want to restore x40 HD but USB ports are dead

[volodar]

Hi all,

I'm not sure if this is possible, but I'm trying to restore my X40 HD to it's original XP configuration. I deleted the restore partition on the HD because I have the restore CDs, but recently my USB ports died (mainboard failure). Is there any alternate way I can still load from the restore CDs? I currently use a PCMCIA USB card, but that only works in windows and the computer won't boot USB key drives or USB CDs through it.

These are the options I've considered, but don't think any are possible:
a. Is there any way I can boot from the SD reader?
b. Is there any way I can restore the XP configuration through a LAN?
c. Is there any way I can restore the hard drive by taking it out of the X40 and restoring it on another computer that's not the x40?
d. Is there any way I can restore the hard drive online?
e. Is there another option I haven't considered?

Thanks for all your input.

-V

[tim S]

With no USB your X40 is really crippled, you should get a dock with a CD/DVD as soon as you can! That said, you could try loading an OS (XP?) with the hard drive in another computer. Don't forget the wireless/network drivers from IBM's site while the drive is in the other computer but don't unpack them. Even though the OS was loaded in another computer I'm pretty confident that XP, and most of the newer Linux distros, will be able to mange in the new environment of the X40. Once the OS is up and (hopefully) running, unpack the network drivers, get online and get the other drivers you'll need.
Good luck
Tim S

[davidspalding]

I'm facing a similar issue, recovering an X31 with a new HDD, with minimal extras. Can I boot from an Ultrabay CD-ROM drive in a Dock II while the X31 is docked?

Or wait ... could I plug the new HDD into my T43, do a full system recovery with my T43 recovery discs, then plug the drive into the X31, boot up, and reconfigure with System Update over Ethernet?

[volodar]

Thanks Tim!
Just bought an x40 dock on ebay (I knew I was looking past the obvious solution! That gives me both a DVD drive and USB ports) With it, I should be able to restore the computer this weekend.
Thanks again for your help!
-V

[tim S]

You may find the USB ports on the dock won't work either since they probably connect to the same area of the motherboard as the 'dead' originals. But at least you'll have the CD/DVD to work with.
Tim S

[bjorn]

My USB ports died as well. But I got the machine working again this morning. I took the CF card(my hdd) and put it into a card reader in another machine. Burned a slimmed down win7 version on it with Ultraiso. Put it back in, installed win7. Worked like a charm. Best OS so far I have used on this machine. This version was slimmed down a lot, so it fit into a CD.

[sjthinkpader]

You mean you got Win7 working but the USB is still dead?

[bjorn]

Yes. And the operating system had crashed. So there was a question on how to get the operating system onto the HD. This worked fine. I guess I could also have used the hp tool to make it into a dos startupsystem copied winxp and smartdrv over. Connected to x40. and run the winnt.exe in the i386 directory.

But this was easier and faster. It does not work to do the same, without a lot of work, or else one will get the ntlr file missing meassage.

CF-slot still works. So I guess I will just need to get one of those adapters and I will usb ports again.

Maybe I could have booted with CD from CF-USB adapter. But as I understood that did not work with the x40, so went this rute instead.

The USB ports is still dead. I had a moment when the machine got very hot on the underside. So I guess something broke then. They get power for a few seconds, then they are dead. The USB sticks I put in. No recognition in either bios or OP.