Deleting Vista and Installing Windows XP on Lenovo ThinkPad

**Anilrgowda** · 15-Mar-2007, 12:02 AM

Question: I recently purchased a Lenovo "IBM" ThinkPad, model T60, with Windows Vista (Home Premium) preinstalled.

After days of dealing with software and hardware that does not work with Vista, I have decided that I would be better off continuing to work with Windows XP.

My question is how to accomplish that. The ThinkPad comes with a hidden partition from which the factory configuration of the hard drive can be restored; I would like to leave that intact, so that if and when I decide to switch over to Vista, I can. The ThinkPad also has a button that interrupts the boot process to access various recovery tools; I would like not to damage that feature, either.

I ran a bootable CD with PartitionMagic to see if I could reformat the drive on which Vista is installed, but PartitionMagic reported an error that must be related to the recovery-tools feature; because when I had PartitionMagic "correct" the error, to access to the recovery tools I had through a BIOS access screen. And even with the "correction," PartitionMagic couldn't make sense of the partitions on the hard drive. (I have since restored the hard drive to its pre-PartitionMagic configuration.)

I would install Windows XP Home from an available upgrade disk.

I would appreciate guidance to accomplish the OS change.

**Anilrgowda** · 15-Mar-2007, 12:03 AM

The hidden partition from IBM is strange. I have imaged a machine and tried to recreate that partition before but have been unable to do so in a manner that it can be used from the F11 or Thinkvantage button again.

The reason that XP can't see your hard drive during setup is that you need the proper drivers for the sata controller in your machine during windows setup or you need to change the sata controller to compatibility in the bios.

When you boot the machine hit the F1 key then when in the BIOS go to config and hit enter, highlight SATA hit enter then change from AHCI to compatibility mode. This will enable windows XP to see the drive and install. Once you install the correct chipset drivers you can switch this back.

15-Mar-2007, 12:02 AM	#1 (permalink)
Anilrgowda Administrator Posts: 18,720 Join Date: Jan 2006 Rep Power: 10 IM:	Deleting Vista and Installing Windows XP on Lenovo ThinkPad Question: I recently purchased a Lenovo "IBM" ThinkPad, model T60, with Windows Vista (Home Premium) preinstalled. After days of dealing with software and hardware that does not work with Vista, I have decided that I would be better off continuing to work with Windows XP. My question is how to accomplish that. The ThinkPad comes with a hidden partition from which the factory configuration of the hard drive can be restored; I would like to leave that intact, so that if and when I decide to switch over to Vista, I can. The ThinkPad also has a button that interrupts the boot process to access various recovery tools; I would like not to damage that feature, either. I ran a bootable CD with PartitionMagic to see if I could reformat the drive on which Vista is installed, but PartitionMagic reported an error that must be related to the recovery-tools feature; because when I had PartitionMagic "correct" the error, to access to the recovery tools I had through a BIOS access screen. And even with the "correction," PartitionMagic couldn't make sense of the partitions on the hard drive. (I have since restored the hard drive to its pre-PartitionMagic configuration.) I would install Windows XP Home from an available upgrade disk. I would appreciate guidance to accomplish the OS change.

15-Mar-2007, 12:03 AM	#2 (permalink)
Anilrgowda Administrator Posts: 18,720 Join Date: Jan 2006 Rep Power: 10 IM:	Re: Deleting Vista and Installing Windows XP on Lenovo ThinkPad The hidden partition from IBM is strange. I have imaged a machine and tried to recreate that partition before but have been unable to do so in a manner that it can be used from the F11 or Thinkvantage button again. The reason that XP can't see your hard drive during setup is that you need the proper drivers for the sata controller in your machine during windows setup or you need to change the sata controller to compatibility in the bios. When you boot the machine hit the F1 key then when in the BIOS go to config and hit enter, highlight SATA hit enter then change from AHCI to compatibility mode. This will enable windows XP to see the drive and install. Once you install the correct chipset drivers you can switch this back.

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WASALive ! Windows vista	This thread	Refback	15-Mar-2007 02:05 PM

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