DVD-RW of CF29 works, but isn't bootable

Hi there! Until now I was only a "silent reader", but nor also I got a problem which I can't fix without your help I think. (Please understand my bad english, my native language is German .

Short introduction about me getting a TB: I had an ordinary laptop some years ago, but after some month it showed the results of rough handling (a broken USB-port, scratches all over the place, ...). After my girl splashed the keyboard with icetea, I never got it working perfectly again. So in Dezember of 2009 I purchased a CF-28. It worked well, but was to slow for me. So in January this year, I bought a CF-29 MK4 (touchscreen, 60GB, 2GB memory, WLAN) with DVD-RW. I already put in Bluetooth, GPS and made some nice rubber protectors for the lid (sitting in the deeper grooves). The DVD-RW (as option) was sold out in the first place and so I got it yesterday. And that's where the problem begins.

On the drive-caddy is an original Panasonic Logo. When I insert it into the MP, it works fine unter Win XP. I can read CDs, DVDs and I also burned a DVD-image (Windows 7 RC1 for testing). Now I wanted to install Windows RC1, so I went into the BIOS and set the boot option "MP IDE" to the top (which I think is the correct option). The other options were internal IDE, MP Floppy, LAN, and some USB devices. BUT: It always booted right into my WIndows XP. So I disabled booting from the internal IDE and I got the message "No operating system found.". I tried putting every boot option on the top (excluding LAN), but always no success. When I rebooted or turned the TB on the drive spun up, but I felt like the BIOS didn't search the drive for a bootable content, cause the drive's LED didn't flash up, and there was no lag which is always there when the BIOS searches an optical Drve for bootable stuff. And it also didn't work with my genuine Windows XP CD-ROM (which boots perfectly on ohter systems), so the problem is not my Windows 7 RC image.

So i opened the drive carrier. I found a "noname" drive inside, cause there are only some data on the stickers, but no manufacturer (especially not Panasonic).

Another thing I noticed: In the BIOS in the "information" menu, I found my HDD under "Primary IDE Master". But shouldn't the DVD-RW be found under "Secondary IDE master"? There it shows "none" with the drive installed. I read the thread about bridging the pins of the (missing) resistor R2 on the connection board of the MP (these pins are currently unconnected). Could it be that the seller installed an aftermarked drive in the MP caddy and "forgot" to brigde the pins and so he drive isn't bootable BUT works under windows???

So sorry for the long, first thread, but I hope somebody can help. Please tell me if (and exactly were) you see your DVD-RWs in the BIOS or if there's a trick to boot from em, and what boot options you got.

Tanks a lot, guys

 

Sonny, welcome to the forum. Don't worry about your English and it isn't my native language either, but I well understand what you're saying.

Glen is right about the R2 and no-name brand. I've gone through similar experience; usable in windoze but not detected in BIOS or bootable. You can attempt to solder the R2 points and report back.

Are you certain your CF-29 has 2Gb RAM? What's the full model number on the bottom of the case??

Ron in SG

 

Hi there!

You guys where right. I just bridged the pins and the drive showed up in the BIOS under "Secondary Master", like I assumed it should. Now I got my Windows 7 RCM testversion installed. Runs fine so far, pretty fast (seems a little faster then XP) and very responsive without big lags. I was able to install all drivers, only the hotkey driver & app doesn't run, but maybe I'll figure it out later.

Tanks guys

 

You guys with English as a second language speak English better than a lot of native Americans do.

Shawn

 

Thanx a lot

Yes I didn't only have english in school, but also worked for a small company where the boss's wife is a chinese and she only spoke chinese and english. Cause I worked with her a lot, my english improved. It's really different and much more effective to learn english 8 hrs per day with a person who speaks it every day then with a school teacher for 8 hrs a week.

 

Sorry, you're right. It has 512 onboard and 1Gb added = 1,5GB. My fault. Model-No. is CF-29NTSGZBM.

 

No! your right! That unit has 1gig onboard ram. The S stand for 1.0gig on the config... site.


ohlip

 

Hmm, that's interesting...
I ordered the refubished TB with 1GB additional RAM, and the TB itself was discribed with 512MB. That should be 1,5GB, and Windows also shows 1,5GB (ok, 1,49GB for any reason). Btw, the windows control panel shows that the graphics chip has 128MB.

I as a TB newbie would presume that the centrino graphics chip gets its memory from the normal RAM. But why is windows showing (nearly) 1,5GB, when the graphics also needs 128MB??? OR: When I really have 2GB, Windows gots 1,5GB and the graphics chip has 128MB allocated, where the f*** are the mising 384MB??? Wasted???

Edit: I took a closer look in the DMI-Viewer: Memory module 1 has 1024MB, module 2 has only 512MB. But even though I don't understand why windows xp shows the full memory and doesn't sub the 128MB for graphics...