changed the two bios settings you suggested (USB Optical Drive(*) is option 1), and darned it all if it isn't still booting off it's internal drive.

I'm wondering how much trouble I may cause myself if I set the internal hard disk drive to be excluded from the boot order.

[Argonaut]

Stop the presses... I must have blinked before... there was a little "Press any key to boot from CD" message that comes up for like 2 seconds on bootup. I think I'm good now.

Wish me luck on getting all the right drivers installed.

Sull, thanks for all your hard work, man!

[Argonaut]

hmmm... this refurb unit didn't come with a lot of docs. How do I get an F7-F12 keystroke out of this thing? Function keys seem to stop at 6 if I'm reading the keyboard correctly. I'm trying to agree to the ULA by pressing F8. But Fn-8 doesn't seem to be doing it.

/headscratch

[Sull86]

yes fn + F8 do exist on the keyboard, why exactly do you need to press those ?

[Argonaut]

The ULA on the XP install is requiring that I accept it by pressing F8.

[Argonaut]

nevermind...

[Argonaut]

Hmmmm....

I get part of the way through the install (about 10 minutes in) and the UX stops recognizing my external CD rom drive:
"Setup could not read the CD you inserted, or the CD is not a valid Windows CD."

Then of course it gives me the standard assortment of useless information and tells me to press ENTER to continue or F3 to Quit. Pressing ENTER continuously provides me with the above message, and of course F3 cancels the operation.

Think I'd have better luck booting off a USB solid state drive?

[Benz145]

Originally Posted by Argonaut

Hmmmm....

I get part of the way through the install (about 10 minutes in) and the UX stops recognizing my external CD rom drive:
"Setup could not read the CD you inserted, or the CD is not a valid Windows CD."

Then of course it gives me the standard assortment of useless information and tells me to press ENTER to continue or F3 to Quit. Pressing ENTER continuously provides me with the above message, and of course F3 cancels the operation.

Think I'd have better luck booting off a USB solid state drive?

Sounds like it might be a problem with the ISO you are using, where did you get it, and how did you burn it?