Laptop/Windows help

[Passacaglia]

Okay, here's the situation:

A while back, lurker and I purchased a laptop from overstock.com, a ThinkPad T22. The machine came installed with Windows 98 SE, but since I had a copy of Windows XP, I installed that over Windows 98, mainly because XP was supposed to be 'better' and because I have a copy of Office XP, and figured that the only way I could get essential things like Word and Excel was to have Windows XP installed.

So after I installed Windows XP, there have been a few small problems. WIth Windows 98 SE, the computer played DVDs, although now, when I put in a DVD, Media Player opens up and says that there is no DVD decoder. Also, when the screen changes drastically (for example, when I'm playing FOF, and page down the roster list, so that the entire roster window changes at once), the game pauses for a while, and my music stops and gets crackly, until the screen stops changing for a while (this happens whether I use Media Player, Music Match, or WinAmp to play music.

So I've been thinking about trying to go back to Windows 98 SE, but when I called overstock, they said they didn't have the CD. However, there's a product key sticker stuck to the bottom of the computer, so couldn't I "borrow" a CD, and use my product key to re-install Windows 98 SE? Or is there some easier way to fix the problems I have now, with Windows XP?

[yabanci]

do you have the full edition of XP or only the upgrade? If it's the full edition, the best thing to do is wipe the drive and do a clean install of XP. If I were you I would go back to Win98 only as a last resort. You might want to first try updating your video/audio/dvd drivers. It sounds more like a driver problem than an operating system problem.

[Franklinnoble]

Go to IBM.com and find the WinXP drivers for your model laptop. They should have the DVD decoder software available there for you... sounds like you also need an updated video driver.

Re-installing 98SE won't necessarily fix the problem... unless you have the factory restore cd that includes all the IBM drivers and software. Was the laptop used when you bought it? I'm surprised that CD wasn't included.

[MacroGuru]

For the IBM ThinkPads you will need to install the drivers for a lot of the stuff after installing XP.

As for the DVD, IBM does have their DVD Decoder available there for you as well.

[Passacaglia]

Thanks for the help. I went to www.ibm.com and downloaded the "video" drivers, but it still seems like the problem with the music is happening. Should I download *all* the drivers? There are several categories: BIOS, Audio, CD-ROM, Diagnostics, Dock, Modem, Mouse/TrackPoint, Multimedia, Networking, Options, PC Card/PCMCIA, Power management, Software, System Utilities, Video, Windows INF Supplement. Like I said, I downloaded the video driver, and I looked at audio but for T20, T21, and T22, with Windows XP, it just said it was included with the operating system.

[Franklinnoble]

Originally Posted by Passacaglia

Thanks for the help. I went to www.ibm.com and downloaded the "video" drivers, but it still seems like the problem with the music is happening. Should I download *all* the drivers? There are several categories: BIOS, Audio, CD-ROM, Diagnostics, Dock, Modem, Mouse/TrackPoint, Multimedia, Networking, Options, PC Card/PCMCIA, Power management, Software, System Utilities, Video, Windows INF Supplement. Like I said, I downloaded the video driver, and I looked at audio but for T20, T21, and T22, with Windows XP, it just said it was included with the operating system.

It's a pain, but, yeah, download and install all the drivers for your model. That's the best way to ensure OS stability.

[Passacaglia]

I'm in the process of downloading the drivers now, and when I got to the multimedia one, which is likely the one I need for the DVD decoder (right?) I got this message while trying to install.

The following components are required for DVDExpress, and are not installed.
Please install these components, then reinstall DVDExpress:


No previous version of DVDExpress detected.

Is it saying a previous version needs to be installed before I can install this version?

[wishbone]

The sticker is usually your certificate of authenticity/proof of license whatever. You should be able to install 98se if you want to. The CD is not that important, it's the certificate of authenticity that matters.

[Draft Dodger]

just for future reference, Office XP runs just fine on Windows 98.

[Passacaglia]

Thanks. Anyone have any advice on how I can install the DVD driver for XP?

[MizzouRah]

From the windows website:

Upgrading to Windows XP? Contact your DVD Decoder Vendor on update availability.
If you are upgrading your PC from a previous version of Windows, be sure to check with your DVD Software manufacturer for a driver update. Most manufacturers will provide one at no cost. The update to your existing DVD decoder and software will enable playback in Windows XP, and enable DVD playback in Windows Media Player.


Check IBM.com again for an updated decoder software or browse the forums to see if anyone else has had your same problem.


Todd