Invalid system disk

I just purchase a Lenovo thinkpad R51 refurbish for my son; the laptop has no operating system install; when I turn the lap top on I get a message "invalid system disk"
I have been trying to install Xp but I could not get the machine to boot from the DVD; maybe there is something wrong on BIOS.
Please help me
Thanks in advance

 

I know I posted a couple of very long and detailed replys to you here but I think either my isp or AD's system was having an internet moment. So ill punch out the short version. Default your bios to the orginal settings. That will reset the boot order. There is a button in there to do that. I almost remember you asking if the bios would say if the drive was ok. I said it will not tell you 100% if it is working the way it should but would show you if the system see's it at all. Could be something as simple as a connector. Keep us informed, it's the only way we can help. After your done with all that go hit the IBM site and make sure you have the latest bios firmware.

 

Thanks for the reply
I did what you told me an reset BIOS to default; with no luck; I purchase a windows XP Professional brand new; but no luck eaither;
this is my default Boot secuence on BIOS:
1:USB FDD:
2: Legacy Floppy Drives
3: ATAPI CDO:MATSHITADVD-ROM SR-8177-(
4: USB CD
5: IDE HDDO: IC25N040ATMR04-0-(PM)
6: PCI LAN: IBA GE Slot 0208 v1217
7: -USB HDD
8: IDE HDD1
Exclude from boot order:
: IDE HDD2
:ATAPI CD1

 

Now it's fun and games times. In device manager find your entry "IDE ADA/ATAPI. Controllers. Open that and uninstall the primary and secondary channels. Reboot and let the os refind them. The thing that has me wondering is why a usb drive was put ahead of ide drives. That we may have to change manually.

 

I'm sorry for my ignorant; but can you tell me how to go into Device Manager; remember I do not have an operating system install,
Thanks a lot bkf for your help

 

I think im going to have to wonder over to the IBM site and do a little more reading on your system. That drive is either dead or another of ibm's little tricks with a recovery disk. Their known for that. I hate laptops lol

 

Thanks a lot bkf; I will wait to see what can you find; because I have try a lot of search on the internet with no result.

 

Oh, I don't know; how can I know if it is! Put it in another computer and see if it boots, maybe

 

Try putting 3: ATAPI CDO:MATSHITADVD-ROM SR-8177-( as the first drive in the boot order. That usb fdd bothers me. So if there is anything in that rom drive when you turn it on it should seek that first.

 

I try the a few times and nothing happend; I will get the same error message

 

If it's new and bought it should be. there would be a file called autorun.inf in there. that tells the computer what to do with the disc first thing.

Sure is starting to sound like you got a bum drive. It goes down the list, does not find anything and you get the error.

You never said if the bios see's the rom drive
All your drives should show up there expect floopies


Format a floppy on your computer as a dos system disk. pop that in the laptop and turn it on you should get an a: prompt which means it booted off the floppy but that just proves the computer is able to boot anything.

 

But how would I get to the file; if I try typing a command on the screen were the error appears and I get nothing

 

You won't on the laptop. no OS. have to use your system

 

bkf I'm sorry for being so ignorant; but can you go step by step on what i need to do and how to do it.
Thanks a million

 

It's not a problem. You have your own system right? Put a floppy in it. Click "my computer" you will see all your drives. right click on the a:floppy drive. click format and have the "make a dos startup disk" box checked. this will create a bootable floppy that we can try in the laptop to see if it can boot off it's own floppy drive.

Also on you own system put the xp disk in. unless you have autorun turned off it will try to run. Just click quit or no when it does. I don't remember which word it uses.


This copy of XP you got real?

 

can I use a CD instead of a floppy; the laptop only takes CD or DVD

 

I don't see the point of making a cd because that is the problem we are trying to figure out on the laptop. If it can't see a bootable XP disc it won't see a homemade bootable cd. You need to put that xp disk in your system and tell me if it tries to run on it's own. We can not go any futher until you do that. We do not know if it is the disk or the drive.

 

Yes I put my XP cd on my PC and windows installer came out; so yeah it try to install the cd

 

OK one more thing. On the laptop When you enter the bios screens does the bios see the disc drives? All of them?