Hi all,

BACKGROUND: Recently purchased a used IBM A30 Thinkpad on eBay, with Win 2K Professional 
loaded. NO original MS CD NOR is there any type of recovery CD. The laptop does have 
the MS / IBM CertOfAuth so it is a legal install. 

I want to upgrade w2kp to at least sp4 specs. I have legal copies of MS Off Small 
Biz, Word 2000, Access 2000 and Excel 2000. I want to install and upgrade them as 
well, so everything is 'current'. 

QUESTION: What is the best method/path to do the installs and upgrades? 

A. Upgrade w2kp to sp4, then install MS off sb, word, access, excell THEN upgrade 
the MS software apps, THEN reapply SP4? 

B. Install MS software, upgrade MS software, then load w2kp SP4? 

C. ???

I have no 'way' to recover if I screw up w2kp - no 2nd HD, no CD/RW, nothing.

QUESTION 2: What can I do to backup w2kp so if needed, I could recover using a boot 
disk? I contacted IBM - the said, "Lenovo" - which is a dead end, so I apparently 
cannot obtain a w2kp cd unless I buy one - even though it is a legal install with 
valid COA. 

Thanks all! 

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