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[Diesel]

I have a Toshiba Satellite Pro M40, model PSM46E. Now, this little beauty has slowed to worse than a snails pace. Every last piece of junk has been removed and start up is minimal, 60% free space available. Running XP. Any help/advise would be much appreciated in laymans please.

[Data]

In a nutshell, it needs wiping clean and reinstalling windows.

That laptop also has 512MB RAM, it could really do with doubling to 1GB as well.

So you need a windows disk, could be win 7 or XP and grab some more RAM for it too. If you go for win 7 you really want to get the RAM up to 2GB.

Saying that if you just put XP back on it as it is, it’s going to make it seem like a new laptop anyway without the RAM.

Food for thought mate, is it worth throwing money at an oldish laptop, as a rule they only seem to last about 3 to 4 years before they need replacing.

[Diesel]

Thanks Data, given that this laptop is now used for leisure purposes only, I'm looking for the cheapest options. Unfortunately, I don't have an XP disc as it came pre loaded. Just seems a shame to discard a piece of kit.

[Data]

You don’t have to have the disk as such, all you need is the Windows XP key code, it might be on the laptop or in with the packaging, if you have that then you also need to find someone who can lend you an XP disk.  

The code should look somthing like the sticker at the top of this page:
http://sidtek.com/labels/Repair.html

[Carl2]

  Just did a search, at Toshiba " All new Toshiba laptops ship from the factory with the ability to run the system recovery process from a hard disk partition, and with preinstalled software that can be used to record recovery media to blank discs"
  At Toshiba I could not find the M40.  Just Chatted with a rep from toshiba,  you should be able to make a disc from the hard drive, and do your thing with the disc you make.  I'm pretty sure (depending on age) that you can buy a disc from Toshiba, I'd bought some for about $20 for my computers.  Anyways you need all the drivers for the Toshiba.
He is the link for Toshiba:
http://www.toshibadirect.com/td/b2c/laptops.to?family=Satellite&model=M640&src=MAXG&cm_mmc=SEM_Direct_Google&gclid=CMXWjv3R5aYCFYnd4Aod2gGCEQ

probably want to go to support.
Carl2

[Diesel]

Well wouldn't you just know it, unknown to me, I have a recovery disc which was supplied with the laptop and stored "in a safe place". So, one recovery disc later, 74 updates, countless re-starts and several hours, I now have a laptop that works as it should do.

My sincere thanks to both Data and Carl2 for your time, help and advise. Thank-you.

[Data]

That’s excellent Diesel, I did have in my mind the thought that it probably did have some kind of recovery, then Carl posted it, good on ya Carl2.

You have probably checked Diesel but look out for any trial software or anti virus that the recovery puts in, I would go to add remove programs and see if there’s anything that shouldn’t be in there. Now is a good time to check as Windows is fresh.

[Diesel]

Thanks matey, been there done that, ripped all the c*$p out, have installed MSE, no nasties all is fine. I guess I must have met an A-ONE teacher some where !!!.

Google visited last this page May 12, 2012, 23:58:15 PM