IBM ThinkPad T23 OS Installation Problems

[imported_theEman]

Hey Everybody,

I recently bought an IBM ThinkPad T23 from eBay and it came with Windows 2000 Pro installed. I used the Maxtor MaxBlast software and deleted the C partition of the drive (the only one) and I tried to install Windows 2000 Pro again. I encountered many problems when trying to install it. The first time, I tried to install by inserting the Windows 2000 Pro CD into the CD drive and trying to boot that up. The laptop gave me the following screen:

Intel(R) Boot Agent Version 4.0.22
Copyright (C) 1997-2001, Intel Corporation

Intel Base-Code, PXE-2.1 (build 083)
Copyright (C) 1997-2001, Intel Corporation
PXE-E61: Media test failure, check cable
PXE:M0F: Exiting Intel PXE ROM
Operating System not found

It would just stay at the screen and when I tried again c ouple of times, same thing happened. I then tried booting from the Windows 2000 Boot Floppys and it worked. After inserting all 4, I swapped the floppy drive out (theres only 1 drive bay) and swapped the CD drive back in. Windows Setup said that it could not detect any CD drives. Is there any way to install Windows 2000? Any help is appreciated!

Eric

 

[redgtxdi]

Hmmmmmm..........had you used the CDrom before you deleted the partition??(IOW, to test & make sure it played CD's, etc.) I'm wondering if there's anything wrong with the CD drive since the floppy is identified easily and the Windows boot disk(s) ***should*** have provided generic CD drivers so that the laptop could utilize the CD drive 'til Windows was installed. (Usually OakTechnology drivers).

 

[WobbleWobble]

Thinkpads don't automatically boot from the CD without user intervention. When the computer starts up it should say press F12 to change boot device or something similar. Then select the CD-ROM and you should be good to go.

 

[imported_theEman]

Hey guys, thanks for the responses. I checked the drive before and it worked (its actually a DVD-ROM drive). It worked prefectly. I deleted the partition using Maxtor MaxBlast software that was run from the DVD drive. I chose the F12 option and tried booting from everything yesterday when I was trying to install the OS and they all gave me the same message with the "Intel PXE ROM" stuff. Anybody had any experience with this before or know what is happening?

 

[WobbleWobble]

Is your copy of the Windows 2000 disc bootable? Do you notice if the CD is being read from or not?

The PXE screen you see is the laptop trying to boot off the network. It's the last thing the Thinkpad will try to boot from if everything else fails.

 

[imported_theEman]

How can I tell if its bootable?

 

[WobbleWobble]

Easiest way is to stick it in another machine and try to boot off of it

 

[imported_theEman]

Thanks, I'll try that. Do you think that Windows XP Professional is bootable? It doesn't seem to work either. Does IBM have any kind of restore application? I didn't have the RapidRestore installed so there's no option to restore the HDD.

 

[WobbleWobble]

Windows 2000 should be bootable if it's legit and all

Windows XP Pro is bootable it's a real disc and all too.

IBM provides their restore files on a partition on the hard drive. If you didn't see it when you deleted your Windows partition the previous owner may have already deleted it. Call IBM and they will send you restore CDs.

 

[imported_theEman]

I'll do that. Thanks.

 

[imported_theEman]

Another question:
Anybody know how to turn the 6 XP Pro boot floppys into a bootable CD? I think that if I can boot from a CD, Windows Setup will recognize the CD drive and I will be able to insert the CD and install WinXP.