IBM Thinkpad ultraportable X30/X31/32 owner's club
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Argh. I got back from holiday yesterday and turned on my X31, which launched into XP and then crashed into a blue screen, saying user32.dll is missing. I'm guessing it was ravaged by a virus while I was away. Does anybody know how to get into the hidden IBM partition and do a clean install?
It won't let me get that far. The Xp loading page comes up, then a blue screen saying user32.dll is missing, then back to the bios
the first thing I would do is look at(= replace) yer CMOS battery tbh.
Not sure that's the problem tho - the clock and date still work. I think something has fked up my XP installation... which is annoying as it's actually legal!
editor
hiraethified
Try this: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/142676It won't let me get that far. The Xp loading page comes up, then a blue screen saying user32.dll is missing, then back to the bios
Nope - there's a bit where you can alter the partition@s security level (whether it can be seen or altered) but nothing about booting into it.
I've got a feeling I might have accidentally deleted the partition when I upgraded the hard drive, because I didn't change the security rating before ghosting the drive. That'd explain why it's no longer there
Will ring up Lenovo and ask them to ship out the CDs...Set the BIOS to Boot from the Z: drive...?
I don't have a Thinkpad/IBM machine to hand but I have seen them before...iyswim
I'll drop out... but to say I would also ask for a set of discs if the box was mine.
Ah - will give that a try. I'm away for the weekend so will have another crack at it on Sunday afternoon, when I'll be hung over instead of jet lagged. Thanks!
I'll drop out... but to say I would also ask for a set of discs if the box was mine.
Yep am going to do this too. The machine's a bit dated but I replaced the hdd and battery about a year ago, so it'd be a shame just to chuck it away. I reckon it's got a few year's life left in it, and it's very good for train journeys etc.
Yeah - I can't afford to buy a new one... if Windows is beyond repair I'll try and get Ubuntu working on it instead... I only use it for internets, openoffice and watching iplayer, which I think Ubuntu will be able to cope with.
Pressing the (sometimes blue) 'ThinkPad' ('ThinkVantage' on later models) after booting usually does it on an original install.
Sometimes people re-partition and use the whole disk, wiping the hidden partition, so it may not be there depending on your machines history.
Be prepared for hours of windows updates to download if you reinstall using this method - it might be quicker to reinstall from a standard (but more recent) XP cd if you can find one. The drivers are easy to download from the ibm/lenovo support site - just seach for the part number eg 2884-XXX found on the bottom of your machine.
HTH
Edit: The 'ThinkPad' button is the one at the top of the keyboard, next to the volume controls.
Ah ok, looks like I really have wiped it off then
I'll ask Lenovo to send over the cds. Thanks
Biglittlefish
Active Member
Hmm. The price of x30 rigth up to x41 seems to have dropped a fair bit since this tread started. X41s are going for as cheap as 155. Seems like a good time to buy.
Since XP is buggered and I'm waiting for the recovery CDs to come through, I thought I'd try and download the Windows 7 beta and stick it on the X31 - and it works!
It's just as quick as XP but looks much more snazzy. Boots in about the same time as XP and comes back from standby as quickly too.
So, it looks like the X31 has got a good few years life, even if XP becomes obsolete.
Update: can't get wifi working
It's just as quick as XP but looks much more snazzy. Boots in about the same time as XP and comes back from standby as quickly too.
So, it looks like the X31 has got a good few years life, even if XP becomes obsolete.
Update: can't get wifi working
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