Installing Windows 7 on a R31 (How to boot?)

Message

funkyblue · #1 Post by **funkyblue** » Sun May 10, 2009 8:55 pm

Hey All.

I want to try running Windows 7 RC on my Thinkpad R31. It has 1GB memory and 1Ghz Celeron Mobile.
The issue is how.

It has a CD-ROM drive and is unable to boot from a USB-DVD drive.

Is there a boot CD around that could give USB-DVD and NTFS support so I can access the external DVD drive and run setup from there?

It's very frustrating as there seems No way to be able to boot/run the Windows 7 setup.

Advice is appreciated.

Thanks
Scott

sjthinkpader · #2 Post by **sjthinkpader** » Sun May 10, 2009 9:29 pm

There may be two issues and you have to determine which one applies:

1. USB DVD is not in the boot order
Press F12 at boot time and select the USB DVD drive to boot.

2. Windows7 RC image not burnt correctly
Did you load the ISO as an image or just burn a copy of the file.

#3 Post by **ZaZ** » Sun May 10, 2009 9:33 pm

How about over a network connection using net use command? It's been so long since I've done it, I'm probably not much help.

funkyblue · #4 Post by **funkyblue** » Sun May 10, 2009 9:49 pm

I read somewhere the R31 cannot boot from USB drives. I tried F12 but it refuses to boot from a USB DVD drive or a USB-Stick.
http://www.thinkwiki.org/wiki/Supported_Boot_Devices

I've never used the net command. Any guides or anything?

sjthinkpader · #5 Post by **sjthinkpader** » Mon May 11, 2009 1:08 am

Is your BIOS the latest?

funkyblue · #6 Post by **funkyblue** » Mon May 11, 2009 1:21 am

Yes 3.110

sjthinkpader · #7 Post by **sjthinkpader** » Mon May 11, 2009 1:45 am

Then if you really want to do this, change the CD to a DVD drive.

funkyblue · #8 Post by **funkyblue** » Mon May 11, 2009 1:49 am

It's too hard. I've tried like 5 different ways and all have failed. Not worth the expense of getting a DVD drive.

ajkula66 · #9 Post by **ajkula66** » Wed May 13, 2009 10:50 pm

You may be much better off without W7 on that machine....seriously.

funkyblue · #10 Post by **funkyblue** » Wed May 13, 2009 10:56 pm

I wanted to give it a shot. I have a decent 7200RPM 40gb HD in it, 1GB memory and it has a 1GHZ processor. I reckon W7 would be quiet fast personally!
I ordered a DVD-ROM drive off ebay for 20 bucks anyway

sojourner · #11 Post by **sojourner** » Fri May 15, 2009 7:39 pm

funkyblue wrote:I wanted to give it a shot. I have a decent 7200RPM 40gb HD in it, 1GB memory and it has a 1GHZ processor. I reckon W7 would be quiet fast personally!
I ordered a DVD-ROM drive off ebay for 20 bucks anyway

$20 is reasonable. Hopefully it will work!

I have an X31, latest BIOS and it will not boot from a DVD drive in the Ultra-base, nor a DVD USB device, only a floppy drive or the HDD! Quite amazing they made the BIOS this way. Found that setting up a HDD in my T41 then putting it in the X31 works, other than that I'm stumped as to how to setup the HDD without a recovery partition or recovery CD's.

ajkula66 · #12 Post by **ajkula66** » Fri May 15, 2009 11:35 pm

sojourner wrote:

I have an X31, latest BIOS and it will not boot from a DVD drive in the Ultra-base, nor a DVD USB device, only a floppy drive or the HDD!

There is something SERIOUSLY wrong with that machine. I've booted X3x units from anything and everything imaginable, including external media drives, not to mention ones in the base...

sojourner · #13 Post by **sojourner** » Sat May 16, 2009 8:22 pm

ajkula66 wrote:There is something SERIOUSLY wrong with that machine. I've booted X3x units from anything and everything imaginable, including external media drives, not to mention ones in the base...

ajkula66, that post got my attention so decided to look deeper into the issue. I have a habit of seriously changing default BIOS settings. That can cause certain problems, as was the case here. Changed BIOS to defaults and can boot from accessories now. Thanks!

ajkula66 · #14 Post by **ajkula66** » Sun May 17, 2009 12:37 am

sojourner wrote:

Changed BIOS to defaults and can boot from accessories now. Thanks!

You're very welcome. All's well that ends well...

codek · #15 Post by **codek** » Mon May 18, 2009 5:58 pm

I was thinking about the same thing but how much resources does Windows 7 take than an XP

Dodge34 · #16 Post by **Dodge34** » Fri Jun 12, 2009 1:35 pm

Got Windows 7 working on a R32 2658-N3F, a little bit slow but I consider getting 2GB of memory and a better hard drive for it

vanaya · #17 Post by **vanaya** » Fri Jun 12, 2009 2:08 pm

Dodge34 the R31/30 one is not possible of more than 1gb. This model requires pc133 RAM vs the pc2100/2700 on the R32. I believe the biggest pc133 is 512mb.

telftn · #18 Post by **telftn** » Sun Jun 21, 2009 9:36 pm

Hi,
First time on here and great to see support for the old Thinkpads. I have an R31, Celeron 1GHz, 1GB Ram and 20GB HDD.
I loaded Windows 7 from DVD and all came up nicely and was workable (could start programs, surf with IE8, etc.) until a restart was required. Then it would not start and went into "Windows will try and fix mode" which also failed.
I don't understand why it works when first loaded but not after resart. Any ideas please.
Cheers,
Fred
Australia

Installing Windows 7 on a R31 (How to boot?)

Installing Windows 7 on a R31 (How to boot?)

Re: Installing Windows 7 on a R31 (How to boot?)

Re: Installing Windows 7 on a R31 (How to boot?)

Re: Installing Windows 7 on a R31 (How to boot?)

Re: Installing Windows 7 on a R31 (How to boot?)

Re: Installing Windows 7 on a R31 (How to boot?)

Re: Installing Windows 7 on a R31 (How to boot?)

Re: Installing Windows 7 on a R31 (How to boot?)

Re: Installing Windows 7 on a R31 (How to boot?)

Re: Installing Windows 7 on a R31 (How to boot?)

Re: Installing Windows 7 on a R31 (How to boot?)

Re: Installing Windows 7 on a R31 (How to boot?)

Re: Installing Windows 7 on a R31 (How to boot?)

Re: Installing Windows 7 on a R31 (How to boot?)

Re: Installing Windows 7 on a R31 (How to boot?)

Re: Installing Windows 7 on a R31 (How to boot?)

Re: Installing Windows 7 on a R31 (How to boot?)

Re: Installing Windows 7 on a R31 (How to boot?)

Who is online