Can't install windows 2000 on s30!

[synchromesh]

I'm having a lot of trouble installing Win2k on my s30. I got a new hard disk for it, a 40gb. Here is what I did:

1. Split the disk into 2 partitions, 38GB and 2GB, then format with FAT32
2. Copy files from win2K install cd to the 2GB D: partition, transfer system on C: (38GB)
3. boot up from hard disk (it goes into prompt)
4. go to D:/i386, type winnt

The last step starts sort of a setup where all files are copied by setup to C:. It then prompts to reboot to continue install and that's when I get ntldr missing after machine goes through POST.

I tried repairing the ntloader but putting the drive into a T20 and running the recovery console's fixmbr command which succeeded. But once back in s30 it just went back to ntldr is missing message.

Is there a special way to get this to work on S30? I was able to install win98 no problem, but when tried upgrading it to 2000, I get the same exact problem after reboot. Has anyone done this?

[erik]

i had trouble doing what you did above.   here's what i found to work...

1) format s30 drive in T42p's second drive bay, partition as necessary
2) copy \i386 to what will be the C:\ partition on the s30 drive
3) create a DOS boot floppy
4) install drive in s30
5) boot s30 with new drive and an external FDD using above boot floppy
6) cd to C:\i386 and run winnt.exe

this will require an external FDD and a blank disk.   luckily external USB FDDs are cheap these days, albeit completely useless except for installing windows xp on the s30.

you might be able to sys the C:\ partition if you don't own or don't want to buy a USB FDD.   the key seems to be having the i386 directory available on C:\ and not on another partition.

-erik

[synchromesh]

Actually, I've tried precisely that before and received the same error. After that I went to a 2 partition setup because every time I formatted the drive I had to copy i386 dir all over again. There must be some other way.

[GomJabbar]

I have read that you can get into drive geometry errors if you partition the drive in a different computer than you install the OS on. Try removing all partitions, then recreating the partitions while it is in the S30. After formatting the C: partition, use the SYS C: command to copy the system files to the C: drive.

[synchromesh]

2 GomJabbar:

You're da man. I tried it and it works. I copied the floppy to my D: partition in the T20 (I don't have an external usb floppy drive). Then swapped it back into S30, formatted C: from that floppy directory and it worked like a charm. Another important part was to format the drive from S30 but use not the quick format (/q option) but the regular format with system transfer:

>format c: /s

Thanks, problem solved!

[califas]

http://www.thinkwiki.org/wiki/Installat ... -ROM_drive

For anyone else who doesnt have a CD-ROM and can't boot off USB. I used these instructions to install XP on my S30.

[dalmanights]

I bought a S30 in India. For a long time I could not get any windows version installed as it was having a Linux loaded and I could not access the HDD through booting. I wrote to mainy IBM people and the just washed their hands of S30. Many did not know the model. All available info was in Japanese.
I tried all the methods tried and explained already but could not get a fresh and clean windows installation.

Finally, I bought a cheap external chinese floppy drive and I could boot through and format the HDD, attach a DVD drive externally and install Win2000 and then, after a complete wipe using Partition magic , a fresh install of WinXP pro. I use it every day . It is a bit slow by todays stadards but a P3 is P3 and A TP is TP. By the way I upgraded the BIOS to 1.82 to see if USB booting is possible. This BIOS ironically is S31 BIOS and I found it works on S30. I really do not know what the difference is between S30 and S31. I am going to request Lenovo to upgrade it's BIOS so that booting through USB stick or Compact flash card is possible.
An interesting possibility worth exploring is: There is a Copact flash to IDE adapter available to which an external HDD can be attached to boot through it and install a fresh OS. Thanks would like to hear more on the BIOS upgrade ideas.
Dr. Hemant

[agarza]

Why wanting to boot from a floppy, instead of using the CD to boot the machine, partition the machine HDD the way you want and the let the installer do the rest.

The command sys c:\ was used when the Windows 3.x and Windows 95 were used.