X31 - USB stick?

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paddi · #1 Post by **paddi** » Sat Dec 16, 2006 3:15 am

I'm a little disappointed that my X31 doesn't support to boot from an USB stick.
It' recognized by the BIOS (as USB-HDD), which seems not to be supported as booting media.
Is there any option? I don't want to carry arround a docking station or an external cd/dvd drive to use some dos tools...

Ken Fox · #2 Post by **Ken Fox** » Sat Dec 16, 2006 11:56 am

paddi wrote:I'm a little disappointed that my X31 doesn't support to boot from an USB stick.
It' recognized by the BIOS (as USB-HDD), which seems not to be supported as booting media.
Is there any option? I don't want to carry arround a docking station or an external cd/dvd drive to use some dos tools...

I don't know exactly what you are trying to do with dos. If it is something you could do in a dos window, WinXP offers that functionality in the "command promp" off of "Run" ->"programs"-> "Accessories."

The X3x will definitely boot into dos using a USB floppy. I use this for such things as Norton Ghost 2003 backups. Of course, that is something to carry although they aren't very big. There's an ibm branded floppy with a slipcase that was on ebay last week for $19 delivered; I've ordered one as a spare and I think they had a number to sell.

ken

paddi · #3 Post by **paddi** » Sun Dec 17, 2006 3:25 am

I simply want to boot from my USB stick.
Is there any BIOS update?

tahir · #4 Post by **tahir** » Wed Dec 20, 2006 4:33 am

I boot a flavour of linux called - '[censored] small linux' off my usb memory stick. And that is on an X30. So I would have thought the X31 should be able to boot off a usb memory stick as well.

I also choose the option to load into ram to make it extra quick after booting.

Tahir

mrobo · #5 Post by **mrobo** » Wed Dec 27, 2006 6:35 am

i have wroten to ibm support about the newest bios relase for X31 that are unable to boot from USB flash disk and now i am awaiting answer after then i post it here

paddi · #6 Post by **paddi** » Thu Jan 25, 2007 7:14 am

Is there no BIOS update to be able to boot from USB-HDD?

#7 Post by **tomh009** » Thu Jan 25, 2007 8:29 am

Could it be that tahir has a different type of USB stick that is not recognized as a USB-HDD?

Ken Fox · #8 Post by **Ken Fox** » Thu Jan 25, 2007 10:24 am

tomh009 wrote:Could it be that tahir has a different type of USB stick that is not recognized as a USB-HDD?

A few years ago IBM was selling USB flash drives in small sizes (I think they were 64mb, maybe up to 256mb) for inflated prices. They said that those USB flash drives were the only ones that would be usable for booting up, to be used in lieu of a floppy.

I assume your USB drive is recognized within Windows, just not as a boot device. I think that is what you are dealing with -- in order for the bios of an X3x machine to recognize the flash drive as a boot device, it needs to be an IBM version, and maybe an older IBM version that had some additional firmware that allows it to be used that way.

They have probably not changed the bios regarding that because it is an old model, no longer being sold, and they have no incentive to put much effort into anything but bug fixes.

paddi · #9 Post by **paddi** » Fri Jan 26, 2007 12:49 am

The BIOS recognizes the type and name of the stick but only as USB-HDD.
I had an X40. There it was possible to boot from the stick...

Ken Fox · #10 Post by **Ken Fox** » Fri Jan 26, 2007 1:27 am

paddi wrote:The BIOS recognizes the type and name of the stick but only as USB-HDD.
I had an X40. There it was possible to boot from the stick...

I do think the X32 WILL boot from a proprietary IBM branded USB flash memory drive. Perhaps if you called IBM you could speak to someone in either tech support or in the parts dept. to see if such parts are still being sold.

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X31 - USB stick?

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