Booting from USB Key or Hard Drive

The new Bios version A04 for the X300, which does allow booting for USB, but I haven't managed to get it working yet.  Any thoughts on that?

Sarah,

I've been told that the systems mainly support booting to USB "removable device", like USB memory keys
and other small USB storage devices. If you are trying to boot to a USB hard drive or Zip drive, it will be
a hit and miss process. It will either work with those devices or it wont.
In order to be able to boot to a USB device, the device must have the following.
1.An Active partition
2.The partition must be formatted.
3.The partition must have boot files on it.
4.Also you must set your boot option in the system bios so that "Removable USB Device" is first on the list.

Hi,

I have the same need with a D400 : I want to boot on an USB key in order to replace the floppy disk. The BIOS recognize USB device to boot.

So I formatted my USB key, I created a DOS partition, I activated this partition (for that I had to unplug the hard disk) and I copy all the DOS system files.

When I boot on this USB key I got a short message (12 non ASCII characters) and that all.

 

Is anybody successful with this operation ?

 

My configuration :

Latitude D400

Windows XP

SONY USB key (micro vault 128)

Dear Above

I found this utility which makes the usb key bootable, and copies system files for you.  Hope that helps.

http://www.aaltonen.us/downloads.html    Memory Key Boot Utility.

I managed to make the D600 boot from a usb memory key first go.  Could someone from dell let me know the differences between the D600 and the X300 so that I may understand why I can get one booting from a usb key but not the other.  Or maybe point me in the direction of usb drivers for dos just incase that might help.

Sarah,

The original bios for the X300 did not have a "USB BOOT" option.
Have you upgraded that system to the latest bios?
Does it list the "USB BOOT" option in the bios?
From reading the latest bios release, it seems that the option to booting to USB device was
also added to the F12 boot menu.
So, with a working bootable USB key in the system, restart the system and press F12 to get
the "one time boot menu". Then see if you can boot to the USB key using that method.

Have done all of that, upgraded the bios and yes the option of usb appears and even tells me its a compact flash, so recognises it.  I have also booted the D600 and D800 off the same key.  The X300 I am having no success with, any ideas.

Sarah,

Thanks for the hlp in determining the issues around booting off a USB device on the Dell X300. The USB boot device utility that you point to will not work on the usb key that I currently have. What key do you have that you were able to get the utility to work with.

I have found the BIOS update and will be trying it later today.

Thanks again

Sarah,

Have you tried both USB ports, the one on the left and right hand side of the system?
Do you have a media base for the X300?
If so, if you connect the system to the media base and the USB key to the media base, can you boot
from the USB key then?
Do you have a different model/brand of USB key you can try with the X300?
You may want to try disabling some devices in the system bios like:
-Wireless control
-Internal modem
-Lan Controller
-Mini PCI
-Serial Port
-Parallel Port
-Infrared Data Port
Then see if you can boot from the USB key.
If you can, then enable one option at a time until you find the option that is causing the problem
with the USB key.