Add a Versatile Compact Flash Boot Drive to an Inexpensive Laptop

Steps:

For more photos of the assembly process, launch the gallery here

Load ‘em Up

You will need a working PC to prepare your boot CF disk(s). Download and install the HP USB Disk Storage Format Tool V. 2.1.8, PEBuilder, Microsoft Server 2003 Service Pack 1, and 7-Zip (see the "free software" links on page one). Follow the online instructions for building BartPE.

If, on the other hand, you wish to create a DOS boot CF disk, then use the HP USB Disk Storage Format Tool for making the boot disk. You will also need a set of DOS command files for building this boot disk. These files are available from the same link cited for the HP USB tool.

Disassemble the gBook

Remove the battery, first, The remaining disassembly is a straightforward process, except for these two trouble spots:

Remove the “Warranty Void if Tampered Stickers” sticker for accessing the final screw on the underside of the gBook.

The keyboard is held down by a black plastic trim piece. This piece also holds the speaker grille and the power button. Notice that this plastic piece wraps underneath the LCD and serves as a hinge point for the top case. There are three detent slots that must be carefully “popped” loose prior to removing this plastic trim piece. Then you can lift the keyboard and access all of the remaining screws.

SDRAM It

Remove the installed 512Mb SDRAM module and install two 1Gb modules. When your gNote boots you should see: 1983M System RAM; 640Kb System Memory and 2029568Kb Extended Memory.

Pop and Drop

Removing the Optical Disc Drive: Remove the CD-R optical disc drive. This bay will hold the CF reader/writer.  Dave Prochnow

Carefully, slide the CD-R optical drive out of the gBook’s lower case. And for a true flash-only storage solution, you can also pop the 60Gb hard drive loose and remove it, although if a little extra battery life isn't that important, leave the drive installed for additional storage.

You can optionally install both of these removed drives inside USB external enclosures. If you elect to try the Macally USB B-S250U enclosure, beware that will need to have two free USB ports: one for a data connection and another for a power connection.

Please note: the optical drive’s interface is not a standard IDE connection.

You will need a special Mini-ITX IDE to slim optical drive adapter for connecting the gBook CD-R to a standard 44-pin IDE USB external enclosure.

Snip and Tuck.

Wiring it Up: The CF reader/writer's USB cable soldered to a functional USB port.  Dave Prochnow

Remove the USB A “male” plug from the USB cable provided with the SanDisk CF reader/writer. Expose, strip, and tin the four USB wires: red, white, green, and black. Solder these wires to the PCB pins of one of the available USB ports. Although the gBook includes one hidden internal USB port, this port did not provide a solid, consistent, reliable serial connection (it is a reliable source of +5V power, however). The wires should be connected in this order:

• Pin 4 - Red
• Pin 3 - White
• Pin 2 - Green
• Pin 1 - Black

Boot and Conquer

Plug the CF reader/writer into the USB B male plug of the cable, insert a BartPE CF disk, reconnect the keyboard, trackpad, and LCD cables, install the battery, and try to boot the gBook.

Hide in Plain Sight

Disconnect all cables, remove the battery, and unplug the CF reader/writer. Disassemble the CF reader/writer and install it in the vacant optical disc drive bay. Orient the reader/writer so that CF media can be inserted and removed without having to open up the gBook.

WARNING: Don’t over-tighten your fasteners on the CF reader/writer PCB. This board is fragile and can be broken if too much torque is applied to your mounting screws.

Repeat and Reward

Repeat the boot test in Step 6. If everything tests OK and you’re satisfied with the installation, button up the gBook and revel at the light weight, power sipping virtues of your new gNote.

While the CF media is not hot-swappable, you can build several different disks containing BartPE, DOS (for games, baby), gOS, and your fave flavor of Linux. Or, go one better and try to build a partitioned multi-configuration boot CF disk containing all four bootable OSes. See “Guide for MultiBoot USB-stick with boot.ini Menu” from The CD Forum.

And there you have it—a self-contained, swappable quasi-SSD for booting your gBook in any number of operating systems. Pick a card, any card, and get booting!