Compaq Laptop 2176RS

[Daeron Tinúviel]

hi guys i want to reformat this laptop to make a clean install of XP without using the recovery cd's that the machine has.....my question is that is there any problem with that? can i do a clean installl of Xp the way i do with any desktop pc or do i need to make any special considerations, etc

 

[Admiral Michael]

Nope, I did just that the other day actually. It works like a regular CPU. I had XP Home and wanted Pro, also I was having some system probs. Theres no special condiserations to be made. Just make sure you have your laptop's drivers, look on Compaq's site.

BTW, I have a Compq Presario 2100 (2180CA) Laptop. Specs are in my sig.

 

[Daeron Tinúviel]

thanks Admiral!!!!!

 

[Daeron Tinúviel]

how about chipset drivers?

 

[PseudoKiller]

wohaa there skippy... there might be drivers or certain software specific to your machine. You will have to use some of the recovery cd. After I formatted my Compaq laptop I install XP Pro and copied the software section of the recovery cd. From that I installed the touch pad software and SD Media reader software and a few other things. If you really want to do it the right way FIRST go to Compaq's website and hunt down you laptop model in their support section and look for all the updated software they have for your system and d/l it to a directory. Keep both the software form the recovery cd and stuff you d/l separate. Go thru them and plan out what you might need. Burn them to a cd b4 you start the format. It can help avoid problems later. Not a good move to just format wiht no prep work. IMO

 

[Daeron Tinúviel]

wohaa there skippy... there might be drivers or certain software specific to your machine. You will have to use some of the recovery cd. After I formatted my Compaq laptop I install XP Pro and copied the software section of the recovery cd. From that I installed the touch pad software and SD Media reader software and a few other things. If you really want to do it the right way FIRST go to Compaq's website and hunt down you laptop model in their support section and look for all the updated software they have for your system and d/l it to a directory. Keep both the software form the recovery cd and stuff you d/l separate. Go thru them and plan out what you might need. Burn them to a cd b4 you start the format. It can help avoid problems later. Not a good move to just format wiht no prep work. IMO

yeah thats why i'm askin for help here i have made a lot of reformats on desktops but none in laptops........i already go to compaq site and hunt for all the drivers: audio,video,modem,lan,input devices........

but how do i get whats is inside the recovery cd's?

 

[PseudoKiller]

put the cd in the cd rom drive....

 

[Daeron Tinúviel]

put the cd in the cd rom drive....

LOL

yeah i know but if i do that the process of recovering stars, i mean it try to reformat the drive again i just wanna extract whats inside if it is possible

 

[PseudoKiller]

you've already started the reformat?? If so then when your done installing the OS just pop the cd in the drive and snag the software directory or whatever it is called

 

[Daeron Tinúviel]

ok i see....and no i havent started yet i'm backin up stuff to my external HD

 

[Admiral Michael]

My recovery oprion spans 6 cds, besides the first time I used restore it made a folder on my root with all the software needed so I just copied that, burned it to a cd as well as the updated drivers off compaq's site.

And PseudoKiller, I agree, its not a good idea to format without doing prep work.

 

[Daeron Tinúviel]

ok let me chekck if i have that folder too

 

[Daeron Tinúviel]

My recovery oprion spans 6 cds, besides the first time I used restore it made a folder on my root with all the software needed so I just copied that, burned it to a cd as well as the updated drivers off compaq's site.

And PseudoKiller, I agree, its not a good idea to format without doing prep work.

thanks guys a really big thanks

i check the root and yes there it was the folder with all the crap i was lookin for nice tip admiral i dint think of that a gbig thanks!!!

and thansk to rest of you that gave any input if i was near u guys i will invite you to a coldddd beerrrrr!!! thanlks

 

[Daeron Tinúviel]

guys found something really weird

i use the this utility that is around the net to see what is my XP Key of the laptop, i use it an write the serial, next i get my lisence copy of xp home that comes with the laptop and the cdkey is totally different to the the one that the program says......whats wrong?

could be that the xp in the recovery cd is diferent than the full copy of XP??

 

[Admiral Michael]

Not sure myself, my cdkey os on the bottom of my laptop, Compaq also incleded a XP Home CD in the package for ppl who want to install fresh. However I used this key for both the recovery and fresh and its the same.

 

[Daeron Tinúviel]

well currently i'm installing xp, lets see whats happen but its weird cause the key finder never fails indentifying the key, but surely its weird

 

[Daeron Tinúviel]

ok the key under the laptop is the one that works.....by the way when i use the recovery cd's it never ask me for a serial

 

[Admiral Michael]

hmm, Ive only recovered once, maybe it didnt ask for the cdkey.

 

[Daeron Tinúviel]

one more issue now

it says my cpu is an athlon XP2200(M) which is correct but it says it runs only at 1.32ghz when in fact it is a 1.8ghz.....any ideas?

 

[Admiral Michael]

It may be processor stepping. See Here:

http://www.dslreports.com/faq/5635