OS install on a X20 without X2 dock

Message

Toine · #1 Post by **Toine** » Thu Sep 14, 2006 11:11 am

Can anyone help me to install a Win 2000 on my X20 without a dock?
I tryed a USB HD but the system can't seem to find it on startup. Well i hope someone can help me with this, I have a nice X20 that doesn't work now because I can't seem to get a OS on it.

Thinkpaddict · #2 Post by **Thinkpaddict** » Thu Sep 14, 2006 5:14 pm

You might need to change some BIOS settings to be able to boot from USB. Also, I hope you mean that you are trying to install Windows from an USB CD (or DVD) reader (not a HD).

Toine · #3 Post by **Toine** » Thu Sep 14, 2006 7:33 pm

Actually I tried, without luck.
Man, i'm really bummed........I guess i can put DOS on the HD and than from DOS boot Win 2000. Will this work?

teetee · #4 Post by **teetee** » Thu Sep 14, 2006 11:24 pm

1. Get either a USB floppy disk drive or a standard IDE to notebook IDE converter.
2. Make a win98/se bootable disk with all the common commands in it. Boot the computer by either using the USB floppy drive or connect the laptop hard drive to a dekstop computer and boot the desktop into win98/se.
3. Partition, format the hard drive and use 'sys <hard drive letter>' command to transfer win98 system into the first partition of the hard drive. (don't forget to activate the boot partition on the hard drive)
4. Copy win2000 installation files (the whole 'I386' directory) onto the hard drive
5. Put the hard drive back to the laptop, boot the laptop by using win98/se system on the hard drive and start win2000 installation.

I found even with the 2631 dock station, the win2000 installation on my X24 never worked because after I boot the laptop by using win98/se floppy disk or by using win2000 CD it always showed me BSOD after it finished copying files during the installation. It only worked if I boot the laptop from the hard drive.

jogego · #5 Post by **jogego** » Fri Sep 15, 2006 4:04 am

I am trying to boot from a USB CD drive but am not getting any luck. Since the only desktop I have is an imac, I cant go down the Ide adapter line.

Am thinking I cant boot from USB simply because the USB CD writer is dated? Its an HP 8230e. Has anybody been able to boot an x-series with this drive?

If I have to buy a more recent drive, which drive would be bootable?

I have already gone into BIOS but cant see anything relating to USB so am thinking its not properly detected.

teetee · #6 Post by **teetee** » Fri Sep 15, 2006 5:24 am

There is an option under BIOS config allows you to enable USB BIOS support. It is required to be able to boot the laptop from USB device. At the bootup screen press F12 to choose 'USB CD-ROM' to boot the laptop. That's how I did it.

jogego · #7 Post by **jogego** » Fri Sep 15, 2006 6:24 am

I have just rechecked the BIOS and USB is definitely enabled but when I press F12 to choose the boot device what I see is Cdrom and not USB Cdrom.

What model and make is your CD drive?

I am guessing mine is not functioning cos its an old model.

teetee · #8 Post by **teetee** » Fri Sep 15, 2006 9:57 pm

jogego wrote:I have just rechecked the BIOS and USB is definitely enabled but when I press F12 to choose the boot device what I see is Cdrom and not USB Cdrom.

What model and make is your CD drive?

I am guessing mine is not functioning cos its an old model.

Sorry my mistake. It only shows "CDROM" on F12 boot chooser screen. My "CDROM" is in fact a CD-RW/DVD drive (H.L Data Storage, Model#: GCC-4243N)

jogego · #9 Post by **jogego** » Sat Sep 16, 2006 4:45 am

teetee wrote:
jogego wrote:I have just rechecked the BIOS and USB is definitely enabled but when I press F12 to choose the boot device what I see is Cdrom and not USB Cdrom.

What model and make is your CD drive?

I am guessing mine is not functioning cos its an old model.
Sorry my mistake. It only shows "CDROM" on F12 boot chooser screen. My "CDROM" is in fact a CD-RW/DVD drive (H.L Data Storage, Model#: GCC-4243N)

Thanks. Seems the only ones google is turning up are internal drives and no USB powered ones for that model.

teetee · #10 Post by **teetee** » Sat Sep 16, 2006 6:16 am

I got one of those USB slim cdrom enclosures from hongkong (ebay link: http://tinyurl.com/js3lx ) and put my CDRW/DVD in it to use as a external optical drive.

Toine · #11 Post by **Toine** » Sat Sep 16, 2006 10:39 am

Excellent! I ordered one today. I hope this will work

jogego · #12 Post by **jogego** » Sun Sep 17, 2006 8:52 am

Thanks for the insight. Keeping an eye on some on ebay right now.

By the way, any body know if this drive would work?

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... %3AIT&rd=1

Toine · #13 Post by **Toine** » Thu Oct 05, 2006 6:03 am

Okay, I'm going insane here. External CD-rom USB thing bought. AND BIOS that supports USB boot, but no reaction. I'm about to cry...........I press F12 for booting sequence, than external cd-rom, and guess what......it starts on the hard disk instead!!!

K0LO · #14 Post by **K0LO** » Thu Oct 05, 2006 8:28 am

1. Are you positive that your CD is bootable? (Check it in another PC)
2. Go into the BIOS and set the CD drive to be top priority in the boot device list and try again

jogego · #15 Post by **jogego** » Thu Oct 05, 2006 12:19 pm

Same here. I am at my wits end. It just seems that the X21 refuses to boot from a usb cdrom.

All Cds tested have worked in other computers so its not a fault with the booting media.

Spaghetti · #16 Post by **Spaghetti** » Thu Oct 05, 2006 4:03 pm

I just bought an X23 off ebay which had W2k pre-installed. My friend told me he's have an adapter for the X2 media slice for which I could hook up a laptop optical drive, but seems he didn't know what he was talking about! Thus I bought a usb-laptop caddy instead. Thankfully, it worked. I have no idea how - I'm not exactly clued up with computers. I had a spare 40Gb HDD which I swapped with the laptop's 20Gb, so at least I had a spare install on a separate drive should I mess it up....
I have no idea why it won't work for you - this is my first laptop and only the second computer I've owned - if I can do it, anyone can!!!

Spaghetti · #17 Post by **Spaghetti** » Thu Oct 05, 2006 4:07 pm

I just thought of something - if you're using a usb2 adapter of sorts, then don't - it won't work. You probably already knew that, but thought I'd mention it in case anyone else didn't. Good luck with it

doodles113 · #18 Post by **doodles113** » Wed Oct 11, 2006 11:25 pm

Looks a little weird, but here we go:
First, i removed the 30gb disk from my X21
Then, i installed it in a T23 of a friend.
Formatted, have the W98 install copied.
Then, removed from T23 and re-installed on the X21.
Proceeded the minimum install of 98, and then upgraded to Windows XP Service Pack 2, with a IBM PCMCIA CD-Rom from my old 560Z.
Running a little bit slow, due to low amount of memory, but running!

OS install on a X20 without X2 dock

OS install on a X20 without X2 dock

My contribution...

Who is online