Thinkpads Forum

Thinkpad Transnote 2675. Had to format HDD. No CD ROM. Was able to purchase IDE adapter 2.5" to 3.5" and install Windows 2000 after removing HDD from laptop and installing it on desktop using adapter. Trying to use Recovery CD to install the Thinkpad tools on laptop HDD. Don't have a CD ROM for the laptop. Do have an external USB HDD but the laptop won't recognize it. The desktop will not recognize the Recovery CD. I copied the Recovery CD to USB external HDD and tried to install it on laptop HDD using the desktop but no use. Any body have a solution for the recovery without the IBM CD ROM or do I have to purchase the IBM CD ROM?

Going from memory.......Try copying the drivers for the External HDD to the HDD while it is attached to your desktop. You can also go to www.bootdisk.com to download the equivilent of a boot disk to install on the HDD while it is attached to the desktop. Then move the HDD to the transnote and boot from the HDD with the bootdisk files installed. With the externall HDD drivers already installed on the HDD, it should recognize the external.