Hi Joseph, please can you tell me what exact type of IDE to Compact Flash adapter did you use for your "Solid-State Libretto"?

I tried already two different types, but they do not work with Windows XP. I proceeded according to your instructions. I installed XP on normal Libretto HDD and transfered it to CF card via Partition Magic. After this, the XP boots on Libretto. The problem is that then it announces that it cannot create pagefile and the desktop does not start (the Explorer process does not fit into memory). When I shut down some processes (e.g. svchoost) I can start explorer process and try to set virtual memory. But windows XP still do not use it after reboot.

I also tried to install XP on Libretto directly from CD (I have PCMCIA CD-Rrom drive) But in the middle of installation it announces lack of virtual memory. When I install XP on Libretto directly from CD with normal Libretto hard disk, it works perfectly.

I also tried to install Windows 98 on Libretto with CF adapter directly from CD and it works perfectly. So the problem is with Windows XP.

I also tried two different types of compact flash cards (8GB and 4GB), without success.

Do you have any suggestions, please?

Michal

-------------
Libretto 100CT/2.1
266 MHz (oc)
64 MB ram
Windows XP professional

Sorry I didn't get back to you earlier, just my inbox filled up, and it slipped to the bottom.

The reason for the problem, is that the CF card is being recognised as a removable mass storage device in XP. In Windows 98, this doesn't matter. As you can see in XP it does.

Some cards have utilities avaliable from the manufacturer, which allow the CF card's device ID to be changed, so that it is recognised as an IDE hard disk natively, instead of a removable card. However, if the manufacturer doesn't make these utilities avaliable, then you may be able to use the following workarounds:

(Quoted from http://www.thinkwiki.org/wiki/Compact_Flash_boot_drive)

Looking at the guide above, I might do things differently for the Libretto.

• Use a DOS bootdisk (from Win98, get the 98 Custom bootdisk from here) to run the following (Which is how I got my CF card to be bootable):
  
  Code:
  fdisk (Delete existing partitions, create a primary DOS partition, exit, then restart)
  fdisk /mbr (When back in the bootdisk, I ran this to make sure I had a valid MBR)
  format C: /S (Format the partition in FAT32, and install the DOS system on it)
  


• Then remove the floppy, and see if DOS boots from the CF card.


• I would probably then remove the CF card, plug it into another computer, and copy the I386 folder to the CF card


• Stick it back into the Libretto, boot from the bootdisk again, then run
  
  Code:
  smartdrv (for disk caching, improves speed of the copy process)
  cd C:I386 (change directory to the I386 folder that you copied on the card)
  winnt (Start the DOS portion of setup (Copies files, setup and installs bootloader))


• Remove the floppy before the system reboots


• Windows Setup should start off the CF card, just like it would if you were booting off the XP CD


• Convert the partition to NTFS when prompted in setup


• When done, install the Hitachi microdrive disk drivers (attached to this post), and I found a really in depth tutorial on how to force the drivers on a non-Hitachi drive http://portableapps.com/node/7181

I hope this helps, post back if you have any problems

I forgot to mention which card I used. Mine is a Lexar Professional CompactFlash Type 1 (or I, I can't really tell from the font on the box). It runs at 133x speed, at 20MB/Sec

I've never check if it comes with the utilities for making it a fixed disk, as I've never tried installing XP on my Libretto. I personally doubt it does, as it seems to be aimed for photography.

Thank you for information. Now the Libretto works perfectly with CF on IDE in Windows XP. The Hitachi drivers helped. My CF is Sandisk Extreme III 8 GB (30 MB/s)

Hi Joseph.
I managed to get a 32mb ram card for a Portege 3010 on ebay, the seller did'nt know the size and thought it might be a 16mb it only cost £11 with postage.
Anyway it was a bit deeper than the space but with a bit of work with a dremmel the plastic gave way and it worked a treat, I now have 64mb running at 266mhz.

I bought a CF card to IDE adapter from hong kong cost a massive £2.00 and nicked the 2GB card out of my camera (Extreme 3 20mhz) and have spent the day trying to get XP loaded, main problem was getting my pcmcia cd to be seen.

Anyway in the end I loaded win98 and then tried to load xp from the cd but it kept re-starting the installation so now I am doing an upgrade to win2000 ( since I saw in one of your replies that you use 2000).

I have just downloaded the win2000 driver file you posted, not used it yet.

I was wondering if the bios update could be done via any way other than the floppy drive ( I dont have one). I am a bit wary of bios updates since I turned an almost new IBM 5000 Netserver (about £5k's worth) into a heavy lump of scrap by updating its bios, also I turned a cd writer into a modem the same way.

Well my 2000 upgrade has converted to ntfs and is now installing devices so its looking good.
Will let you know the outcome.
Regards John


PS
I have noticed that the drive access makes a little scratching sound in the speaker, just like a normal hard drive would do. is this normal? Its comforting thogh cuz you can tell its doing something.

Hi Joseph.
Working fine except that I need a driver for the display, I can only get the narrow 600x400 picture and only 16 colours.
Can you help???
Regards John



All sorted....
I loaded SP4 this morning and have just noticed that the video card is now being recognised
I now have 24bit at 800X600 ( thats about the smallest I can see on these small screens.)

Doesn't 800x600 require you to scroll up and down the screen. Isn't the correct resolution 800x480? Decreasing the colour depth to 16-bit may make the Libretto a bit quicker. I doubt that the difference between 16-bit and 24-bit on the Libretto LCD can be noticed. Have you had any progress with WinFLP?

You are right 800x600 was a pain, I did'nt know the correct res was 800x480. I do now.
You are also right there is no difference between 16 and 24bit that I can see.

When I get things working again I shall stick to 16 bit.

John

Quoted your info on the Toshiba Libretto page

Anyone else using an SSD or compact flash drive in their 110CT have the hard disk led stay on all the time? I've tried a 16gb 1.8" samsung and a 16gb 2.5" transcend. Same thing. They work, even though performance is not the greatest. Going to be doing more tests to verify speed.

Curtis