x31: two beeps followed by blinking cursor

[ChugokuOtaku]

trying to install XP onto x31 using Thinkpad Dock II/USB ultrabay enclosure

1gig extended memory test checks out
set BIOS boot priority to
1 USB floppy
2 USB optical drive
3 optical drive
4 HDD

Machine boots up fine, gets to Initializing Intel Boot Agent, I hear the optical drive spin up briefly, followed by two short beeps, and then the cursor just continues to blink.
If I manually hit F12 to choose startup device, I get two beeps, and nothing but a blinking cursor at the bottom right corner of the screen.

I'm getting the same results trying to install from the Dock and from the USB ultrabay enclosure
I use the same dock for a T22 and an X20, and the optical drive works for both, so I'm sure there shouldn't be anything wrong with the dock itself.

any help would be appreciated

[Harryc]

Put the hard drive in your T22 and see if it's recognized. If it is, initialize it with XP and try again in the X31. Test the Ultrabay CD/RW in the T22 as well.

[ChugokuOtaku]

Yeah, the harddrive was recognized in the T22
initialized it with XP using the same optical drive that was in my dock, put it back in the x31, set BIOS to boot from HDD first, same results

I used that harddrive as an external pocket drive for about a year now, 80gig 5400rpm Hitachi, and it's been working alright, so I don't suspect the harddrive

I have it in diagnostic startup, and the optical drive and harddrive are both recognized on the x31

EDIT: I took it off the docking station and tried it again, and realized that the brief spin up sound I heard before the two beeps wasn't coming from the optical drive, but from the fan

[Harryc]

Do you have a diskette drive? Does it boot? Try PC-Doctor for DOS.

http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site. ... 44202.html

[ChugokuOtaku]

sorry, don't have a floppy anywhere
is there anyway to use PC Doctor on a USB flash drive?

what other options do I have?

[Harryc]

Sorry, don't know how to run PC-Doctor on a USB drive. I have a working X3 media slice here with a CD/RW in it that my X30 is currently sitting in. If you want to ship me the X31 I can test it... maybe it's some kind of compatibility thing with the dock II. In fact if you send the disks I can load XP for you as well.

[mpcook]

I have had a bunch of X3*'s and reloaded OS many times - I believe you cannot load the OS from the dock II, it needs to be done with the machine sitting in the X3 media slice. It may work with a USB CD drive, not sure about that. I am not 100% certain on this, but if you can borrow an X3 slice, that would be your best bet.

Mike

[mpcook]

Here is another option since you have a T22. Put the drive in the T22, install OS to the T22. Then move the drive to the X31. It should boot to Windows. Then you can connect to Lenovo and download updates, drivers, etc. I have done this sort of thing successfully between X31's, X30's and T23's, I would think it should work as well with a T22. I assume you have the Thinkpad XP restore disks for an X31? You may not be able to use the wireless in the X31 until you download the correct driver, but you should be able to cable up to your router.

Mike

[ChugokuOtaku]

I believe you cannot load the OS from the dock II, it needs to be done with the machine sitting in the X3 media slice. It may work with a USB CD drive, not sure about that.

I tried the ultrabay USB enclosure(which I had previously used to successfully install XP to a X20), the BIOS picks up the optical drive, but refuses to boot to it. When I have it in dock II, it also recognized the optical drive in the BIOS...
I thought that as long as it's picked up there, the X31 should be able to boot to it?

Here is another option since you have a T22. Put the drive in the T22, install OS to the T22. Then move the drive to the X31

I tried that earlier from HarryC's suggestion
went through the first phase of XP initilization(the blue screen portion of the install). That went through fine, popped the harddrive back into the X31, and same thing happened. That's why I don't think it has anything to do with the boot options, but rather that it simply won't boot from any media. Pressing F12 to bring up the list of boot options still results in a blinking cursor.

I've contacted the seller, and I'll try a few more things before sending it back if nothing else works