Thinkpads Forum

Wonder if anyone can help with this- its been driving me mad...

I have a TP 600, Model 2645-410. It came from a company disposal with the HDD removed. Luckily I had some drives knocking around- all IBM Travelstar, one 10Gb, one 6.49Gb and one 3Gb.

The problem is when I come to install an operating system. Windows setup runs through OK, I get to choose partition, setup shows me the drive and the amount of free space.

After choosing the partion to install to, setup formats the disk.

Now it gets weird...
Then I get an error message saying there is a problem creating a folder on the drive and setup cannot continue- the same occurs even if I am trying to install 98, Ubuntu Linux or 2000.

I've updated the BIOS to IBET54WW which I beleive is the latest, checked the drives (and Systemboard) in the Test facility in the BIOS- all OK. Clicked Initailize, still no joy- always the same problem after restarting.

Also, tried running Super FDISK from a bootable CD to erase the MBR and create a clean partition. This seems to work fine but as soon as I reboot the problem is back- no matter which drive I use!

Any ideas? Help would be very much appreicated...

I "re constructed" a thinkpad 600 and I used a 3 Gb Fujitsu drive I had been using as a USB drive.

I "installed" WinME it went through the entire process when it came to final reboot I got cannot find OS system halted.
So I tried again "Fdisk"ing first to see the partitions then to delete then to recreate again went through the process and same message.
Couldn't format the drive or anything! tried fdisk /mbr just in case

OK I got down & dirty. I retried an old DOS diskette booted
Fdisk (blew away partition. Re booted

Created a new one re booted Formatted the drive with the /s command

Re booted C:\> showed

Rebooted installed the OS and tada all is well.

Seemed as if it took a couple of tries to get everything to "take" I know it doesn't make sense....

Pat...I had the same problem with a couple of the my early 600 series machines I bought used to fix up..

Lately I haven't been having that problem but with the ones I did it turned out it was the RAM....I swapped the sticks and then had no problem loading the OS(WIN2000)...

I'm sure there could be other reasons,but give it a try..Take the RAM right out or try swapping it...

Thanks for your suggestions, but unfortunately still no luck.

I 'borrowed' a HDD from a laptop where I work which was recognised, the only difference is that the working one had 15 heads, all the others 16. So looks like I'll have to look around for another disk.

Reading on these threads others don't recommend IBM/Hitachi drives... anyone any suggestions of a good disk to go for?

Again, thanks for your help...

PatW wrote:Reading on these threads others don't recommend IBM/Hitachi drives... anyone any suggestions of a good disk to go for?

Bollocks! Where did you come up with such nonsense?

IBM/Hitachi would be the preferred HD for Thinkpads.

Are you attempting to load your OS from a retail CD or are you using a recovery CD? Makes an enormous difference!

What flavour of Windows are you attempting to install?

When you say you "I had some drives knocking around", did these HDs come for Thinkpads? Did you wipe the HDs before attempting to install your OS by running FDISK, deleting all partitions, then run FDISK again and set an active partition and FORMAT it?

Report back.

Regards,

James

Such 'old english' language James... only going by what I've read

The drives I have came from the same company that was disposing of the laptop, but the IT guy didnt know which one came out of which. The part number is: FRU 83H7086 and it states 'Genuine Thinkpad option' on the label

Yes, there's my problem. I install the drive, boot from floppy, erase MBR, run FDISK, create new partition- FDISK asks to reboot, so reboot...then partition not there! Says 'Invalid drive' when attempt to switch to C:\ in DOS.

I've got original CDs of 98 and NT4. The 2000 I have is a copy though. In desperation I tried an original of Ubuntu Linux, but that didn't see a C: either.

When you say a 'recovery disk' do you mean an original IBM recovery disk? Needless to say I didn't get one with the machine but if anyone could direct me to where I could download an ISO then great...

Thanks for your help- I don't want to give up on it just yet...