X41 Tablet load with Addonics CF 4 Gb card

[Hugh Chardon]

OK here goes...I have been tackling the reload of an X41 Tablet for the last few hours.
It is at this point that I walk away (office chair roll...) and begin work on any one of 30 other things
I can work on. I'm ready to give up on this, I really am.
The symptoms are these:
USB HDD with winXP MCE......no boot Beep! but no boot
USB Floppy with DOS 7.0.......no boot Beep!
USB CD-ROM......no have, but will try if I can FIND one...
Internal Addonics CF card holder with 4Gb card (Thanks Sine !)........no boot Dos 7.0 loaded Beep!

BTW boots into PXE after BIOS splash, but BEFORE it churns the floppy, just sayin'

What am I missing ? Is it simple ? Will I emerge triumphant ? Does my chewing gum... You get the idea
Thanks, in advance, for all the help

[sjthinkpader]

Have you tried resetting the BIOS options to default? Have you check the BIOS boot list?

Not all CF cards are bootable. There is the fixed vs removable bit in the CIS to change. Most Transcend and RiDATA cards are set as fixed. If not, try formatting the cards as NTFS.

The new card should be in the HDD slot and boot from USB DVD or HDD.

[Hugh Chardon]

Have you tried resetting the BIOS options to default?

Yep, second thing I did.

Have you check the BIOS boot list?

Yep, before every change to the boot options, I've also saved
in "verbose" mode. (I don't remember what IBM calls it...) so I can "see" if it "sees" the option. The BIOS "sees"
all of the different cards/options, JUST WONT BOOT. (Grrr) I've also formatted a 4 Gb Sandisk USB key with Bart PE and Dos 7.0 no boot BEEP !
BTW It's a Transcend 4 Gb card

Thanx !

[sjthinkpader]

...
in "verbose" mode. (I don't remember what IBM calls it...) so I can "see" if it "sees" the option. The BIOS "sees"
all of the different cards/options, JUST WONT BOOT. (Grrr) I've also formatted a 4 Gb Sandisk USB key with Bart PE and Dos 7.0 no boot BEEP !
BTW It's a Transcend 4 Gb card

Thanx !

I assume you meant "F12 to choose a temporary startup device". I used a X40 for a test with CF in HDD slot , USB FDD, DVD drive in Ultrabase, and a bootable USB key inserted and I have the following Boot Menu:

1. USB FDD: TEAC FD-....
2: ATAPI CD0:MATSHITADVD...
4: IDE HDD0: CF CARD-(PM)
5: PCI LAN: IBA....
6: -USB HDD
Lenovo Memory Key 1GB

It booted to the USB FDD and USB key fine. Normally I would use a USB DVD to install OS image since I may or may not have an Ultrabase. If you cannot see any USB devices, you may have a bum USB port. Did you try the 2nd port? How about a differ stick of RAM?

[Hugh Chardon]

I assume you meant "F12 to choose a temporary startup device."

Nope, that's not what I did. I have since then loaded the "default" menu. And let the machine choose.
It booted to the USB FDD, but didn't read the disk (I/O error) the same disk was read by a Mac running 10.4, a Think
Pad running Fedora 10, as well as a Winders clone running Media Center Edition SP3. I think my FLOPPY is bad. (Grrr)
USB key physically won't fit, so used an extension (male one side/female the other) on the other side.
BIOS "sees" it, no boot. (USB key has BartPE and the HP USB Disk Storage Format tool used on it, for 6.22 and 7.0
BTW I have formatted the USB key 6 times and loaded 6.22, 7.0 DOS, WinXP MCE, Fedora Linux 10.0 and Win 2K, it's a 4 Gb SanDisk.

How about a differ stick of RAM?"

Changed it out for another, no change in the above problems.
I may have a bum USB port, but I still see how this thing won't boot.

Thanx again for your help...

[sjthinkpader]

Other than running small applications such as MEMTEST86 or white list utility, I don't use USB sticks to boot; same for FDD. I normally use an USB DVD to boot, install OS or clone drives. Lenovo USB keys has a boot utility that come in the box.

It is possible that the USB port is not supplying 5V or 500mA properly. My USB DVD drive has its own power adapter in case of this kinds of issues.