Load Windows onto hdd in ultrabay?

[mbr12]

IBM T43P
Bios 1.04
I was given this laptop which works fine in every respect except it won't detect any hd I have tried. The hds are Fujitsu drives that are supposed to work out of the box. The po also said it stopped detecting the original hd.
Possibly the Southbridge chip, but there are no other symptoms. Doesn't this chip control other functions? If it comes loose, wouldn't there be other problems?
It may be the connector. It may also need the bios updated.
I can't update the bios without Windows and I can't load Windows (I have the cds) without the hd, or can I?
I have Linux on a usb drive, but so far have failed to update the bios using Wine.
Can I get the ultrabay adapter, place a hd in it and install Windows? Then update the bios, place the hd back in it's original bay and see if it's detected? I haven't been able to load Windows on a usb hd or a usb thumb drive. Will Windows load on a drive in the ultrabay?
Any other suggestions?
Thanks.

[EasyMac308]

I know that will work for the T6x series (drive in ultrabay, install windows with a usb stick or usb cd drive), and I don't see why it wouldn't work for a T4x, but don't quote me on it...

[Neil]

The po also said it stopped detecting the original hd.

Probably not a BIOS issue then. BTW, you don't need Windows to install BIOS. Lenovo provides diskette BIOS updates, and there are custom iso images on the web you could use. But, I doubt either will help. Just for giggles, I would put a piece of thin rubber, or foam, between the Southbridge chip and the wifi adapter, then another thin piece between the wifi adapter and the keyboard to apply some pressure to the chip, then see if a HDD will work in the bay (for a little while anyway).

[RealBlackStuff]

I assume you know that the HD goes in upside down? (label to the table)
You also need the HD caddy and its 4 screws to make it fit properly...

[mbr12]

I tried putting pressure on the chip with no effect.
The drive was installed properly with the caddy and screws. No bent pins or debris inside the bay.
I tried all versions of the update, on cd, on usb, etc. None would load.

[Neil]

So, you can still boot from USB and CD, but the BIOS failed to update?
Where, exactly does the update fail?

[mbr12]

I can boot with Linux on a usb drive, but still no hd detected. Wine is supposed to emulate Windows so you can use Windows apps with Linux. It looks like it opens the update, but it doesn't install.

[Neil]

OK, yeah, that is to be expected, WINE just doesn't work. If you want to continue to pursue the BIOS update, you are going to have to find a CD image. Or, if you have a dock and a floppy drive, you could use the Lenovo supply diskette update.

Here is the BIOS upgrade page for Linux users: http://www.thinkwiki.org/wiki/BIOS_Upgrade

[mbr12]

I did burn a disc image of the update using ImgBurn, still no love.

[Neil]

How so? Won't boot, or upgrade fails?

[mbr12]

If I put in the cd with the update burned via ImgBurn and with nothing else connected, it won't boot. It will say "remove all media and hit any key to start". Then " no operating system found". I can get to the bios of course, but there's no option to update from there.
I'm still wondering if it's worth buying the ultrabay caddy, putting the rescue cds on the thumb drive and installing Windows with the hd in the ultrabay. Or is there an easy way to install Windows on the thumb drive and use it like I do with Linux.
The only ways I have seen to do that is way more complicated than my sixty-year-old skull can absorb.
Or does just sound too much like a hardware issue?

[RealBlackStuff]

Press F12 at boot time to select where to boot from...

[ajkula66]

Is that T43 a 14" or a 15" unit?

[mpcook]

I have a T43 with the same symptom, will not recognize any hard drive. As soon as it arrives (from my son), I will be troubleshooting. So far we have tried everything mentioned above. I am assuming it will need a replacement motherboard.