DVD Boot Problem AHCI Compatability Mode FRU 45N7465

[AMATX]

Didn't find the solution to a DVD/CD boot issue I've had on my W700 via search, but was able to find something on the web, so I'm setting up a post/thread here with(hopefully) enough search terms in the Subject line to enable others to find this post.

* Couldn't get my DVD drive that came with the W700 to boot up -any- kind of disk. Tried every kind of disk I could think of, including the Lenovo R&R disks that came with the W700(!). Even had Lenovo send me a brand new DVD drive, to no avail. The drive -did- work fine, once Windows 7 was up, but just wouldn't boot.

* Turns out the problem has to do with whether one has 'AHCI' or 'Compatability' mode defined in the bios. I don't know why, don't really care why, just wanted a work around...

Easy solution(if you can call it that):

- cold boot of laptop, press F1 repeatedly until you get into the bios setup menu.
- select 'Config' ---> 'Serial ATA (SATA)' , press Enter, then select 'Compatability' mode.
- F10 to save & exit and you're set.

From there, you may now be able to boot from the ultrabay DVD...(make sure you either use F12 to get into boot device manual selection mode, or have previously setup your boot order to point to the DVD drive).

Afterwards, you can go into the bios and switch from Compatability to AHCI mode if you wish.

** Update: Just got off the phone w/Lenovo rep who knew about this issue. He said it was nuthin' new(?!?), blah, blah, blah. Said compatability mode setting basically turns off AHCI mode, blah, blah, blah. News to me. Like I posted above, I didn't really care; just wanted a quick fix.

[Geophyte1]

You may have happened across my old posts when you were searching but if you ever want to build a RAID with your W700 you'll have to get an older version of the DVD drive to do it.

That is unless Lenovo/IBM has fixed the problem they shipped with these computers that apparently has something to do with the 45N7465 dvd drives.