Install Win XP on Toshiba Qosmio x505

How to install Win XP on Toshiba Qosmio x505 q860

FULL TUTORIAL

We all know, Widows Vista and Windows 7 sucks because it makes you brand new computer creep like a zombie. Unfortunately, in its casual "great" wisdom Toshiba decided not to support Windows XP (or any 32 bit OS) anymore. So, we will have to cut our own way through the jungle.

Here is how to install the most successful OS system from Microsoft (yes, it is Windows XP 32 bit). 

0. While you are still in Windows 7, go on Internet and find the Win XP 32 bit driver for your network cards

a) If you are using the wireless to connect to Internet do a Google search for "LAN 8191+8192 SE driver".

b) If you are using a network cable to connect to Internet do a Google search for "LAN Atheros AR8131 driver".

Download the driver(s) and keep them in a safe place. Don't install them yet.

1. Get a Windows XP 32 bit CD or a Windows XP CD image (if you indent to perform step 2).

2. If you are brave and have some skills and time slip stream Intel SATA drivers into the CD. This process is necessary if you want your drive to run at maximum speed. Anyway, the performance gain is very very low so don't bother. Do a search about how to use nLite to slip stream drivers into the original Windows setup CD. If you have a floppy disk (but I doubt) you don't have to use the sleep stream method: just put the drivers on floppy and press F6 during Windows setup to make Windows to ask for that floppy disk and read the drivers from it.

3. Burn the Windows setup image on the CD. You can use Toshiba's disk burner utility.

4. Rebooting

At this point it is the time to say goodbye to your current Windows installation. So, goodbye Windows 7 on 64 bits. Die in peace sucker.

If you have skipped the step 2 or you have the SATA drivers on a floppy disk, you need to go in BIOS and switch the disk from 'AHCI' to 'Compatibility' mode. To do this, reboot your computer and as soon as it starts, keep F2 pressed.

Insert the CD, reboot the computer and keep the F12 key pressed to see the Boot menu. Choose to boot from CD.

5. Installing Windows

Install Windows XP 32 bit for the CD.

When it ask where to install Windows, click every single partition and press "D" to delete it (Windows will ask you two times more if you are sure you want to delete each partition). When no partition is left, create new partition as large as the entire drive (500GB).

Windows will offer you to format the new created partition. Do so. Choose "Quick format".

6. After Windows is nicely installed in your computer, the first thing you will need is to install the network drivers to you can access the Internet.

7. Download and install Intel chipset drivers. Do a search for "Intel PM55 driver for Windows XP".

8. Download and install nVidia 360M drivers (M comes from "mobile" so don't download the driver for desktop video card but the one that has an "M" for mobile/laptops/notebooks).

9. See post here, about how to install the Conexant audio drivers.

Now you have the most important drivers installed and the computer running solid and stable. The rest you will figure out by yourself. But here are some suggestion about what you may need/want to install:

From Toshiba web site download:

HDD protection utility (TC30050600D)

blue tooth stack TC00201800O

cardreader o2 TC70052200A

HDD SSD Alert for Windows XP v3.1.02 tc00143300k os2009306a

laptop checkup v2.0.3.198 tc10060800c

Conexant sound driver

Synaptics v14 0 3 C XP32 (from http://drivers.synaptics.com)

Toshiba Service Station for Windows XP TC00209700D

usb charge TC00130400K

web cam TC30049700J

Notes:

It should work on all x500-505 Toshiba Qosmio variants.

I already uploaded for you the most important Toshiba Qosmio drivers here.


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