Pre OS boot machine BIOS on most modern P3 class or newer laptops can see a usb drive device such as a floppy, cdrom or in P4 and later cases now flash drives. For the most part anything P3 800 or older will not see a flash drive without a software driver sub system... however in many cases P3 laptops with usb ports can be set to detect disk drives to boot from... even if internal bays are available but unpopulated.
PII versions, all bets are off... CF27's came as PII's and PIII's...depending on age... Doug At 01:10 PM 6/18/2008, you wrote: >What did you do to get the usb port to be recognized? Seems like you >have to have it "seen" before you could use that. >Robert >ps Really don't want to have to get rid of it, but 3 repeater projects >are draining my resources right now ;-) Great laptop to grab and go >on repeaters though. > >--- In ><mailto:Repeater-Builder%40yahoogroups.com>Repeater-Builder@yahoogroups.com, >Mike Morris WA6ILQ ><[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > > I've done it several times using this method - works every time. > > > > First I use a DOS floppy to FDISK and format the drive in the >laptop. This way > > the partition table is set the way the laptop BIOS will expect it. > > > > Then I remove the drive from the laptop and connect it to my $40 >universal > > drive gimmick: > > > <<http://www.cablestogo.com/product.asp?cat%5Fid=1501&sku=30504>http://www.cablestogo.com/product.asp?cat%5Fid=1501&sku=30504> > > A better photo that shows the included double-headed power supply and > > ]the SATA cable is here: > > > <<http://www.cablestogo.com/hi-res_image.asp?sku=30504&image=30504-A.jpg>http://www.cablestogo.com/hi-res_image.asp?sku=30504&image=30504-A.jpg> > > > > Then I copy the installation CD to the hard drive into a directory that > > says what it is... W98CD, W98SECD, NT4CD, W2KCD, never use > > the name "Windows", "WinNT", or "Win32" > > > > Then reinstall the drive into the laptop, boot into DOS from a >floppy and > > install from C:\whatever-your-directory-name-is\setup.exe > > > > That little USB drive adapter is a lifesaver. > > > > Disclaimer: I have no relationship to Cables To Go other than as a > > satisfied repeat customer for over 10 years (my first purchase > > was a 386-33 motherboard). > > > > Mike WA6ILQ > > > > At 06:12 AM 06/17/08, you wrote: > > >A simple solution to your dilemma is to pull the drive and connect it > > >with a $12.00 adapter to a modern 3.5 ide drive bay desktop computer, > > >format the drive as fat32,copy the win98se directory off of the cdrom > > >to the 2.5 laptop drive.. stick the laptop drive back into the > > >laptop.. boot from a dos boot floppy made in xp, and execute the > > >setup program on the hard drive in the windows directory... you do > > >not need the cdrom if you have all the cab files.... > > > > > >Most decent computer stores offer 2.5 (laptop) drive adapters either > > >to USB or IDE so you can connect them to a standard desktop to "work" > > >on them or copy to/from... > > > > > >My CF-27 has no cdrom, but XP can be loaded in a similar process more > > >or less, however the folder involved is the I386 folder from the > > >install cd... .... The CF27 will take a lot bigger drive than 2 > > >gigs..... I think mine is a 60 split in 2 partitions....One DOS > > >fat32, on XP NTFS.... > > > > > >Doug > > >KD8B > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >At 07:21 PM 6/15/2008, you wrote: > > > > > > >Have you found one yet? > > > > > > > >*I May* have a CF27 up for sale. Bought it ironically at a hamfest 2 > > > >weekends ago here in ATL. I LOVE the laptop. The only thing is that > > > >I am having a heck of a time getting at least Win98 on the drive. No > > > >CD drive. USB drive though. It came with a drive that had Lynx > > > >(sp?)on it that was not really functioning. Needed something to use > > > >with the program to program the Arcom RC210 with. Everything seems to > > > >work on it, but the drive did take a dive. I had another drive (2gig) > > > > > > > > >------------------------------------ > > > > > > > > > > > >Yahoo! Groups Links > > > > > > > > > > > > >
