Thread: Question!!

A friend of mine owns a Acer travelmate 600Ter laptop, He was using Microsoft Windows 2000 for quite a while, Laptop is really slow although it has been set for "best performance mode" in the "advanced" section of "system properties"

System Config: X86 Family 6 Model 8 Stepping 3 processor
AT/AT Compatible
RAM: 130,480 KB (127.42 MB)

Questions:

1) Can i install Windows XP sp2 on this config(Not sure about the minimum config required for windows XP)?

2) Will installing XP enhance performace i.e. will the boot time and execution of programs be quicker?

HELP!!

Originally Posted by danny86

System Config: X86 Family 6 Model 8 Stepping 3 processor
AT/AT Compatible
RAM: 130,480 KB (127.42 MB)

Questions:

1) Can i install Windows XP sp2 on this config(Not sure about the minimum config required for windows XP)?

2) Will installing XP enhance performace i.e. will the boot time and execution of programs be quicker?

HELP!!

1) Yes, of-course.

2) Yes. But, there will be lots of programs that won't work in it.

Min Config for reasonable performance :

128 MB RAM
Pentium 3 , 1 Ghz or better
32 Mb on board graphics

Recommended config for XP

256/512 Mb Ram
Dual Core processor > 1.5 Ghz (Actually by itself Xp runs well on P4 3 Ghz processor, but if you install current generation of programs, its sure to slow down)


As for laptop config, I think the processor is P3, so it should give just the minimal resonable performace.

The good in Upgrading to Xp is that

• its far more stable than 2k.
• all current generation programs are supported.
• Its still updated by M$

Don't expect any increase in speed, however. Any newly installed OS is bound to be fast untill you install additional programs.

You can just lookup everything in the official site itself : Windows XP Professional System Requirements

Actually, it will run smooth without any antivirus or other similar defence systems installed. I had just installed XP Pro in a desktop with a similar configuration, and it worked smoothly even after installing some necessary programs and some games (It was for a little boy ).

Originally Posted by dhaneshv

1) Yes, of-course.

2) Yes. But, there will be lots of programs that won't work in it.

Originally Posted by newprouser

Min Config for reasonable performance :

128 MB RAM
Pentium 3 , 1 Ghz or better
32 Mb on board graphics

Recommended config for XP

256/512 Mb Ram
Dual Core processor > 1.5 Ghz (Actually by itself Xp runs well on P4 3 Ghz processor, but if you install current generation of programs, its sure to slow down)


As for laptop config, I think the processor is P3, so it should give just the minimal resonable performace.

The good in Upgrading to Xp is that

• its far more stable than 2k.
• all current generation programs are supported.
• Its still updated by M$

Don't expect any increase in speed, however. Any newly installed OS is bound to be fast untill you install additional programs.

Originally Posted by dhaneshv

You can just lookup everything in the official site itself : Windows XP Professional System Requirements

Actually, it will run smooth without any antivirus or other similar defence systems installed. I had just installed XP Pro in a desktop with a similar configuration, and it worked smoothly even after installing some necessary programs and some games (It was for a little boy ).

thanx for assuring, i was not sure if XP would run on it, as Windows 2000 is hard to find now, i thought Laptop would become useless till i could i find a copy of 2000. Now i can safely install Xp on the laptop.

Originally Posted by danny86

thanx for assuring, i was not sure if XP would run on it, as Windows 2000 is hard to find now, i thought Laptop would become useless till i could i find a copy of 2000. Now i can safely install Xp on the laptop.

Go On And Rock!!! :thumbup1:

one more thing forgot to ask earlier, as it is an old model, would i be able to find the drivers for this model on the internet?? Where should i look? Which drives are essential?

Originally Posted by danny86

one more thing forgot to ask earlier, as it is an old model, would i be able to find the system drivers for this model on the internet?? Where should i look?

If the system is old, then most probably all the required drivers would be there.

But, if you have any drivers missing for the system in XP, then :

1) If you plan to access internet with it, you can just use Microsoft's own Online Driver Update facility to update the drivers. Anyway, if you plan to use Windows Update, then there is no need to worry about it.

2) If you have not planned to give it access to the internet, just search enter the website of the hardware provider of the laptop (If you don't know it, just search with Google to find it).

Originally Posted by dhaneshv

If the system is old, then most probably all the required drivers would be there.

Another problem poped up , BIOS settings are password protected so i am not able to change the booting order i.e. boot from CD first, i asked my friend about the password, but he doesnt know, he says this laptop was given to him by his cousin who doesnt live in india anymore and therefore he cannot contact the actual owner of the laptop. How can enter BIOS without the password, there must be a way?

Originally Posted by danny86

Another problem poped up , BIOS settings are password protected so i am not able to change the booting order i.e. boot from CD first, i asked my friend about the password, but he doesnt know, he says this laptop was given to him by his cousin who doesnt live in india anymore and therefore he cannot contact the actual owner of the laptop. How can enter BIOS without the password, there must be a way?

Do you mean that the boot order has local disk before CD media?
Usually, by default, the first is floppy, then CD/DVD drive, then Local disk, and then Network.

It would be better if you make sure what's how in the laptop if you have it with you now.

i have it with me now, but i cannot enter the BIOS setting, Laptops first preference to boot is from local drive because i restarted the lappy before putting XP setup CD in the CD-ROM tray, it didn't boot from the CD..

Normally local drive is placed before the CD-ROM cause it reduces the boot time slightly, that's why it must have been set like this on this laptop too.

Originally Posted by danny86

i have it with me now, but i cannot enter the BIOS setting, Laptops first preference to boot is from local drive because i restarted the lappy before putting XP setup CD in the CD-ROM tray, it didn't boot from the CD..

Normally local drive is placed before the CD-ROM cause it reduces the boot time slightly, that's why it must have been set like this on this laptop too.

Do you have any OS installed in it now?
Atleast, I hope that it will be having DOS in it.

yes, windows 2000.. its working fine.. i didnt change/delelte/format anything it is as it was earlier.

What should i do?? Wail till find the BIOS pass. or is there another way to get over this problem??

Please wait. I shall update this thread within minutes.

sure, take your time..:27:

Originally Posted by danny86

sure, take your time..:27:

Somehow, I was able to set it up. This post was not like this. I just edited this.

I was not able to set it up early and was feeling sad when it worked.

Please see this to have XP in your laptop : Step-by-Step: Upgrading Windows NT/2000 to Windows XP

Boot device can be selected during boot if BIOS supports it.

For my system its F10...

it can be any of the function keys F1-12 or Esc or Del

Originally Posted by newprouser

Boot device can be selected during boot if BIOS supports it.

For my system its F10...

it can be any of the function keys F1-12 or Esc or Del

Originally Posted by danny86

Another problem poped up , BIOS settings are password protected so i am not able to change the booting order i.e. boot from CD first, i asked my friend about the password, but he doesnt know, he says this laptop was given to him by his cousin who doesnt live in india anymore and therefore he cannot contact the actual owner of the laptop. How can enter BIOS without the password, there must be a way?

U don't have to enter bios at all... It appears as soon as u enter the particular key

I think you are right. I'm not much good in these things. But, the thing I told will also do for him.

I use HP desktop system at my home, i use XP sp2 and F8 is the key from which i can select the boot device without entering the BIOS. but i think this
feature of selectining the boot device is not there on older OS's like windows 2000, which is currently installed on the laptop, Or if it is a machine feature then also there is no such option during the booting process

Originally Posted by danny86

I have HP desktop at my home, i use XP sp2 and F8 is the key from which i can select the boot device without entering the BIOS. but i think this
feature of selectining the boot device is not there on older OS's like windows 2000, which is currently installed on the laptop, Or if it is a machine feature then also there is no such option during the booting process

It is a machine feature.

First its a hardware feature.. OS independant
next its key is not necessarily mentioned in BIOS screen.

so trial and error is way 2 go...

Didn't you check the link that I gave you in this post (Question!!).
That would surely help you out.

during the boot time on my desk computer, i can see the option of "F8 to view/change the boot device", on the laptop there is no such option.