several questions: bootable usb key, loud fan, multi-boot

[adam gorley]

hi there everybody..

i can't seem to find the specifics on any of my current issues, so i hope i'm not treading too much old ground here.

i have a 600x: p3-500mhz, 192mb, 12g hdd, win2k pro, & c.

1. can i boot from a usb key drive, flash drive, whatever? and could i possibly update the bios from such a drive?

2. the fan on this computer is quite loud, i don't know if it's just old or if thst is just how they are, but i would like to quiet it somehow. should i replace it? or does it simply need a cleaning?

3. after finally getting win2k installed (after i got my battery fixed courtesy of www.refurbishedibmbattery.com), i find that when i boot the multiple boot screen comes up asking whether i want either:

1. microsoft windows 2000 professional
2. microsoft windows

when i select the second option, the screen goes blank with a cursor..

it doesn't affect the performance of win2k when it loads, but it's a bit annoying, particularly to an overly orderly person like myself.

so, that's it, i will certainly continue my search for info among the posts already available..

thanks
adamg

[jdhurst]

1. I read here that the 600 will boot from a USB floppy, so it will be very easy to update the BIOS via diskette.
2. The machine is old, the fan is old, and the technology is old. In my recollection, older machines are noisier and hotter than newer (PM) machines like my T41.
3. You can (carefully) edit the boot.ini to remove the records you don't want to see on boot. Look at the file, and it should be evident. You should be able to look in My Computer -> Properties -> Advanced and see that you can edit the startup options.

You can't be any more overly orderly than me, so not to worry
... JD Hurst

[adam gorley]

excellent!

besides being excessively tidy, i'm also somewhat impatient, so i'm probably going to pre-empt some other replies here..

1. i was thinking about getting a usb floppy drive, but i mean a usb flash drive, the kind with a key-ring or a clip (or whatever name they go by now). that would be far easier than ever using floppies.

2. is it possible/recommended to replace the fan? has anybody done this?

3. it's been so long since i worked regularly with a pc that i've forgotten all that tinkering stuff (e.g., boot.ini).

so, thanks!
adamg

[whizkid]

I have two 600X machines. Both the fans run often, but neither is too loud. It sounds like rushing air with a little motor sound in there. It's about the same volume as the newer FDB hard drives in the machines... both pretty quiet.