Hi all, Ive been trying to re-install windows ME on my thinkpad. Ive done this a few times on standard pcs but this is my first laptop with removeable drives. As i understand it, i need to copy 5 files from the boot floppy to the C drive so that i can remove the floppy drive and the machine will boot from the cd drive once that has been put in its place. The problem i am having is that my boot up floppy dont seen to have 3 of the files that i require. I have tried several versions and the are all the same. The files are; autoexec.bat cd*.sys config.sys mscdex.exe mtmcdai.sys the only files i can find and copy are the autoexec.bat and config.sys but when i tried the others it keeps comming up 'file not found'. Any help would be great, if if there is an easier way would be even greater. Thanks, Matt

FIRST WHAT IS THE MODEL of the Thinkpad? http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site.wss/document.do?lndocid=RMIE-38CEKN This is a simple fix, there's been many posts here on this board--do some searching. You cannot copy a file off the floppy that is not on the floppy. WHAT "autoexec.bat" are you copying? Where did you get it? An autoexec.bat file is a text file--which you can open in notepad. Copy and past it here so we can see what's in it. It sounds to me like you are first trying to use the wrong driver trying to copy files that are not there to copy.

http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site.wss/product.do?template=/productselection/landingpages/downloadsDriversLandingPage.vm&validate=false Also, what are you using for an install CD, that is, is it a genuine factory disk, and is it a "full" (bootable) version? Just about any Thinkpad that has an internal CD, and is new enough to run ME, should have a bootable CDROM WHAT MODEL IS THE THINKPAD? Have you set the CDROM in the "boot order" in bios? (easy setup) DO you know how to get into bios? Start with the machine OFF OFF OFF Hold down and CONTINUE TO HOLD the "F1" key. WHILE STILL HOLDING "F1", turn on the power switch---WHILE STILL HOLDING "F1." CONTINUE TO HOLD "F1" as the machine starts to power up. Depending on the model, there may be several "screens." From the first screen, select the "startup" icon Do this with the mouse, just like in windows, and click Select, and click, "power on" You should see "reset" which wil clear all boxes, and now should have empty 1, 2, 3, etc boxes, as well as icons for floppy, CDROM, HDD, network DEPENDING ON MODEL. I usually select 1 floppy, 2, CDROM, 3, HDD Click OK, Exit, Restart, and OK If you have a "home burned" CD, it may not start in your thinkpad, or the CD may not be "bootable" WHAT DO YOU HAVE for a CD, and what does it say on the front? WHAT MODEL is your Thinkpad?

Here is an easy way to get through this: Jam/stick/shove/insert a floppy into your Whanhozed machine Right click "my computer" and select EXPLORE Right click the A: floppy drive, and select "FORMAT" Select quick format, and "copy system files" Now go here: http://www.bootdisk.com/readme.htm Go down the page and download "shebang2" Download the file to a folder on your desktop "run" (doubleclick" the file, which will extract some files into that folder. Open the folder, if it is not, and right click on "shebang2.exe" and delete ONLY that file. Now, at the top, select "edit" and "select all" Right click (should get "all files" and drag the files to the A: drive, and select "copy here." When prompted "This folder already contains....etc" Select "yes to all" to over write. THIS FLOPPY should work. Now, boot the laptop with your floppy. (You will also have to find format.com and sys.com if you don't have the C: drive bootable.) From A:, type "copy *.* c:\" and ENTER type Y for yes of you get an error to "overwrite files." Assuming you had the C: drive bootable earlier, this should give you a drive that will load the CDROM as R: