Thinkpads Forum

It doesn't look like anyone has implemented this, based on my Google searches. What I would like to do is have my X40 (or any laptop for that matter) act as if it were an external USB drive. I often have a couple dozen gigabytes of data to transfer between the Thinkpad and my desktop. My current options are:

• Copy via some TCP/IP-based protocol over the network (not very fast)
• Copy from laptop to external USB drive, then copy from USB drive to desktop (requires babysitting of two copy operations)

It would be great if there was some sort of USB mass storage device software drive/emulator that could run on the Thinkpad end, and have my desktop "mount" the laptop's drive.

Apple has something close with their Powerbooks... you can put them into Firewire "target drive mode", and it acts like a big external drive. The problem with their implementation is: 1) need to reboot to go into TDM, 2) can't do anything else with the Powerbook while in TDM, 3) only works with Firewire.

Anyone aware of a way to turn a Thinkpad into a USB device?

Laplink software used to do this. Search for it on Google. I do not know if they have kept Laplink up to date with the newer Windows operating systems or not.

I read once about this GeneLink USB PC to PC network controller and thought it seemed pretty cool. Not sure how much faster than TCP/IP this would be.

taob wrote:
Apple has something close with their Powerbooks... you can put them into Firewire "target drive mode", and it acts like a big external drive. The problem with their implementation is: 1) need to reboot to go into TDM, 2) can't do anything else with the Powerbook while in TDM, 3) only works with Firewire.

This Apple feature is simply awesome.

It makes full backup/clone of a PowerBook very easy, as well as accessing your files remotely without even booting up.

As far as I know, NO other laptop anywhere has something this transparent and useful.

You would have to use some hokey USB "networking" dongle with weird setup, Windows drivers, and low performance. It's easier just to pull the hard drive out and put it on an external USB-IDE adapter.

Every laptop should have a "target mode".

It's to bad the NIC's in these thinkpads aren't gigabit types, use a crossover cable and your problem solved.

You should check into a USB Data Transfer Cable, pretty cheap too.

Have to edit my earlier post, I was browsing through the Maint Manual and apparently the T42 / T42P and the X series, do have Gigabit Ethernet, so with a 1000Base t cat 6 cable, about $21,(should not have to use a crossover cable becasue these are autoswitching nics) you should be able to transfer data faster than firewire which I think is around 400MB? ? If you get a Gigabit nic, between $30 and $90 for your desktop maybe you could make that work.

Windows has built in firewire IP networking (not a very well known fact) at 400 mbps. USB is 480 mbps. Not soo much faster. Gig Ethernet would be faster at 1000 mbps. Do you have a firewire port?

From what I can tell - the USB would require software to work and perhaps a special cable.

But if you want to mount a drive - why not just take the drive out and mount it in either a external usb enclosure or get an adapter for the 2.5 inch drive to the 5.25 inch IDE connector in your computer?

Or better yet - go buy a firewire/USB drive - it's more universal.