ExpressCard SSD not a boot option

[AGoodSolution]

Your issue is your distro, Lenovo's implementation  meets industry standard and your objective is unconventional and your responsibility to determine the workarounds or compile one yourself.

Just because the SSD is large enough and includes a conduit to an open slot doesn't obligate any manufacturer to make any BIOS update to suit your goal.

Please, disagree, please advise and share about all the distro's including the last version of Amiga or BeOS that bootstraps off the express port.

How about a distro that boots from a Nikon SLR and only the Nikon and the USB cable and Lenovo will  put 5, 6, hell even 14 guys on it for you tomorrow.

Your request will wait long in line and behind people in front of you still waiting for the full SATA /2 througput out of their T60's since those owners deserve their BIOS update and long before you. Most of the ExpressSlot SSD's run like dogs and Lenovo will just be anxious as rain to magically convert your Express port into eSata 6 or whatever is the next standard that gets your attention.

[andyP Community SuperMod]

ChristopherS, welcome to the forum,

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15th March 2011

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[ChristopherS]

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erik wrote:

the expresscard implementation in your thinkpad is USB-based, not PCI-based, so there is currently no way to make it bootable even with a change to the BIOS.   making it bootable would require a physical change to the hardware to change to a PCI-based expresscard slot.

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I do no understand that statement.  If the notebook has an expresscard slot it should offer pci-e and USB.  I have never heard of a slot being wired for just the USB part.  That would lead to many complaints for cards that would not work. 

[ChristopherS]

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AGoodSolution wrote:

Your issue is your distro, Lenovo's implementation  meets industry standard and your objective is unconventional and your responsibility to determine the workarounds or compile one yourself.

Just because the SSD is large enough and includes a conduit to an open slot doesn't obligate any manufacturer to make any BIOS update to suit your goal.

Please, disagree, please advise and share about all the distro's including the last version of Amiga or BeOS that bootstraps off the express port.

How about a distro that boots from a Nikon SLR and only the Nikon and the USB cable and Lenovo will  put 5, 6, hell even 14 guys on it for you tomorrow.

Your request will wait long in line and behind people in front of you still waiting for the full SATA /2 througput out of their T60's since those owners deserve their BIOS update and long before you. Most of the ExpressSlot SSD's run like dogs and Lenovo will just be anxious as rain to magically convert your Express port into eSata 6 or whatever is the next standard that gets your attention.

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I do not see why you think his request was unconventional.  If other notebooks with the same Hardware support a function, it is understandable to expect to also be supported here.  I think there many people posting without ever actually having tried to boot from an expresscard.  

There are three basic types of cards:

1. USB interface, slow but should boot like any other stick.

2. pci-e interface with no firmware.  needs a driver to be seen by any OS therefore can never be used as a boot device.

3. pci-e interface with firmware; appears as a sata controller/drive to the BIOS and whatever OS you want to boot.

I have read much on the older cards with no firmware.  great as second drives but without a driver, useless.  I do not know about every Lenovo but if you put in a card that has its own firmware, it should appear in the BIOS as a bootable device.  No need for Lenovo people to do anything.