cd-rom woes on thinkpad i1400

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iougs · #1 Post by **iougs** » Mon Sep 19, 2005 2:32 pm

thinkpad 2611-412

trying real hard to install win2000 ...

has a 05k9165 cd-rom (LG) ... does not pass the PC DOCTOR cd-rom tests, but still is able to DIR the cds I put in (not all the time and appears to be quite slow). Useless.

So I get a 05k9108 from a 451 hoping my problems will be solved .. and guess what ... same exact behavior ... does not pass the PC DOCTOR tests either and behaves the same as the other one. I was told it was a working pull.

Now, what do you think about this?

Is it the CD-ROM? or is it something else? Should I try a third CD-ROM drive?

Thanks, iougs-

Website · #2 Post by **tfflivemb2** » Wed Sep 21, 2005 2:09 pm

I don't typically use Win2000, but from what I remember you can place the Win2000 CD into another PC and create a 4 disk floppy installation set to use as your install method on your i1400.

iougs · #3 Post by **iougs** » Wed Sep 21, 2005 2:42 pm

I said 'trying to install win2000' but the same could be said for win98 or me ...
it's not just a problem of booting from the cd-rom, it's that the cd-rom cannot be used to its full extent ... it's recognized in the bios and everything ... I can kinda 'dir' the cd and explore it, but it fails the PC DOCTOR test which is basically all kind of seek tests (linear, random, funnel) ... bottom line: I cannot really install any kind of operating system and most likely I won't be able to use the cd-rom when said OS is installed (even if I was to bypass the cd-rom drive and use a parallel port drive or something else).

I guess I could probably install win2000 using the 4 boot disks and a parallel port cd-rom drive (although there are also problems with that since win2000 will reboot and may not find the cd-rom drive but that's a whole other can of worms) ... but I really want a working cd-rom drive on the machine itself ...

but as I said, it's not clear to me it's just a bad cd-rom drive since the same symptoms occur on 2 different cd-rom drives ...

that's why I am asking if it could be something else.

thanks,
iougs-

SeanM · #4 Post by **SeanM** » Wed Sep 21, 2005 7:22 pm

What kind of CD did you use for the diag test? Was it a factory-created CD, or one you burned?

I've seen cheap media do some weird things.

iougs · #5 Post by **iougs** » Wed Sep 21, 2005 8:41 pm

I've tried all types of cd's for the 'pc doctor' tests ... burned and original ...

Resetting the cd-rom drive usually works ...

When I do the linear seek test, I get something like this:

atapi Error FFFFH error reading sector 30

which happens when seeking from Sector 30 --to--> 30 (which is the first sector to seek I think)

same thing for sector 31, etc.

that's with the original 05k9165 ... note that I have tried to update the firmware to 1.16s as recommended by IBM but I can't upgrade to higher than 1.16b (with another older firmware disk) ... The upgrade disk with 1.16s says upgrade was successful but when I put the disk again, it still tells me I have to update (it's still showing version 1.16 instead 1.16s) ... Why I cannot upgrade to 1.16s is a mystery to me ... Makes no sense to me.

anyways thanks for the help but if you have other ideas, let me know. If you think ttrying another cd-rom drive would probably work, I am ready to try as soon as one 05k9165 or 05k9140 shows up on ebay (that's known to work good).

thanks again,
iougs-

iougs · #6 Post by **iougs** » Fri Sep 23, 2005 1:05 pm

One of the 2 "approved" cd-rom drive for my machine is the 05k9140, aka TEAC cd-224E-A27 ...

As you probably know, the TEAC cd-224E is used on tons of laptops and is therefore widely available (on ebay) ...

What's the difference between the various flavors of the cd-224E? Is it just the front bezel and the ide plug in the back?

Can I use any cd-224E for my i1400 2611-412?

I am kinda worried about the ide coupling in the back because some drives are seen with the ide plug that looks like one used on desktop pc's. But it kinda look like it's just an adapter that can be removed?

Any advice?

iougs · #7 Post by **iougs** » Fri Sep 23, 2005 3:49 pm

on this picture, is the IDE plug (looks like an adapter) removable?

talking about the greenish/whitish thingy in the back ...

if it's removable, it's gravy because it mean I can probably use it.

http://static.flickr.com/32/45919779_a4db67e413.jpg

Edited by Moderator: Links, not images, in this forum.

Website · #8 Post by **tfflivemb2** » Sat Sep 24, 2005 7:35 pm

Most of the time, if you remove the external portion of the drive, you can swap them out.

I just stripped a 600E DVD drive and swapped it out with a CD drive from a Compaq Armada M300, so that I could use the DVD drive in the M300 for this trip that I am on now.

Generally you will just need a very small screwdriver. The drive that you have pictured appears to be the same in layout. Look at the very back of the drive (the greenish white piece that you mentioned) and you should see two small screws. Remove the screws and carefully pull the adapter out.

jparrot427 · #9 Post by **jparrot427** » Thu Oct 13, 2005 8:21 am

Hello,
I also have CD problem here, on an i Series 1300. It looks like the MoBo, ( planar ) is at fault. The CD just quit on me with no reason at all. I went to use it and could not read anything. I have swapped three devices and get all same results. The funny part is that it will show the DIR, it will also play a music CD for +/- 15 seconds then quit.
If I drop to DOS and ask to " Boot with CD device " it sees no device but will still show in Windows, the DIR and play the 15 secs of music.

Any TEAC 224 will fit. I got some on eBay for other laptops, removed all the added plastic rails and such, and they are then all the same.

I got to the IBM Parts site and a planar is $900.00 US. Forget it !

I am now looking for a 1300 on eBay...for parts.

Have a Thinkpad day.

cd-rom woes on thinkpad i1400

cd-rom woes on thinkpad i1400

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