How Do I Install an OS to P1510D?

I just purchased a P1510D via a government auction.
It had a BIOS password. I got past that.
It didn't have a HDD. I added one.

I can't load an OS.
I've selected CD and I've selected floppy in the BIOS and boot selection.

I tried an external USB drive conected to a powered USB hub.
I tried both USB connectors on the P1510D.

I tried to load Win7 via a thumbdrive.
I tried both USB connectors on the P1510D.

I think my BIOS is 1.1 or 1.11 or 1.1.1.
The current BIOS on Fujitsu's site is 1.18 or 1.8 or 1.1.8.
Those are the BIOS numbers. I forget the order.

I've read online where people have installed an OS via USB optical drive.

If it's because the BIOS is not up to date. How can I update it if it wont recognize a USB optical drive or thumbdrive.

Do I have to use a USB floppy drive and some sort of a boot disc ala 98SE to create a temporary partition or folder on the HDD with a driver that will allow the chipset to read from the USB port and then install an OS via anything USB?

I read of one person who had the same problem and posted his question on various web sites but no one had a soltion for him other than to contact Fujitsu. I emailed fujitsu support and they emaile back that I should call their support.

 

I would suggest going into the BIOS and disable all boot options except the CD. Cold Boot with the operating system CD in and let us know if that works.

 

I tried that ... only CD enabled and then with only floppy enabled.
I may have had network still enabled both times but HDD was definitely disabled. I'll try it again.

 

OK, I disabled all but the CD and cold booted with the OS CD in the USB optical drive. ... Operating System not found.

 

If you can boot from a USB stick I would recommend you try that.
Download the windows 7 image of the version for which your laptop has a license here:
http://forum.notebookreview.com/win...-digitalriver-windows-7-sp1-13-languages.html

And use this tool to prepare your USB stick:
Microsoft Store Online

Plug the USB stick in one of your USB ports, enter BIOS menu and set your boot priority to USB device.

 

I tried a thumbdrive in both USB ports and in a powered USB hub.
I tried a USB DVD Drive in both USB ports and in a powered USB hub.
I had all but CD Drive disabled in the BIOS.
I tried again with all but floppy disabled in the BIOS.

 

Pareto, first make sure all your boot options are enabled in BIOS, then try pressing ESC shortly after power on, this trick works on ASUS laptop and according to this Re: Compaq Presario 1230 Laptop Accessing BIOS Setup may also work on your system.
katalin_2003 's method will save you a lot of time installing your OS also.

 

I got it going.
Thanks for all the help.

USB DVD drive and thumbdrive LEDs would flicker but I still got the NO OS message. So, was it accessing those drives or not?

I researched doing a PXE install and started to accumulate the necessary software.

I looked into getting a 1.8" to 2.5" adapter so I could use external cables and another computer to install to the 1.8" hdd to later place in the P1510D.
I wondered if W7 would balk at installing with one mobo and then finding itself in the P1510D.

I read online that it's looking for an OS on the HDD and when it doesn't find one, it looks for a PXE install vie wired network.

I believed I had already disabled PXE install and set the BOOT order in the BIOS but looked again for any further advanced settings to disable PXE install and the network card altogether. I read online about a ROM installed on the network card that had to be deactivated or the NIC had to be removed.

In the BIOS there is an advanced setting. I'm recalling from memory. I did whatever I thought would disable PXE install and NIC activity. The boot order was set to CD ONLY. I think that's the problem I and everyone online has with this. That is that we think that setting BOOT to CD restricts installation via USB weather it's a CD, DVD or thumbdrive. That's not the case.

So, I had my thumbdrive connected.
I went back into the BIOS advanced settings and found that my thumbdrive was listed under HDD AFTER my 1.8" HDD. I moved the thumbdrive above the 1.8" in boot order and tried to BOOT. NO GO! I went back into advanced settings and the 1.8" was above the thumbdrive in BOOT order. I KNOW I SAVED the changes. I reset the order, made sure they were activated and MAYBE deactivated CD. IT WORKED! W7 is installed and updated. Next I'll install Android x86.