Thinkpads Forum

Ok, so I've had this 560 for a while now, and while partitioning like crazy with fdisk in BasicLinux 3.5, I'm pretty sure the hard drive is dead (the partition table won't be read, it won't mount, etc.)
So, while I'm experienced with software (well, the Linux/UNIX part), I'm a complete noob when it comes to maintaining hardware like replacing drives and such.
dmesg tells me that the hard drive is a IBM-DTNA-22110 ATA disk drive with 2016MB, so I need to know what hard drive would serve as a replacement.
A few instructions on how to take the lappie apart and replace the HDD would be nice too, because this would be my first time doing so.

The specs are 40MB RAM, 233MHz Pentium something {dmesg says 75-200)
No USB ports, so it isn't the 560X.
dmesg is also telling my that the hard drive is pooped, now that I look at it.

You can use practically any size 2.5" PATA harddrive that you'd like. You might just have to either update your BIOS, or use a smaller partition on the front side. I should really look and see what size HD is in my 560...I think that it is a 20GB, but I can't really remember.

As for how to remove/replace the HD....check out the Hardware Maintenance Manual.

Would I need to update my BIOS if I used Smart Boot Manager to boot the HDD?

I'm trying to revive my old 560, too.

I think the only way to update the BIOS is to get it from IBM on another computer (like maybe a 600 with a floppy drive) and then make the self-booting floppy and boot it up on the 560.

I haven't tried that yet, but in the meantime I'm trying to update the HDD, but no luck yet. I've tried a couple of 6gb and 10gb drives. I tried plugging in an old drive from a 570 and BIOS stalls after displaying logos and RAM size.

I might just get rid of this old 560 but I just can't see trashing it, so maybe if someone else wants it?

It would actually be a nice computer with a 20g HDD and dual-booted XP and ubuntu, like my other systems.

It's pretty easy to change the HDD, just undo 3 screws along the front of the bottom and bend the keyboard surround up a little, carefully, undo a single holddown screw and remove while undoing the ribbon cable. Hardest thing is putting that lid pushbutton back in place with it's spring, but a couple tries and it's in.

John H wrote: I think the only way to update the BIOS is to get it from IBM on another computer (like maybe a 600 with a floppy drive) and then make the self-booting floppy and boot it up on the 560.

Do you know of a link to the update?
And if so, would I use dd to write it?

Good luck putting Linux on a 560. I could never get my 560X or Z to boot from the MBR using LILO.

Maybe you have to use GRUB instead of lilo.

I looked around on the IBM website and found NOTHING. Looks like we've been abandoned.

Oh dear...
So will I be able to use the computer at all if I can just boot SBM from floppy and then boot the HDD from there?
Otherwise I'm kinda done for.

I found a 560 update site at Lenovo:

http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site. ... 60522.html

Some things look pretty old, but that's probably the best we can do.

John H wrote:Maybe you have to use GRUB instead of lilo.

True I could try GRUB, but until zmjjmz mentioned he was using Smart Boot Manager I didn't know how he was trying to boot linux and was giving him a heads-up about LILO. Does GRUB work on the 560?

Davemci wrote:... Does GRUB work on the 560?

I don't know. Still trying to get my old 560 working with a new HDD.

LILO works on BasicLinux, and SmartBootManager works.

EDIT: Is this look like a candidate?

I have GRUB on this 560x in the MBR. I'm sending this using Puppy Linux from that machine. It dual boots to Vector Linux.

GRUB didn't work when loaded to the Linux partition

I always install my bootloader to the MBR, so I don't think it will be a problem for me.
I just intend to get DSL on it. (I think I'll need to use an old version of X though, otherwise 640x480 with 4-bit depth = fail)
Unless I can get it working with TinyX, which is entirely possible.
http://arctic.org/~dean/tp560/
Has some good info.