Problems Updating IBM POS to Windows 7

Upon finding out that we can now install our own Food Service Point of Sale software we decided to update some of our old IBM POS 4846-545 from Windows Embedded POSReady 2009 to Windows 7.  We wanted to finish this sooner than later due to the end of Windows XP support as well as XP becoming a bit sluggish on this hardware.  An easy enough task, however, the Windows 7 installer would hang after the Windows 7 splash screen.

Knowing that these systems were outdated by a couple of years when we purchased them, I assumed there was likely a BIOS update available from IBM to fix the problem.  Sure enough, I found a BIOS update (version X6KT190) that had been released on 1-5-2011.  Our POS systems were still running X6KT170 which had been released in 2008.

Thankfully, there is an executable version of the BIOS update that can be started from within Windows, saving the need to dig out the old USB floppy drive.

After updating the BIOS, the Windows 7 Setup screen was displayed and we were able to install Windows 7 without any problem.  All of the drivers also had Windows 7 support.

IBM POS 4846-545 BIOS

Restore Windows RT on an Asus VivoTab RT

We are currently piloting 30 ASUS VivoTab RT tablets.  The pilot was going pretty well, except for a couple devices displaying an error at startup, "Your PC needs to be repaired."

To repair the system we created a USB recovery drive from one of our working systems.

To perform the recovery:

1. Connect the recovery drive to the VivoTab RT.
2. While holding down the volume down button, press the power button.  Release both after the Asus logo appears.
3. The recovery will then load.
4. Select the US keyboard layout.
5. Touch Troubleshoot

Reset your PC

1. Tap Skip this Drive
2. Tap Windows RT 8.
3. A screen titled Reset your PC appears warning that all personal files and apps will be removed and all PC settings will be changed to their defaults.  Since there are no files that we need to backup click Next.  NOTE:  This will destroy all of the data on the device.  Be sure there is nothing on the device that you want before clicking Next.
4. Touch Yes, repartition the drives.
5. Touch Just remove my files.
6. Touch Reset.

A black screen with the ASUS logo should be displayed with Resetting your PC and the status.

After the restore is complete Windows RT will prompt for region, language and other settings as usual.