Toshiba laptop format

[KoMoDo]

Hey guys,

my sister is having major probs with her laptop and i think its best to just format it (for example it just freezes, bootup takes a heck of a long time, and she says theres this error when she turns the computer on that the system recovered from a major error or something) it has AVG free which i have on all the computers at home and its all good and spybot, adaware and spywareblaster which she reminds to update and check from time to time..
anyways, its a Satellite A60, i checked toshiba's site and didnt really find it i think they stopped making those now they just have Mxx or something..
i have a win xp pro CD rdy for use but just before that i wanna make sure im rdy to go, meaning i need her build in wireless drivers, maybe sound drivers (although it seems she has the normal AC97 so it prolly comes with win xp) and gfx drivers (ATI mobility radeon7000 igp) and thats about it i think since like the dvd-rom etc will all be identified by win xp's default drivers i think?

Thanks,

KoMoDo

[pc master]

Try the redtore cd that was supplied. when i have issues with my A60-108 the restore cd sorted it out. If you dony have one, you can buy them from toshiba.

[KoMoDo]

1. donnu where they are.. my sis is a mess lol
2. its pointless since ill have all the **** HP and verything back, just want a totally clean install with just the progs I want to install.
3. not gonna buy it lol.

anyone else got any ideas ?:-P

Thanks,

KoMoDo

[pc master]

Then all i can suggest is a fresh xp install or a repair install.

[tempus]

Then all i can suggest is a fresh xp install or a repair install.
I will say to do a clean install with XP Pro as well but it is possible there is a hidden partition with xp on it.

[KoMoDo]

why would i need a hidden partition ? i just wanna start a fresh new compute rwithout all the "stuff" HP dumped in there etc.. basically, i knew this is what i wanted to do, so my main post asks what drivers will i need etc and maybe u can help me i know for example my dad's laptop which is a compaq just has a driver pack i just dld it, after reformat installed it and it was all good.. if not a driver pack then all the drivers needed at least..

KoMoDo

[Jaggannath]

I'd really suggest just install the Win XP for the time being, and the drivers that come with that should do the job

[ROYP123]

Your Satellite A60 was probably shipped with a hidden restore partition that can restore it to how it was shipped. Then if you don't like the bloated programs it came with, you can remove via add/remove in Control Panel.
To verify that you have a hidden partition , look in control panel > administrative tools > computer management> disk management , and see if the hard drive is about 8 gigs less than you thought it would be. If so, you should restore using the restore partition. If you just use a Windows XP disk, you will discover that some drivers are not native to XP. The display will be messed up, etc. Toshiba and lately HP /Compaq are shipping the computers with hidden partitions to restore and no recovery disks.
Here is a link to the Toshiba Satellite A60. They have several in the A60 series. The manual, downloads, etc are here.
HTH
http://www.csd.toshiba.com/cgi-bin/tais/su/su_sc_modelLanding.jsp?ProductMenu_0=Portables&ProductMenu_1=Satellite&ProductMenu_2=713738&BV_SessionID=@@@@1680370857.1129784678@@@@&BV_EngineID=cccdaddfmjehgdhcgfkceghdgngdgnj.0&moid=713738&smoid=true&ct=MH&ListType=Model&x=26&y=8

[Statica]

Toshiba is really good at giving you access to the drivers you need for the OS it shipped with - even if their product is discontinued. Search Toshiba's site <A HREF="http://www.csd.toshiba.com/cgi-bin/tais/su/su_sc_modSel.jsp?BV_SessionID=@@@@0830130649.1129819853@@@@&BV_EngineID=cccfaddfmjehdelcgfkceghdgngdgmm.0" target="_new">here</a> with the exact model number (look below the laptop) and download all the drivers.
I would strongly recommend not installing XP without having all the drivers in hand; a lot of the hardware is really proprietary ..

[thefultonhow]

Just for future reference -- Toshiba does not use a restore partition. They provide a DVD with the laptop that contains the image on it.

[ROYP123]

Here is a link from the Toshiba web site that explains that the Toshiba Satellite A60 DOES use hidden partitions on several models. Regardless- I hope yours does have a hidden partition since your sister lost here backup material. Regards

http://www.csd.toshiba.com/cgi-bin/tais/su/su_askIris.jsp?ProductMenu_1=Satellite&ProductMenu_2=A60-S166%7C713738&QS=hidden+partition&IL=EN&BV_SessionID=@@@@1637910491.1129828862@@@@&BV_EngineID=cccdaddfmjehgdhcgfkceghdgngdgnj.0

[KoMoDo]

i really dont need a backup il just backup whatever she wants just do a clean install and ya thats why i posted here i just need the drivers and everything rdy before starting to install em..
btw ive never did a reformat on a laptop, is it identical to a desktop ? just insert it on bootup and follow the steps ?

KoMoDo

[pc master]

It is not the same as a desktop. Wiht a desktop you can just download the drivers from the manufacturers website. With Laptops you wont find the drivers for everything online. The best i can say would be to ask Toshiba about the issue. They dont always make you buy something. Toshiba have very good customer support(well toshiba U.K anyway).

[thefultonhow]

With Laptops you wont find the drivers for everything online.

I've only really seen this be an issue with Sony laptops. I have never had problems finding drivers on the manufacturers' sites for other laptops.

KoMoDo, there is one thing that you might find useful -- to boot from CD on Toshibas, hold down the C key on startup.

[Statica]

Just download the drivers and utilities from the site and burn it to a CD. and then boot XP from the CD.

[KoMoDo]

ya i guess ill need drivers on CD aswell since for the wireless stuff to work ill need the drivers so i cant put em on my comp's shared folder and then share it :-\

ok.. hopefully i got all i need from the sites u gave me.. thanks all
will do it in a few days my sis is off and i donnu what to backup yet..

KoMoDo

[KoMoDo]

gah, thisll make me look stupid but where can i see the ACTUAL model name ? all i found in the back was that its A60 and then - the price it costed or something.. sorta weird..
any ideas ? ive looked everywhere on the back cant really see anything useful
edit: forgot to ask this, win xp pro obviously comes with usb 2.0 drivers right ? might aswell just copy all the drivers on the external HD since i dont have any blank CD's only dvd's, plus for the moment i have sound(prolly not needed), ethernet(not needed since shes on wireless, good to have though) and 2 wireless drivers (driver and client, not sure i guess ill just install both ?) so pointless to waste even a CD on this :-P

KoMoDo

[Statica]

It should be at the back of your toshiba with a grey on badge that clearly says that its a Toshiba Satellite XYZ system unit followed by a model number. It will also have the entire serial number etc. You shouldnt be able to miss it.
Alternately, if your toshiba came with system utilities like System Information or something of that nature, run it .. it will detail everything you need.

Yes XP comes with USB drivers, but are you confident that it will recognize the USB chipset thats on the laptop? Personally, I would choose a safe option. And it's not a waste of ONE cd or dvd to keep your machines drivers on it as long as you own the machine.

[KoMoDo]

well its my sis' machine :-P
its fine, if it wont work ill burn em its not like its my only comp, im on my own now, its just her laptop thats all..
anyways regarding the exact model, there is a serial number but i dont see the actual model (A60-something)

KoMoDo

[thefultonhow]

anyways regarding the exact model, there is a serial number but i dont see the actual model (A60-something)

It should be A60-Sxxx, where xxx is a three-digit number.

[KoMoDo]

omg nevermind im dumb..
its a A60-S1591
nevermind, it works now..
although the links u guys gave when i click them it brings me back to the main toshiba site and then i cant see if the drivers i already dld will work with this model too (i think they will but gotta make sure)

KoMoDo

[Statica]

Try: http://urlsnip.com/586694

[KoMoDo]

works.. seems like this is for the 1591 one i have no ?
nvm ill just go over these and dl the ones i think will be neede.. i dont need no bios or anything just sound(dont think its needed but will get just in case), video (not there so i hope its not needed) and wireless built-in card...
making this too much of a hassle :-P
edit: btw, will the DVD identify? is that just a DVD-reader upgrade or what ?
Toshiba DVD RAM Driver Software for Windows XP (v3.1.0.0; 07-23-2004; 1.42M)
sure hope so.. wont make much sense if its not an update..

KoMoDo

[Statica]

Ok what page are you reading? Is this the same page that I gave you with urlsnip? attached image? You have to read through the pages that people have been trying to help you with there is an ATI driver in there .. along with another page. Anyways use your best judgement instead of assumptions that you dont need something .. ESPECIALLY when using drivers for proprietary hardware like notebooks. I still dont see why you're so against downloading the drivers that you obviously asked for in your questions.

[KoMoDo]

yep thats the one for me i got that ati one already..
guess what, this is annoying.. now im also getting the atheros(wireless built-in card) and it needs both driver and client, seems like i install driver first, then client..
but look what it says over at the client:
(http://www.csd.toshiba.com/cgi-bin/tais/su/su_sc_dtlViewDL.jsp?soid=854278&moid=835404&BV_SessionID=@@@@1541242188.1129845730@@@@&BV_EngineID=ccceaddfmlgfdgecgfkceghdgngdgmn.0&ct=DL)
"Do not use this version if your computer is equipped with a Bluetooth transceiver."
and my sister has a bluetooth usb dongle for her cellphone.. where can i get an older version or something, also an older driver too since the driver says it should only be used with THIS specific client..

KoMoDo

[Statica]

You most likely just need the drivers not the client as you can use the XP zero-config; it helps to keep it handy in case the windows XP client doesnt work.

[KoMoDo]

alright so u say just get the drivers? and then go into the wireless network wizard? hopefully itll work out ok :-\

KoMoDo