S10-2 Boot failure

[Bjoppe]

Hi!

I have an old S10-2 that has had troubles starting, and I´ve been reading trough the forum for answers.

But I cant´t find a working solution.

From start:

Installed multiboot program for using Linux and win XP, then the problems began. It started refusing to boot any OS.

But after resets with power buttons and such it would finally awaken.

Then I got tired of it so I decided to wipe the hardrive clean, and making a new clean installation of Win7.

Problem is it wont boot the installation disk properly, so I tried Ubuntu on USB, wont work either.

Although it reads the USB and the External DVD, but it just wont go on.

So I installed the Win7 on the HDD using another computer, it works properly on that computer.

But when I connect it to my Lenovo it´s still the same thing.

It comes to the point where it´s supposed to load the starting drivers. but then everything freezes.

I can only see the loading bar of old Win XP?

But without the Win logo and it just sits there, doing nothing, no progress bar or anything.

Same thing with Ubuntu, loading all the commands and drivers and when it´s about to boot up, it freezes.

I´ve tried numerous ways of wiping the HDD totaly clean, setting up partitions and so, but nothing helps.

Even updated BIOS, but that wont help either...

I really hope someone has a terrific solution!!

Cheers!

//B

[yigit]

hi bjoppe.
while reading your post i tho it was hdd issue but after read the hdd working fine, i'm thinking could be ram issue.

i don't have s10-2 but is there any ram stick installed rather than the one soldered the mainboard? as i remember it there was one but not sure.

[TheWind777]

Unfortunately, the Lenovo S10-2 has THREE partitions, not one partition.

The C: partition has the stuff in it that allows the Lenovo to boot. It doesn't contain the Windows Operating System.

The D: partition is a partially-invisible partition which contains the re-install image files and a Linux boot system so if everything goes bad, you can reinstall it back the way it came from the factory.

The E: partition is where you install Windows.

So, if you wiped out all three partitions, and replaced it with one C: partition... you're out of luck.

No matter what you do now... you don't have a working system. It will boot to a certain file that won't be there and other support files which aren't there, thinking it is a tiny little C: bootstrap loader.

If you took another S10-2 and cloned that computer's C:, D: and E: drives (with a program such as EaseUs Todo Backup) then booted from USB (Not an easy thing to do on the Lenovo because the drivers it uses are not drivers which would be on a generic boot disk so it will just crash unless you turn off a certain setting in the BIOS which allows older drivers to be used - can't remember right off-hand).

And then had the install image files over on your main computer via Network (network drivers would have to be working) or install from another 64GB USB drive which has the image files on it) then you're really screwed.

I would suggest you sell the computer for parts. It was only worth $300 when it was NEW. With a whapped C:, D: and E: drive, it's basically worthless to anybody but the top programmers who can do such things as what I just mentioned. Too bad you did that.

[TheWind777]

Unfortunately, in order to gain enough knowledge in the world on how to fix things... you have to make mistakes. This is one of those mistakes you make in your qwest to learn more.

You couldn't have known that Lenovo was doing such strange things. The reason they did it was, they wanted you to have the ability at all times to re-install the operating system the way it came from the factory even if you destroyed everything.

The hidden D: drive holds this magic capability. It also allows you to boot to a Linux system and run a program by just pushing one button. That was a strange and clever thing to do. It, also, is done under the hidden auspices of that D: partition.

In that hidden 30GB partition are all the image files which can be re-installed. This makes it be a magic little computer that needs no CD or DVD drive. Even if you kill the operating system, you just push one button and it reinstalls from the hidden D: partition.

If you wish to reinstall the computer with a different operating system, for example (LIke I did) you have to wipe out the E: drive and install Windows XP or such there, not on the C: drive.

Of course, very few people are doing such things. Most just use the S10 the way it comes from the factory, which is very limited. It's pitiful how powerful the Lenovo S10 is, and how crippled they have made it.

I, for example, run a full Windows XP Professional system on it, have a video driver software which lets me scroll the screen almost six-times the size of the teeny screen they give you, and have Dexpot installed which lets me switch between many different kinds of desktops. I also have over 200 GB of storage in the form of miniscule 32GB MicroSD cards plugged into these super-tiny USB adapters which plug-in to a four-USB hub that's tiny. I've changed out the screen to be a Pixel Qi screen which can be used outdoors.

I did that because I will be using it while on a cross-country bicycle trip and I will be using it with Photoshop to manipulate photos I take. I will be charging it from a folding solar panel by charging an external battery which is 20 Volts, then running it from that battery (solar panel isn't consistent enough for the charging circuitry to not give up if you try running it directly from the solar panel).

So, it's an amazing little computer. I have an old version of Lightwave 3D, Photoshop, a full XP Professional, BartPE USB so I can create my own boot disks, and I could go on-and-on. In fact, I just did a full backup of C, D and E with 100GB filled using EaseUs Todo Backup and then transferred all of the C and E image files to a 64GB Sandisk drive in case my operating system gets completely whapped on the trip.

The Lenovo is amazing. Coupled-up with the Pixel Qi screen it is just stupendous. With Windows XP Professional, an external DVD writer, a folding keyboard and a wireless mouse it's like having a full computer that can be fit into the very tiniest of cases.