WinXP Pro - System Info Wrong!! HELP

[garfonzo]

Hey everyone!

I'm trying to use my recovery CDs that came with my Toshiba Satellite 5100 because I'd like to do a clean install (remove all the crud). When I insert the first CD to start things rolling, it tells me that the CD is not ment for this laptop. I read the error message very carefully and noticed that the word "Satellite" is spelled wrong (in reference to the model name of my laptop). So, when the CD checks the model name and doesn't see "Sattelite" it thinks it is the wrong computer.

My question is, how the heck do I change the model name? I checked it out in the "System Information" utility and sure enough, I have a "Satillie" (no 't' at the end). I had a video card replaced once so the name may have been changed then (have no idea why it would need changing). I've been pulling my hair out trying to figure it out. The only "BIOS" this comp seems to have is a boot option into safe mode (useless).

Any help would be GREAT as this is driving me crazy!

Cheers,

Garfonzo

[pip22]

The new video card is probably to blame, but not for the name-change. That's a different issue to which I have no answer.

It's very unusual for a laptop to ever need a new video-chip. The recovery discs are designed to read the hardware inside your laptop to confirm that it's got all the factory fitted hardware components that identify it as a Toshiba Satellite 5100. Apart from anything else, that's important because the recovery discs install drivers specifically supplied to match the original factory-fitted components. If any of those components have changed, some of those drivers would be incompatible. But the hardware check is also designed to stop you using the recovery discs on another PC.

The new video-chip most likely is not the same make/model as the original one, so the recovery disks now think it's a different laptop (which in effect it is, allbeit only by way of having a different video-chip).

Bear in mind, that's only my interpretation of your problem. I'm not stating facts here.

It's also a possibility that if this is the first time you've tried to use the recovery discs, they may be copies from another laptop that doesn't exactly match your 5100 model (in other words, they may have been the wrong discs for your laptop since day one).

One final thought. forgive me if this sounds patronising, but I assume you are booting from the recovery CD and not trying to run it in Windows or from a DOS command prompt?

You could contact Toshiba and explain the situation to them, or visit their website to see if their support section has any information regarding your problem.

[bookworm]

Originally Posted by garfonzo

Hey everyone!

I'm trying to use my recovery CDs that came with my Toshiba Satellite 5100 because I'd like to do a clean install (remove all the crud). When I insert the first CD to start things rolling, it tells me that the CD is not ment for this laptop. I read the error message very carefully and noticed that the word "Satellite" is spelled wrong (in reference to the model name of my laptop). So, when the CD checks the model name and doesn't see "Sattelite" it thinks it is the wrong computer.

My question is, how the heck do I change the model name? I checked it out in the "System Information" utility and sure enough, I have a "Satillie" (no 't' at the end). I had a video card replaced once so the name may have been changed then (have no idea why it would need changing). I've been pulling my hair out trying to figure it out. The only "BIOS" this comp seems to have is a boot option into safe mode (useless).

Any help would be GREAT as this is driving me crazy!

Cheers,

Garfonzo

If you have a Wn XP disc, then you can download all the drivers you need from Toshiba, save to a disc, and in effect you have an recovery disc.

The main driver will be the Chipset.

Go here and input your model http://eu.computers.toshiba-europe.c...jsp?service=EU

look in Device manager it will list all the drivers installed.

Or this programe will list them all and a system to back them up http://www.softpedia.com/get/System/...entifier.shtml


Hope this helps

[garfonzo]

Thanks for the quick reply

pip22 - I have used the CDs before and they worked fined. I am booting from the CD but, I get the same issue though it tells me this through the DOS prompt.

bookworm - I did that earlier and have a list of all my devices. I'm nervous that I might somehow render the laptop useless. Like what if the trackpad doesn't work, or the screen doesn't work because they need drivers. Or am I incorrect (as in, they will work but in some basic mode until I download the drivers)?

Thanks guys!

[garfonzo]

pip22 - I forgot to mention, the video card that was put in (as a replacement) was identical. The thing is, the CDs are not seeing the video card as the problem, they are seeing that the model name "Sattelite" is wrong, because for some reason my computer lists itself as a "Sattelie" <- note the missing t at the end.

[Miz]

If it's just a matter of changing the name of the computer, you can do that in Control Panel>System>Computer Name tab>Change button.

Of course, I may be misunderstanding the question completely.

[garfonzo]

Originally Posted by Miz

If it's just a matter of changing the name of the computer, you can do that in Control Panel>System>Computer Name tab>Change button.

Of course, I may be misunderstanding the question completely.

Unfortunately, that will only change the computer's name for networking purposes. I need to change the computer model name, which I think is stored in the BIOS somehow. I don't know how I can change this information because it seems to be hidden somewhere in the guts of the computer.

This really sucks . . .

[snooker]

This sound more like a defected laptop itself and if that the case ? I would speak to Toshiba about it , Have you try that ?