Laptop doesn't let me install any other OS?

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JTBALLER

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Aug 18, 2009
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Hello all!

I have a Toshiba m45 s359. I want to install Windows 7 or Ubuntu on it, but if I put in the Windows 7 disc, it tells me I can only install from the disk that came with the manufacturer.

So I tried to leave the Windows 7 disk in and restart the laptop and boot from the disk, but it still doesn't work.

Does anyone know if it's possible to install another OS on this laptop? Or is it something that just isn't possible? And if that's the case why is this?
 
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devt333

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You're getting that message from old operating system or from the one you're trying to install? If it is from the old one:

A manufacturer of a computer or of OS (as was previously the case with XP) would write a virus in a boot sector of the hard drive, to prevent you from exercising your choices (with XP it was that thousands would downgrade to a faster and more reliable windows 2000 pro). They hope you will do what the virus says(stay where you are), and their defense is that they have no idea why is this happening, corruption of boot sector, they will say.

Hahaha. Sure.

Anyway.

Go and download zap.com. This dos utility will erase first 63 sectors of the hard drive, where they put the protection (for them, for you - it's a virus).

You may or may not want to back up your MBR first. If you do, use PQ's MBRutil.

Then, zap the MBR to clear it.

To run it, you would boot with Windows 98 SE boot disc into dos.
Then you'd insert zap.com disc and execute ZAP 0 command. (Make sure there are no other hard drives attached).

Then you'd boot from your new OS install disc. This time, your laptop will be very very polite to you.

Personally, I have zap.com integrated into win98se boot disk. Easier that way.

Relevant links: ZAP and MBRutil:

http://thestarman.pcministry.com/asm/mbr/BootToolsRefs.htm#PQMBR

Win98se boot disc:

http://www.bootdisk.com/bootdisk.htm



best of luck
 
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J

JTBALLER

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Thanks for the reply!

So basically when I install XP from the disk that came with the laptop, it's writing in that protection so that I can't put a different OS on it? What you've given me will bypass that pretty much so I can install another OS, right?

I am too lazy at the moment to get the exact message haha, but when I try Windows 7 it goes something like "You must have the disk that came with the computer to install the compatible operating system" or something kind of like that.

And when I boot from the Windows 7 disk, it basically just goes by it and boots up to windows xp haha.

But I will look more into what you've given me here later on tonight and maybe try it out tonight too. Right now I'm going to watch the world cup haha. But thanks a lot for the info man!
 
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JTBALLER

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Are you sure your laptop will run a 64-bit OS?
Click to expand...

Oh yeah! I keep forgetting that. Is that what the message is trying to say when I try to install Windows 7?

And also, why would it do that for Ubuntu? Maybe I'm not using the 32 bit version of Ubuntu? Hmmm that could be it I guess. I'll have to check which Ubuntu I was trying to install.
 
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devt333

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The only thing is, usually the protection will not allow you to downgrade and make Bill Gates angry. But he is trying to upgrade.

Here is another thought. Take your HD out and try to install on a spare HD. That way you won't wipe out your XP, if it turns out that the hardware isn't capable.

Also, some laptops cross-address their data bus, to make it hard to image the drive, such as Thinkpads. In this case there should be a setting in BIOS that undoes this. Don't recall what it's called, "unhide disk" or something like that.
 
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FALC0N

FALC0N

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No it doesn't.

Grumpy nailed it. Your processor is a Pentium M 760. Its only 32 bit. Thats why you cant install Windows 7 64 bit.

You can safely ignore the conspiracy theory posts. At least until you try a 32 bit OS.
 
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devt333

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FALCON meant MBR stuff. And he is right since M760 is 32bit, everything else in this case is irrelevant.
Likewise, although I didn't pay attention to architecture, I was wandering why does he see denial messages when he is trying to upgrade? The conspiracy stuff will typically happen when you want to downgrade.

Minimum hardware requirements for Windows 7
Architecture 32-bit 64-bit
Processor 1 GHz 32-bit processor 1 GHz 64-bit processor


and:

"The Pentium M brand refers to a family of mobile single-core x86 microprocessors" - x86 here means 32bit.
 
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soundguruman

soundguruman

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At least one person around this forum understands that windows is always forward, never back. Of course they want to stop downgrades. It is hardly surprising that a proprietary system would include such firmware.
As far as upgrading, there is most likely a firmware requirement to unlock the upgrade also. This insures that more software will be purchased from the manufacturer.
You are locked out until you pay.
 
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FALC0N

FALC0N

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Did you bother to read the thread? He tried to install a 64 bit OS on a 32 bit processor. There is no firmware that prevents you from downgrading. There is no firmware that prevents you from upgrading. I don't know where you get these fantasies from.
 
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