Just bought an old dell Latitude CPt laptop Model PPX with a massive 128mb of ram A few questions....

Its got windows 98 on at the moment and the laptop does not have a cd rom drive just a floppy drive...however it does have 1 usb port and as i dont have access to an external cd rom drive how can i install windows xp home edition. Can i make an image file of the xp disc onto a usb pen drive and am i likley to run into problems with drivers etc or will XP pick them up.

Also what RAM will this have as i would like to upgrade it a little

I have just got it for surfing the net and not really going to use it for heavy stuff, finally is there anyway i can find out the full specs as i have googled but cant get the info - I am picking this beast up tomorrow but as long as it does the odd email and surfing it will be ok.

Cheers for any help on this guys.

Installing XP on that would be a mistake, I suggest Windows 2000. I doubt massively that it'll boot from a USB stick so you're probably going to need an external CD ROM drive.

Installing XP on that would be a mistake, I suggest Windows 2000.

Why would XP be a mistake is it because of the drivers etc

I have run XP on less but it was quite painfull.

If you can get an Xbox 360 HDD drive as they make excelent external DVD/CD rom drives,

Why would XP be a mistake is it because of the drivers etc

It will run like a dog on a machine like that.

Win 2k on that unless you've got a decent CPU and a serious RAM upgrade (512MB or more)

As for booting, if the machine can't boot from US then you'll need to find the correct add on CD drive.

Win 2k on that unless you've got a decent CPU and a serious RAM upgrade (512MB or more.

I am intending on beefing up the ram not even sure what the cpu is lol till i get it tomorrow.

All its for is surfing the net...so where can i get windows 2k from

Thanks guys.

I may have a cd-rom drive kicking you can have. I'll have a gander, see if I can find it

Installing XP on that would be a mistake, I suggest Windows 2000. I doubt massively that it'll boot from a USB stick so you're probably going to need an external CD ROM drive.

What he said.

Add a bit more memory and it'll be much better with 2k than xp

It is possible to boot a network floppy and install from another machine's cdrom, but it would be much easier to borrow an external cdrom. Basically, if you have to ask, it's too fiddly

To repeat what others have said- use Win2k- or consider linux. Get some memory too.

XP will be horrible with <512M of ram.

I might just have a CD drive for one of those! Is the current floppy drive in a module bay? i.e. can you remove it?

Has it got a Service Tag sticker on the underside? If not, look in the BIOS - that should get all the info you need on it, from the Dell site - and access to the correct drivers too.

The System Information screen within BIOS should give you a decent run down of spec anyway.

For RAM, have a look at the configurator at RAM Memory Upgrade: Dell, Mac, Apple, HP, Compaq. USB drives, flash cards, SSD at Crucial.com - by putting in the make and model it should tell you what you need. Post back with that info, as I might have some old stuff you can have

Steve

Has it got a Service Tag sticker on the underside? If not, look in the BIOS - that should get all the info you need on it, from the Dell site - and access to the correct drivers too.

Thanks - I have looked underneath and the service tag is as follows...

Tagi3liz express service code is: 304-009-55

Memory is PC100 and has 1 dimm installed this is whats on the dimm...

128Mb 100Mhz cl2 - PC 100-222-620

MT8LSDT1664HG-10EB1

US - 0003AAP1A.014

Tried to plug in my usb pen drive and it would not recognise so i even have to find a way round this.

Wish i never got it now lol

Get hold of another 128meg dimm for it for free from some friendly IT bod. I've almost certainly got one kicking around you can have. Try and get hold of the cd rom drive for it if you can (I might have one of these too, I'll have a look), it will make your life so much easier, then make a stripped out XP SP3 using nlite with all the services you'll never use disabled to save memory. Bear in mind when you're trying to get bits for this laptop it's essentially just the same as an Inspiron 3700/3800.

BTW, my top tip for a great 2nd hand web surfing etc laptop is a Thinkpad X30. I got my dad one for his birthday. Very compact, lightweight and surprisingly nippy with 384meg in them. More reliable than the later X31s too.

Edited 24 August, 200916 yr by wega3k

Ok I found my old cd drive. If you can post a pic up of your lappy I'll be able to tell if it'll fit.

It would run well with Linux.

If you are thinking about W2k I'd still suggest as much RAM as you can get into it. 2k likes memory.

I'm pretty sure that machine can take 2x256mb if it's like the ones I remember, and if so it's probably also a 266 frontside bus so you can get the benefit of bunging PC133 in instead of PC100

I think it'll be 100mhz fsb with a 4.5 / 5.0 multiplier, but 2 x 256MB PC100 or PC133 sodimms will work.

W2k ran along quite nicely on 384Mb, if memory serves. But 2x256Mb in there would do nicely.

How much did you pay for this thing anyway?

Steve

How much did you pay for this thing anyway?

Steve

I bought it for £20 but have bought a wireless pcmcia card for it which was £10 so £30 upto now.

I cant get the bloody thing to recognise the usb memory stick i have so the cdrom would come in handy.

Just need a pic of the bay where the floppy drive is then we'll know if either mine or Wardy's fits,

Do other USB devices e.g. a mouse work with it mate? I know the USB ports on these are prone to failure.

Does the floppy drive you've got in it look like this?

If so, then you can have my drive

Does the floppy drive you've got in it look like this?

Thats the one - the usb port seems to pick whatever is stuck into it and windows asks for the drivers and this is where i cant get them to work. But that is what the floppy drive looks like.

Why did they not make this with a cd rom:rotz: would of been easier

If so, then you can have my drive

u sure - that would be a great help have i to pm you my details will get that picture up in a min.