CF-M34 boots off USB floppy but not CD?

I know the USB CD drive is fine as I tested it on another PC. I know the USB port is fine as it will boot from my USB floppy.

In the BIOS I have CD as the first boot device.

I do have Legacy USB enabled in the BIOS.

This is the 700MHz model so I guess it is the MK3.

Ideas? I've read the M34 is picky with external drives possibly?

 

Is your external CD powered or does it just use the USB for power?

 

Both my externals are USB only powered. I do hear it spin the disc when I put it in however so I'd imagine they have enough power?

 

Maybe, maybe not. I have run into problems in the past where a USB powered did not work (although it was spinning), but an AC powered unit worked. It has been a while since I last used a CD as I have cloned one to another when working with 34's in the past. If you cannot get it to work, I would be happy to clone one for you (we can discuss which OS latter if we do), and all you would pay would be shipping to and from.

 

If you can find one, use a usb Y split cable to power the cd
I usually put one usb to my desktop, and the second to my cf-m34

you can find the cables on ebay

like http://cgi.benl.ebay.be/USB-2-0-Y-K...uterzubehör_Kabel_Adapter?hash=item3a5030701e

Edit : i did not try this on a 700 Mhz, as i have the 933 Mhz

 

hmm... denrosten that is an interesting idea! I'll try that as I do have one of those cables.

Silver Trooper, I do appreciate the offer. I'll keep it in mind.

 

According to my experience, all CF-M34 700 boot from USB CD, but not from all drives, try the Y cable to have additional power supply.
The original CF-VDRRT3 requires 1A @ 5V, and it works on MKIII (the 700MHz model), but your external USB drive may require more Amps or have a current peak at start up that prevents it from running during boot.

 

Keep in mind that when you use it on a second pc, you must put the small cable to it, as this is only power

 

I tried the USB Y-cable, no go.

I tried an external universal hard drive enclosure with an optical drive attached to it, no go. This works fine on my other system btw.

Laptop boots off a USB floppy without issue so I know the laptop is ok.

WHAT IS WRONG?????

 

Do I possibly need a USB 1.0 external device??

 

Try to load dos with usb drivers ( http://www.bootdisk.com/bootdisk.htm ) using the floppy, and then do the setup with the external cd

 

It has one USB connector. Think that would work with a USB hub?

I'm going to load XP on my other laptop with a CD drive then run sysprep and see if that works.

 

Tried a sysprep ( http://support.microsoft.com/kb/302577)

Put the drive back in... "A disk read error occured"

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

 

change from floppy to cd (bootdisk is loaded in ram)

 

Change what to CD? The BIOS boot order is CD/Floppy/HDD.

 

boot order floppy

load bootdisk to ram
unplug your floppy
plug your cd
try to search setup on cd (e:setup)

I don't know if it will work as i never tryd it that way

 

Hmm, I see what you mean. Make a boot floppy that creates a RAMdisk with the USB CD drivers. That won't work for XP however... if you try to run XP setup from DOS it just gives you an error.

 

Look at the link a send, perhaps there is a disk for xp that work

 

Frustrated enough yet? My offer still stands. Just let me know. Better yet, PM me as I may have another solution.

 

Oh man, I'm literally out of ideas. I've gotten XP on a Pentium 90 before but this laptop has me beat.

I'll PM you and hang my head.

 

Put my hard drive in a nearly identical (spec wise) laptop; Compaq M700.

It was a PIII 700, 256mb RAM, same ethernet, etc.

Loaded XP fine. Ran a sysprep and pulled the drive. Installed it back in my M34 and........................ DISK READ ERROR!!!

Now I'm wondering if this laptop is bad.

 

You've got to be *)#&^&*ing kidding me.

I updated to the newest BIOS... and it boots from the external CD fine.

WHY DIDN'T ANYONE SUGGEST THAT?????????

 

congrats,

sorry, didn't think on the bios

 

Yeah, I guess these are tears of happiness lol

 

Hey Aaron, now that you crossed that hurdle (there are several around here that should have thought of updating the BIOS, including me), would you be interested in a auto docking station? I have a like new Gamber-Johnson with key or a brand new CF-VEB343CF Panasonic with a Lind auto adapter (also new). Let me know if you are interested.

 

Honestly, I haven't any idea what I'd do with that! I'll keep it in mind however.

 

It has been quite a while since I thought of bios updates

Did the bios update file give a reason for the update


Alex

 

Actually no. I was 2 BIOS'es behind but none mentioned adding USB CD-ROM support!

 

Aaron,
I've not done any flashing since P233mmx days but it's great you thought of it. Just for the record again, what's your M34's full number and the bios file/flash.exe used (url as well). This may come in handy for the next addict.
Ron in SG

 

This brings up a good question (or two). How do we know if the BIOS that is in our TB's when we get them is the most current? Is there a particular site to go to to find out? If we find out there is a more current one, what are the procedures to download and install? While this would be old info to most of the old timers around here, the new guys would definitely benefit from the answers to those questions.

 

http://www.panasonic.ca/PDP/Software/cfm34_mk3_v301l21-r-2003-0006.zip

That's the newest BIOS for the MK3.

Just make a DOS bootable floppy, copy those files, and run the .bat file that's in there somewhere from the booted floppy.

If it is a newer BIOS, it will write it. If it isn't, it won't and will tell you.

 

Hi Aron,

I have up dated my bios to the one just before the one in you like and still could not boot from cd.

I have to say nice find as I though I had the latest bios for the mark 3.

now I can reload win 98 and xp pro in a dual boot and do it much neater.

Thank you also for the link to download the bios