Advice please... Windows laptop strictly for firmware updates etc...

[alyaz]

Okay, scored a Dell laptop that is about 7 years old.  Has Windows XP on it.  I can clean off all the superfluous stuff and use it strictly for doing the odd firmware update (as our real laptops are all MacBooks). 

Advice on the best O/S for this task, etc?  I appreciate this has probably been done to death already...

Thanks.

[CDN-VT]

DID you get XP disc's ?
I like clean installs of the MS crud. & then I put a HUGE Chastity port on it.
The friggin box is to do what I want & only that .
Updates are a total BS add on or slow down plus buy MORE !!

I run XP with SP3 no updates & never a problem for years , & it's quick . It only is for one or two things .
After that I shut down & exchange hard drive for W7 ,MAC lots .. I run Panasonic Toughbooks .
Cold swap-able ..

I have one drive that is Solar , all OB , MN , TRACE , MS files and info , you'll never see a screwdriver or any helio / babe  on that disc . all Firmware etc. with instructions when I forget .

Build one just for POWER . I image my drive & have Disc backups.

VT

[tecnodave]

Alyaz,

That is the ideal OS (Windows XP)  for upgrading controllers....last version of windows that is stable.
I liked that but windows 7.0 started that garbaging of Windows.

Just my opinion,

Dave

[alyaz]

thanks.  yes i am sure i can get the discs and do a clean install w/o any add ons...

[CDN-VT]

OK , so PLZ pm me so we may talk .
VT

[Westbranch]

When you do the  MidNite solar updates and go to download the files, make sure to 

turn AUTO UPDATES OFF,

then you wont swamp your HD with unnecessary "IMPROVEMENTS" ? -  NOT -


Have fun!

[alyaz]

When you do the  MidNite solar updates and go to download the files, make sure to 

turn AUTO UPDATES OFF,

then you wont swamp your HD with unnecessary "IMPROVEMENTS" ? -  NOT -

Have fun!

ahhhhh...copy!  thanks.

[alyaz]

Well it didn't turn out quite the way I had hoped... ha - never does.  Anyway, the free Dell Studio 1737 laptop showed up with an XP o/s disc - version 1 and Vista o/s already loaded on it.  The plan was to put the XP o/s system on it.  I chatted to VT who was very helpful but at the end of the day, I just don't know enough about this stuff to attempt a wipe/install of an older o/s and specific drivers.  I did do a new install of the Vista o/s and didn't load anything extra. just a wireless driver.  I have the auto updates turned off.  Seems pretty fast and it's working on the wireless now, so hopefully for what I need it to do - firmware updates - it will work.  Thanks gang.

[Westbranch]

If it does NOT work to install, you can try to locate a NEW HD and swap the old one out

OR

set it up in the BIOS to boot up from a CD first and then load the XP onto a  USB (Terabyte) drive , then you will have to set the BIOS to boot off that external  drive , they run under $100 at BC Costco's

[alyaz]

I actually have a USB TB drive sitting here in a box.  Thanks, will keep that as a 'fall back' option. 

[Westbranch]

Just thinking if you have other uses for it , maybe partition it to have the OS on the first part and other data etc, accessible on another machine...

have fun

[CDN-VT]

You Should NOT do Partitions on multi windows systems !!

Sorry Al , Sometimes i can speak total geek & never know your over blown with goop.
I run a external HD unit USB powered , 1.5TB and have all my backups from many drives .
AL your a stone throw away ATCF's . Come winter (Dec 32) when  squat is to be built , cleaned, fixed ,serviced ETC.
DON't toss anything & I'll help the load. EZ .

No worries ,

VT

[alyaz]

 

[CDN-VT]

I got PMed on ATCF's
As The Crow Fly's

No worries