WD2500BEVE does not boot in a T42-Help - Succesfully Done !!

[fje]

This seems to be an "obstacle race"... Now my problem is the HDD

I new, reading several posts in this forum, that the WD2500BEVE was to give me the 2010 error problem, but at the end it was supposed to boot.

So, willing to have the maximum HDD possible, I bought one of them. Using Paragon Part. Mg. I copied all the partitions form my current HDD to the new one switched the disks and ... Nothing happens !

The cursor is flashing at the top left corner, but nothing more, no boot, no 2010, nothing.

I tried to follow all the suggestions I found in the forum.. full insert, etc. No luck.

The HDD should USB port and it is recognised and system tried to boot from it, the first boot messages come, but of course it is not able of full booting.. as expected.

I read somewhere that the problem was that IBM put some special routine in the last versions of BIOS and that going back to an older BIOS the problem could be solved. I have at this moment the last version available: 3.23 and my system is 2373-F2G.

Does anyone know if going to an older BIOS the problem can be solved? Which one?

Does anyone know any other way to have my T42 booting from the WD2500BEVE

Thanks so much

[BeeJayEmm]

T42s are not susceptible to the 2010 error, that only affected T43 (and R52 and X41). I'm not familiar with the Paragon program but, for most other cloning software to work with a ThinkPad, the old drive needs to be removed from the machine before cloning and placed in the USB case; the new drive needs to be installed into the machine. Search above for more info. Other posts on this subject have mentioned repairing the MBR or boot sector to fix the flashing cursor problem. The software is on Lenovo's website. Again, search above for help. I don't believe the BIOS is any issue. Best of luck!

Brian

[exTPfan]

Copying the partitions won't work --- you have to clone them with a program like Acronis.

[fje]

BeeJayem and exTPfan: thanks for your answers, but:

1.- I had the same problem when trying to install Windows from scratch. When the system tries to re-boot after the first copying of files.. it doesn't... cursor flashes at left top corner and that's all. And this is supposed to be the way to install a system in a brand new disk. It seems the T42 doesn't find how to boot from the hard disk. And it knows it is there, because it doesn't go to the "Intel Boot...." that appears when nothing is plugged, no HDD, no CD, no FDD, no USB.

2.- I just did exactly the same process yesterday with another WD2500BEVE for the Dell Inspiron Computer of a friend and it worked at the first try.

I feel it should be another thing, I'm still feeling an IBM BIOS problem like some other ones reported.

Anyway, as I'm ready to try everything, I'll try also with a Bootable CD and the old disk in the USB and the new one inside the T42.

Thanks

[schen]

Try removing any devices such as MPCI cards. Take everything out that can be removed to eliminate possible points of failure. You might even try it with only 1 RAM socket filled to see what happens.

[RealBlackStuff]

That HD has to be initialized first before you partition/format it.

You need to connect it in a USB-enclosure to another PC/laptop first and initialize it there in the disk management console.

[fje]

That HD has to be initialized first before you partition/format it.

You need to connect it in a USB-enclosure to another PC/laptop first and initialize it there in the disk management console.

RealBlackStuff:

What is the reason for that HD to be initialized?
Why in another PC/laptop?
What do you mean with the "disk management" console?

Schen.... no luck, also tried.

Rgds.

[sjthinkpader]

Likely you just need the correct cloning software. Acronis True Image or Apricorm EZ Gig should work. Best is to place the new drive in the HDD slot and the old drive in a USB housing. Then boot from the SW CD in the CD drive.

[RealBlackStuff]

I can't tell you WHY the disk first needs to be initialized, but here is HOW:
http://www.computerhope.com/issues/ch000588.htm

I mentioned another PC/laptop, assuming you no longer have your laptop up and running.
If it still runs, you can use your own laptop and a USB enclosure with the new HD.

[Binh]

Did you set the boot (primary) partition active ? Try to boot into DOS first.

Also, when booting, press the F12 button to choose drive to boot from and see if the new hard drive is listed there.

[fje]

Yes, I finally did it with the help of all of you !!!!!

Let me sumarize what you suggested to me and all my findings for the case it could help any other one with a similar toruble I got into.

1.- Binh. "Boot partition was Primary and active": YES, it already was
2.- Binh. "Press F12 and look what can be booted": YES; the HDD was recognised and was there, but the problem was still there.
3.- RealBlackStuff. "Initialize disk". I tried it, but it should be for older versions of O.S. The menu with the "initialize" option is not there. Only "propierties"
4.- BeeJayEmm. You were right, it was not a BIOS problem. It works with the one I already had, the last one in IBM/Lenovo site.

Now, lets go to the way it worked:

5.- BeeJayEmm. "Don't know about Paragon software, but the old disk should be taken out of the HDD of the Thinkpad, put in the USB and the new one put as primary disk in the laptop".
6.- exTPfan. "You shouldn't do a "simple" copy partition, you should use a "clonning" software as Acronis".
7.- Sjthinkpader. "You should do the clonning with the target HDD in the primary HDD slot of the Thinkpad, not in the USB and use a software as Acronis"...

And... it worked

I used Acronis True Image 9.1.3.832, I put the old disk in the USB, the new in the laptop HDD, booted from an Acronis bootable CD, manually redimensioned the partitions, 49 minutes wait and see and... done.... it works, it boots from the new one and fully workable...

Thanks again to all of you that contributed with your best ideas, experience and suggestions in my case . Hope this thread will help to any other one with a similar problem.

P.S.: Last comment: I have listened about this disk being "noisy".... to be honest it is almost like the previous Samsung MP0804H 80Gb I had previously.. really not so much...

P.S.: Why these fantastic Thinkpads are so "pinky" for some things as RAMs, HDDs, way to do things ? They are the best quality in construction and components, but for other things...

P.S.: Is there any one that could change or tell me how to change the initial title of this thread and include the word "SUCCESS" or "DONE" to easy and help any other one with a similar problem?

[RealBlackStuff]

Go to your very first post in this thread. Click on the Edit button (left of the Quote button), you can now change the Title.

[fje]

Done, thanks... hopefully will help other ones !