Thinkpads Forum

Hello,
i have a x60s with an external cd drive running off the pcmcia slot. i am trying to get notebook to boot from this slot so i can reload windows xp. but it doesn't look like i can set this up from bios. can anyone help please.

x60s with external Archos mini cd [CDS-1-T24]

thank you

the x series (X40 and X60) seem to have problems with non (IBM) lenovo CD drives through the USB slot..

but first, did you make the USB a bootable port..?
this setting is in the bios setup..

Hi BIll, does Bios consider PCMCIA slot as USB? i have just gone in and changed boot sequence to USB CD as first boot but with no luck. here is a list of boot priority options:
1 USB CD:
2 USB FFD:
3 ATAPI CD1:
4 ATAPI CD0:
5 ATA HDD0: GTS5410..... BLA BLA BLA
6 PCI LAN: IBA GE SLOT 0200 V1231
7 -USB HDD
8 ATA HDD1:
EXCLUDED FROM BOOT ORDER:
ATA HDD2
FYI, When windows goes into boot screen for win login. it does reconize the cd drive(i can see the lights and hear the disk turning)

If you can't get the install to load from CD-ROM and you have a large USB stick (2GB or more), you can try copying over the contents of the Windows CD to the USB stick and installing that way (that's what I did with my new CD-less X61). It's a bit tricky, but it does work.

Thanks for the link. it seems a little involved. i would prefer to try and setup notebook to boot from PCMCIA card first if possible. as a last result i may have to try and attempt via usb.(which i would have to purchase first, as mine is only 256mb). if anyone can help, much appreciated.

It seems to me that my PCMCIA-based Ultrabay 2000 device, which came with my X30, required a special boot floppy to get the machine to boot from the CD drive. Meanwhile, I have had absolutely no problems booting with USB-based CD drives on any of my machines. Personally, I think you will be much farther ahead to simply invest in a USB CD drive.