Want to install XP in my new CQ45-121TX

[CompaqCQ45-121T]

Hi,
I have recently bought a new laptop Compaq CQ45-121TX, and would like to have XP on it,instead of Vista.But reading around the internet,it seems to be a bit difficult,specially getting the right drivers for XP.Of course the HP support personnel do not recommend doing that.But why Compaq wants to tie people to Vista i do not understand,when it is known that XP is still much more popular and user friendly than Vista.At least they could have provided the drivers in their site.Anyway,would appreciate some help in this regard.Please tell me how to go about doing this and from where to get the right drivers.
Thanks

[Rakhmad]

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CompaqCQ45-121T wrote:
Hi,
I have recently bought a new laptop Compaq CQ45-121TX, and would like to have XP on it,instead of Vista.But reading around the internet,it seems to be a bit difficult,specially getting the right drivers for XP.Of course the HP support personnel do not recommend doing that.But why Compaq wants to tie people to Vista i do not understand,when it is known that XP is still much more popular and user friendly than Vista.At least they could have provided the drivers in their site.Anyway,would appreciate some help in this regard.Please tell me how to go about doing this and from where to get the right drivers.
Thanks

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Yes, it is known a bit difficult installing XP for this model.

For that, I would like to recommend you to use VISTA as OS.

Your model uses IDT sound chip, and ENE CIR receiver that XP drivers are difficult to find.

ENE CIR is critical if you bought remote control for this model.

Some of CQ45 and CQ40 users found they will lose control for brightness setting (Fn+ F7 and F8) due to incompatibility of QLB software.

Please note that the following drivers were based on user to user support, some users found it works some of them having difficulties installing some drivers and the most important note is if you had any problem regarding XP as OS, HP will simply refuse to provide any technical support. You need to find your own technical support.    

However, if you still would like to downgrade to XP, try the following steps.

____

Make your Vista Recovery cd/dvd if you haven't yet, found out here

Your model needs ICH9 sata driver to be sliptreamed in XP CD installer. If you did it right, you'll pass BSOD error.

Use Nlite to sliptream ICH9 sata driver.
A good guide to sliptream sata driver, here

Note: do NOT use sata driver from that guide, your sata driver is ICH9 given below.

ICH9 sata driver,

The driver is located in iaAHCI.inf and is called ICH9M-E/M SATA AHCI Controller, here

Nlite download, here

Some suggestions to avoid problems while installing XP:

1. Try NOT slipstream all of sata drivers, use only ICH9 --> ICH9M-E/M SATA AHCI Controller

2. Use XP-SP2, a lot more easy to use since many of XP drivers were built based on XP-SP2.

3. Burn XP installer slowly and not using the maximum speed, sometimes it create errors

4. Choose a reputable CD media, not the cheap one.

____

Drivers for CQ45-121TX

Intel Chipset,(install and reboot before other drivers), here

NVIDIA GeForce 9200M G from laptopvideo2go site
Nvidia ForceWare X 179.28 for Windows XP/2K 32bit, here

3-step process to install:
1. Download driver, double click and select extract,
2. Download modded INF and replace original INF in extracted folder,
3. Install & reboot.
 

Installing Audio one of the most difficult part, since BIOS incompatibility.

Install MS-UAA first, here

IDT High-Definition Audio CODEC Driver,

an update version from Microsoft Update Catalog, here

or

or if you wish to install HP IDT driver (VISTA), here , some user reported it also works with XP

or try the new version here

High-Definition Audio (HDA) Modem Installer and Driver, here

Broadcom Wireless, here

Realtek RTL8102E Family PCI-E Fast Ethernet NIC, here

JMB38X Card Reader Host Controller Driver, here

ENE CIR Receiver (your Vista driver), here

or if it does not work try Vista driver verified from Intel, here

HDMI Audio, here

ALPS Touchpad Driver, here

HP Quick Lauch Buttons, here

If you had Bluetooth, here

If you had for 7 unknown devices (buttons drivers), here

Installation --> right click machine.inf, choose install.

Good luck

[CompaqCQ45-121T]

Hi,

Thanks a lot for your prompt reply. I see that you have been helping many people with similar issues.Thanks a lot for your time.

I have downloaded all the drivers and softwares that you indicated in your list. Will make the install disc, and try it.

A small confusion though - 

1-The device number listed in Realtek in my device manager is RTL8168C(P)/8111C(P) Family PCI-E Gigabit Ethernet NIC (NDIS 6.0) - which is different from the device number that you listed  - so the driver that you gave the link to, should it work for my Notebook also ?

2-Another thing was that HDMI audio driver link in your list was not working, so i downloaded directly from Nvidia site.

3-Isnt there any need for Disc Drive Drivers ? I suppose they would be included in XP install ?My device is HL-DT-ST DVDRAM GSA-T50L ATA Device (donno what it means)

4-Modem is from Agere systems - is there additional driver needed for this ?

5-Any driver for monitor ?

6-will the fingerprint reader work under XP ? (dont need it much i think)

7-will ProtectSmart disc protection work under XP ?

Thanks a lot again to you,will try to install XP. Hope things will go well

Regards

[Rakhmad]

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CompaqCQ45-121T wrote:

Hi,

Thanks a lot for your prompt reply. I see that you have been helping many people with similar issues.Thanks a lot for your time.

I have downloaded all the drivers and softwares that you indicated in your list. Will make the install disc, and try it.

A small confusion though - 

1-The device number listed in Realtek in my device manager is RTL8168C(P)/8111C(P) Family PCI-E Gigabit Ethernet NIC (NDIS 6.0) - which is different from the device number that you listed  - so the driver that you gave the link to, should it work for my Notebook also ?

2-Another thing was that HDMI audio driver link in your list was not working, so i downloaded directly from Nvidia site.

3-Isnt there any need for Disc Drive Drivers ? I suppose they would be included in XP install ?My device is HL-DT-ST DVDRAM GSA-T50L ATA Device (donno what it means)

4-Modem is from Agere systems - is there additional driver needed for this ?

5-Any driver for monitor ?

6-will the fingerprint reader work under XP ? (dont need it much i think)

7-will ProtectSmart disc protection work under XP ?

Thanks a lot again to you,will try to install XP. Hope things will go well

Regards

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I'll try to answer your questions as follow

1. Thank you for the correction, try download here

2. For Nvidia HDMI driver, if I'm not mistaken NVidia uses realtek driver, however if you wish to download from Nvidia site please do so, here

3. No need to install driver for DVDRW drive

4. For Agere Modem, the working driver is known as sp39545, however recenlty HP has erased it from their ftp site. Above posted driver sp36004 may not working for your model. Please download sp39545, here

5. No need to install driver for monitor

6. For fingerprint reader, try using driver for business model here , some users posted that only the driver works not the software.

7. I dont know, I do not have this model,try it and please post to help others, if it does not work, try business driver here

One last comment, for 7 unknown devices, please install it manually, right click and choose install do not work.

Go to device manager, right click unknownn device, choose update driver, No to connect,choose install from a list or specific location, Don't search, Have disk, Browse to the location of machine.inf. Do it for the rest of unknown devices

You are welcome, if you found my post is useful a Kudos will always approciated.

[CompaqCQ45-121T]

Thanks again for your reply.

By the way,I am having second thoughts on changing to XP.My work computer is about to be updated,and it would have Vista too (which i wont be able to change even if i wanted), so i was thinking why not try vista at least for a while, and see if i can get used to it.maybe after tweaking it a bit,it would also run better, and then i need not go thru the process of installing XP. Maybe i m just avoiding change, because i m not familiar with Vista.Lets c.

Regards.

[Rakhmad]

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CompaqCQ45-121T wrote:

Thanks again for your reply.

By the way,I am having second thoughts on changing to XP.My work computer is about to be updated,and it would have Vista too (which i wont be able to change even if i wanted), so i was thinking why not try vista at least for a while, and see if i can get used to it.maybe after tweaking it a bit,it would also run better, and then i need not go thru the process of installing XP. Maybe i m just avoiding change, because i m not familiar with Vista.Lets c.

Regards.

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I found many improvements in VISTA SP1, please give it a try

Your office starting using VISTA? Microsoft would very pleased about it.

Many business users are skipping VISTA and wait for Windows 7 to be released.

Many thanks for your Kudos.

Message Edited by Rakhmad on 02-16-2009 01:14 AM