Windows XP-2000 install problem on X20

[bed]

Hi to everybody,
I hope somebody can help me.
I've just got an used IBM Thinkpad X20 model 2662.
It's equipped with an internal IBM 20GB hard disk and an external usb floppy disk drive.
I've update the bios and control program to the latest available yet.
I have to install Windows XP or W2K on it but i have'nt got CD or dvd drive.
I've:
1- formatted the HD (1x 2GB FAT bootable partition)
2- installed dos system
3- copied the I386 folder of W2K or XP install cdrom in to c:\
4- lauched the c:\i386\winnt.exe program

Once the setup reboot for theh first time the thikpad i get this:
-w2k .. no messages on the display only a blinking cursor
-wxp .. ntldr missing

I think it's a MBR trouble.

I've tried also to install W98/W2k/WXP on another desktop pc into the laptop hd. I can boot regularly the OS from the desktop. As soon as i move the HD to the notebook i can't boot anymore.

I've tried with a second HD (Fujitsu 30GB HD) with no news.

Anybody can help me please??

thank you in advance to everybody

Cristiano

[AbsoluteRaleigh]

Hi to everybody,
I hope somebody can help me.
I've just got an used IBM Thinkpad X20 model 2662.
It's equipped with an internal IBM 20GB hard disk and an external usb floppy disk drive.
I've update the bios and control program to the latest available yet.
I have to install Windows XP or W2K on it but i have'nt got CD or dvd drive.
I've:
1- formatted the HD (1x 2GB FAT bootable partition)
2- installed dos system
3- copied the I386 folder of W2K or XP install cdrom in to c:\
4- lauched the c:\i386\winnt.exe program

Once the setup reboot for theh first time the thikpad i get this:
-w2k .. no messages on the display only a blinking cursor
-wxp .. ntldr missing

I think it's a MBR trouble.

I've tried also to install W98/W2k/WXP on another desktop pc into the laptop hd. I can boot regularly the OS from the desktop. As soon as i move the HD to the notebook i can't boot anymore.

I've tried with a second HD (Fujitsu 30GB HD) with no news.

Anybody can help me please??

thank you in advance to everybody

Cristiano

Run FDISK and check to see if your primary partition is active.

2GB is super small for W2K / WXP. Go ahead and make it a larger size now...

[asiafish]

-wxp .. ntldr missing

I think it's a MBR trouble.
Cristiano

Run FDISK and check to see if your primary partition is active.

2GB is super small for W2K / WXP. Go ahead and make it a larger size now...

Try fdisk /mbr

That will reset your MBR and then you can run fdisk and set the first partition as active.

[dot4f]

I recently aquired a X20 and of course, it does not have a media slice or external cd\floppy so to load XP I knew I would have to load it from the HDD.

I considered booting off of USB devices, but the machine seems incapable? also booting from a Compact Flash card or PC Card both failed.

I removed the X20's HDD and placed it in another system. I then followed the instructions I found on another site - they seem correct, but I will paste them here for your review:

I have a laptop that lacks a floppy and a cd rom. I wanted windows XP on it, but couldnt load it without either a floppy or cd. Here is what I did:

1) install the hard drive as a slave in your working desktop system. I tried using a USB adaptor and it failed, i think it wants to be on an ide channel.

2) Format the drive. I just did a quick ntsf format, doesnt seem to matter.

3) insert your windows cd in the drive, and exit when it pops up asking what you want to do.

4) Go to "My Computer" and look at the drive letters of the CD-rom containing the XP disk, and also the drive letter of the hard drive you are installing to.

5) Assuming the hard drive is "D" and the XP cd is in "E:", go to the run command and type (or cut and paste):

E:\I386\winnt32.exe /syspart:D: /tempdrive:D: /makelocalsource /noreboot

6) setup will begin and ask you if you want to upgrade or full install, make sure it is FULL INSTALL. It will then ask you for a few more things including the CD key.

7) When it goes back to your desktop, turn off your PC and remove the slave hard drive. It is now ready for install in the new system. It will simply continue to install windows from this point.


I just finished it on my floppyless and cd-less laptop, and it worked awesome!

After placing the drive into the notebook again, it would boot to NTLDR is missing.
-- Now take the drive out of the X20, place it in any other system, and it boots to windows install just fine. What is wrong with this picture!?
I have an 80GB Samsung drive installed in the system, which it seems to like just fine.

So I decide I will load Win98 - after getting DOS on the drive, copying all the necessary win98 files, I go ahead and load 98 - it runs flawlessly. I went onto IBM's download page and found "Version 1.36 - Embedded Controller Program Update Utility" along with "BIOS Update IZET9DWW (2.25) spsuiz9d.exe" - These both loaded just fine. I then proceeded to copy (over network) all the necessary windows XP install files, and ran an Upgrade. The upgrade went just fine, everything worked just perfectly. XP was running on the X20 just great. --- WAS.

About a day later, I decided I really hate upgrade installs (Clean is so much nicer) and I decided to take a chance. After-all, the reason I couldn't install XP was the controller update, right? If you read the documentation for the Controller update, it mentions a fix for XP compatibility.

<1.29>
NOTE:
This version of Embedded Controller program will only work with the
BIOS 2.19 (or higher). Get the either of another packages, "System
Program Service Diskette Version 2.19 (or higher)" or "ThinkPad BIOS
Update Utility Version 2.19 (IZET98WW) (or higher)", and update the
BIOS in the system with it at the same time.

- (New) Support for Windows XP.

Well, after removing the drive (yes, erasing it) and trying to do a clean install once again of XP, I am having the SAME issues.

Does anyone know how to resolve this? Does this machine install cleanly from a CDROM for everyone else - any X20s? I see I am not the only one who has the HDD install issue, but I really can't find much documentation on this area.

Also, it would be nice to know if the CF, PCMCIA, and USB are bootable, and if so, how? (not seeing these listed in the F12 list)

Thanks! Rob.

[aabram]

I have successfully booted and installed X20 from USB CD-drive. Had to select CD-ROM from F12 boot device list for that.

However with certain CD-s (I experimented with several) it seemed to be a hit or miss game, whether it booted or got timeout before. I had to restart and try booting several times before I got CD to wake up perfectly in time when X20 started to look for bootable CD. After it found it and booted off it, it was smooth install. Slow, but smooth.

[Elliott]

aabram -

Which USB port was able to boot from the your USB CD-ROM, the right side or back port?

And did you hit F12 to select an 'alternate' boot device, or change in the BIOS via F1?

Thanks

[aabram]

Which USB port was able to boot from the your USB CD-ROM, the right side or back port?

And did you hit F12 to select an 'alternate' boot device, or change in the BIOS via F1?

For which port I used - now thats a good question. Honestly I don't remember. Perhaps I can experiment with it tomorrow. I do remember that I was able to boot through dock too, with USB CD-drive attatched to dock USB port instead. But again - at some times the drive just didn't spin up fast enough and boot timeout occurred. Took me several tries to get it right. That may be the fault of the drive too, though.

For selecting the boot device I just hit F12 and select CD-ROM, I was surprised myself when it found the USB drive, I wasn't expecting it to be that easy.

[QLi]

I have an X22 and the back USB port worked for me.

I had the same NTLDR is missing error installing XP using the HHD method. Finally resolved it by using an USB CD drive (I didn't know that it would work, otherwise I would have tried this route from the beginning). The NTDLR error may still shows up after the first boot (it did in my case) but in this case you just reload XP again and start the Recovery Console and then use the fixboot command to take care of it.

Good luck.