Using Windows 7 on old hardware?
Posted on onsdag, februar 04, 2009 @ 21:41:29 by david
I was checking out a local Norwegian Tech news site and found this video which got me to thinking...
This video is from a guy in Spain that decided to install Windows 7 Beta on his Ultra-Mobile PC (UMPC) from Amtek. (Amtek U560)
This little computer is like a PDA or Windows Mobile device with a large screen.
But the cool thing is that the Amtek is not all that powerful:
- 600MHz-800Mhz processor
- 512MB RAM
- 40GB hard drive
- Intel® Graphics Media Accelerator 950
One of the amazing things about this is that the Amtek can run AERO with is integrated Intel GMA 950... cool!
Well this got me thinking...
I have an HP Compaq TC1100 Tablet PC with tech specs:
- 1.00GHz - Intel® Pentium® M processor
- 512MB RAM
- 60GB hard drive
- 32 MB nVidia Geforce4 Go 420
More Technical Specifications for the hp compaq tc1100
If that little UMPC runs Windows 7 Beta, then for sure this Tablet PC should work!
That my new "friday project" :)
I found out that to support Windows Aero Glass mode, the system requires:
- DirectX 9
- Pixel Shader 2.0
- Windows Vista Driver (Windows Vista Display Driver Model - WDDM)
- 64MB of Video RAM
Ok well it doesnt sound all that promising, so what are the tech specs of the 32MB nVidia Geforce4 Go 420?
After digging around a bit, I found some bad news:
The GeForce4 series doesnt support Direct X 9 :(
But after further digging I found a site that maybe able to help with a driver for the GeForce4 420 Go card :)
What is a modded INF? What is the Performance and Quality INF?, The untold story.
And then I LOST ALL HOPE with this post:
http://www.laptopvideo2go.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=13091
Windows Vista on hp compaq tc1100 tablet pc
BUT THEN... a search for "hp compaq tc1100 upgrade to windows vista" in google led me to this site:
Which has a link:
HP/TC1100/Windows Vista Installation Notes
Windows 7 on hp compaq tc1100 tablet pc
Looks like a long weekend geek project, but it might be worth it to get some use out of an old Tablet PC :)
Here is another site that has successful installations of Windows 7 on this computer.
http://www.tabletpcbuzz.com/showthread.php?t=36154&highlight=tc1100+windows+7
http://www.tabletpcbuzz.com/search.php?searchid=186431
If Vista will install on the machine, I have faith that Windows 7 Beta should work... more later.
Windows XP on hp compaq tc1100 tablet pc / lost Restore CD
If all goes to hell, I don't have the recovery CD, but I found a way to get one.
Restore CD's for HP or Compaq call 800-952-7689 and give them your serial number.
