lenovo 300 n100 - bad xp install

Hello. Strange question here:

Someone, somehow managed to install the wrong copy of XP on a Lenovo laptop. Nothing is working right on it.

Anyone know what keys and what to do, to access DOS on this old system, so that I can format it and install all of the drivers?

I can not access DOS from startup, I am lost on what to try next. Have tried boot disks, you name it, I can not access what I need to to format.

Tried installing missing drivers, that did not work either.

any help or ideas would be appreciated, thanks.

 

I am not completely sure what you mean by "DOS". I am assuming that you are talking about the BIOS. Is that correct?

 

To access the BIOS, repeatedly tap both "DEL" or "F2" keys as soon as the PC starts up - F2 or DEL are usually the keys that access the BIOS setup.

Do not change BIOS settings unless you're sure of what you're doing - if in doubt, go to the final screen and choose "load defaults".

If resetting the defaults doesn't solve the problem, remove/disconnect the hard drive and (without the drive installed) try booting DOS or Linux off a CD or USB drive. If it boots, the issue is likely a defective hard drive (yes, a defective hard drive can sometimes screw up booting off a CD or USB - rare, but true).

One more note: If attempting to downgrade from OEM Win 7 or Vista to XP, I have seen Lenovo models that will not accept an XP install due to unchangeable restore settings in the BIOS.

Hope this helps.

 

thanks for the info. I can access the bios, but I can not change any values in it. Neither the bios or windows are correctly accepting commands from the keyboard (have tried the laptop's as well as a wireless).

When i hit f8 to bring up the screen where i can choose safe mode, command prompt, etc. only thing that happens is windows boots.

will try a live linux cd though. perhaps i can find out the problem with that. thank you.

any more ideas, let me know. i'm racking my brain with this mess.

 

If windows is running try downloading the PC doctor for Windows or the Lenovo toolkit software from here and see if you can run a diagnostic on the hardware--specifically the keyboard. I believe the Toolkit software is "the next generation" of PC Doctor.

Here is a troubleshooting manual that gives steps for using PC Doctor: http://download.lenovo.com/ibmdl/pub/pc/pccbbs/mobiles_pdf/42x3553_03.pdf

 

I have had laptops ignore keys on the keyboard- replacing keyboard solved it most times. If you use a usb , or, wireless keyboard , it does not always get picked up until windows is loading/loads, unless you have enabled it in the bios..
Check when in windows, if all keys work (in notepad,) this will eliminate the on-board keyboard.

 

This is no such thing as DOS after the Windows 9x series of OS's. As for wrong copy of XP, what are you saying by that?

 

hi. thanks for all the help guys. I have removed the laptop keyboard and am able to use the wireless - even during setup. I will reattach after I am done setting up system. if necessary, i will replace it, as the wireless was behaving weirdly when they were both being used.

by bad install, i mean that someone used the xp cd for a gateway laptop with the key preloaded. the hidden eisa partition on the laptop is running fat32, while xp is loaded as ntfs. i am wondering if this is why i am having all the problems. have tried to install the drivers which i need from a usb, but they are not installing. and yes, i know DOS is gone since 98, but there is still a command prompt from which i can access certain programs and commands. me bad.

i was referred to Puppy Linux (which can be accessed from both dvd/cd and a usb drive. it is only 100mb, but i should be able to access the system and format it from there. This looks like a really cool, easy to use linux distro - especially for older, ailing machines. i will let you know how i fare using it.

here is the link, if anyone wants to check it out.

http://puppylinux.org/main/Overview and Getting Started.htm


thanks for all the help with this, as i have been stumped by this one.

 

Hi there,

If it is the Bios you cant access, I used to have trouble with some units nit being able to detect usb for XP, so in effect when you press F8 the unit hasnt detected the keyboard yet... Even though bizarely when you got to Windows the default keyboard driver was loaded.. so seemingly the kb was ok and not an issue..

You could try an old PS/2 connection Keyboard to access the bios? or for startup options ( it is a small round connection ) if this is an option - no not Playstation k/b

Good luck :wave

 

oops - accidentally posted the same again ( damn copy n paste )
Lol plse ignore this one..where is the delete your own post button again heh

 

Hi. I finally found the Lenovo Care Button - it is the printer button on my model.
I have been able to reinstall a fresh, new copy of xp on top of itself and update it to Service Pack 3.

I have tried to access the lenovo care EISA partition to do a recovery and can not access it. I have also tried to use diskpart to remove it, but diskpart does not list it.

i am using a usb keyboard and mouse. i had to remove the original keyboard because it was unusable. Since doing that I have not been able to access the onboard wireless in any way, because my keyboard does not have a separate function key and pressing f5 alone does not work.

Is there any work around to this?

Also, because of the old keyboard, is there any way to change the "Registered To" in the registry? It is messed up.

Thank you for the help.

 

For wireless options on Lenova laptops, this link should be a ot of help

http://ccit.college.columbia.edu/knowledgebase/article/how-manage-wireless-lenovo-laptops.php

 

I tried this tool, and it works -just change the name in the first box where it shows your windows keys
http://majorgeeks.com/WinGuggle_d5887.html

 

IIt was fn + f5 to accessthe wireless- I forgot to mention, when having problems with keyboards, people forget the on board keyboard (under accessaries) it has helped me a few times, and you only need the mouse to use it.

 

In an earlier post, I gave a fair bit of information on PTEDIT,and Partition Wizard.
It might br worth looking through that to try to find the hidden partition. If neither of those sees it, then I am afraidyou are out of luck, as it has probably been deleted. Uowever, if you study that link, you will see that even a deleted partition can be recovered, but you need a little luck.
http://forums.majorgeeks.com/showthread.php?t=244441

 

thank you baklogic!!! i am now wireless!!! feel a little dumb:-o, but, oh well. you live and learn.

am still working on deleting/seeing the eisa partition though!

 

Ptedit32, and partition wizard should see it- if they do not, I would say it is not there.
If your hard drive is showing less capacity than it should, and it is not a new one- there is usually a bffer (anything in mb) and if it has been checkdisked a few times, what happens is that any faulty sectors are repaired, or, just 'ignored', for want of a better description, and can be a few gb short of full size.Usually a recovery partition is between 5, and 10gb in size, and although it can be useful- todays usb sticks are cheap enough - I would honestly recommend leaving the recovery partition, if it is now running o.k, as if it is not at the end of the hard drive, you may crash completely, and undo all you have done. If you need more storage, a usb stick is a goodplae to keep stuff on, or, a hard drive in a caddy.