Thanks for reporting!

I think I'll create a dedicated thread for running Windows 98 on the X300, it should be here tomorrow but it needs a bit of love, mainly for the hinges which need to be fixed otherwise the screen won't stay upright.
Already found how to do it thanks to an old thread and archive.org

It's really strange that Directx6.0 won't recognize the 3D acceleration in the 855GME. IIRC it is a GPU that supports up to DirectX6.

I'll also probably disable almost everything since I only need just the video+sound and Cardbus.

Either way, looks like it's going to be a lot of fun, fingers crossed that everything works!

EDIT: did you install Win98 with ACPI support? I've heard that ACPI on Win98 is really hit or miss and people often recommend installing in APM mode.

donluca4 wrote on 2025-05-20, 20:13:

EDIT: did you install Win98 with ACPI support? I've heard that ACPI on Win98 is really hit or miss and people often recommend installing in APM mode.

I didn't use any specific option and power control works by default, it's shutting down on its own nicely, no "you can now turn off your computer" screen.

Can you link to the hinges fix source you found?
Both my x300 have that problem as well.

Sure, here it is: https://web.archive.org/web/20180413110338/ht … ll-Loose-Hinge/

Looks really simple and straightforward.

And one more thing: it seems that the X300 has one of those blasted Varta ni-mh batteries that leak and make a mess, it's the first thing I'll check on mine.

X300 arrived!

One of the hinges was broken and got repaired with a strange glue that doesn't hold properly (the two parts flex) and the pins were pushed a bit on the outside like in that page.

I hammered them back in and this evening I'll go and buy some baking soda and superglue to make a stronger bond to properly repair the broken hinge.
I have a feeling that this won't help much because I'm afraid that the inside part of the screen hinges, where the pins go in, have lost all the friction 😒

We'll see.

Then I have to take it apart to check the CMOS battery and change the hard disk.
Somehow it's still holding the charge, but I don't trust it much.

Quick update: the hinge fix worked partially on mine.
Unfortunately there's simply not enough friction left, it seems.

If I keep the screen "straight up" it will hold, but if I put it more slanted it will flop backwards.

I've seen that inside the screen hinges there's a strange gunk which I think isn't there anymore and I wonder what it is and if I put it back if it will restore the friction needed...

When I saw the thread title, I was going to recommend a ThinkPad X20/21/22/23/24 until I saw that's what you already had. Let me guess, when you press the power button, a couple of the lights blink once and then nothing else? If so, it's the blink of death - very common problem, and repairable if you can replace tiny SMD chips.

Another good option for 98 would be a Latitude D400 or D410, assuming there's drivers for them (I assume so).

3lectr1c wrote on 2025-05-21, 20:12:

Let me guess, when you press the power button, a couple of the lights blink once and then nothing else? If so, it's the blink of death - very common problem, and repairable if you can replace tiny SMD chips.

You got really close: before it went out, the lights would blink 2-3 times when I connected the charger (the battery was 100% shot), but it would power on.

After a day, no lights, no nothing: only smell of something burned and it would not turn on anymore.

BTW, in the end I got a Dell Latitude X300.

I installed Win98 and have to open a dedicated thread!

donluca4 wrote on 2025-05-21, 19:06:

Quick update: the hinge fix worked partially on mine. Unfortunately there's simply not enough friction left, it seems. […]
Show full quote

Quick update: the hinge fix worked partially on mine.
Unfortunately there's simply not enough friction left, it seems.

If I keep the screen "straight up" it will hold, but if I put it more slanted it will flop backwards.

I've seen that inside the screen hinges there's a strange gunk which I think isn't there anymore and I wonder what it is and if I put it back if it will restore the friction needed...

Can you take a picture of the hinges in their current state? Reason I ask is that checking pictures with a search they look just like the hinge design that my Toshiba Satellite 4200 series laptops use - those go loose because the shaft that connects upper to lower and provides the friction, loses its friction ability because the splined part slips out of the upper part of the hinge - I explained my process to fix it here:
Re: What retro activity did you get up to today?
Grooves = splines on the shaft.
If the upper part of the hinge slides off or is completely loose, take that off. Grab the splined bit of the shaft on the hinge and rotate it / work it so that the shaft isn't poking its metal out of the other side, which means the splined part of the shaft pokes out further. Then reassemble and the splines should be able to lock with the splines in the upper part of the hinge and start providing proper friction again.

It's probably the same mechanism, it's very similar to yours.

Sorry I didn't take pictures and I've put everything back together and I'd rather not open everything up again ^^'