Lenovo ThinkPad W Series :: W540 - Boot From Second Hard Drive?
Jan 29, 2014
I've recently got an ultrabay adapter and wanted to know if I could run two separate OSs, one from each hard disc.
Effectively, I would like to have one version of windows on the internal HDD for general day to day stuff and one as a programming environment and be able to select which to boot from at start up.
I know I could just use a VM, but some of this stuff (Siemens PCS7) can put quite a strain on the system and I'd rather not have that overhead.
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Jan 7, 2014
I have just ordered a w540 and I'm wondering if I can add a second hard drive (actually what I want to install is an SSD) to it. In which case I failed to find the appropriate message...
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Mar 29, 2014
I just got a new Lenovo W540. I installed a new Samsung EVO SSD inside to replace the stock mechanical hard drive. I'm now trying to boot from a flash drive to clean install Windows. I've done this so many times before on other laptops and desktops without a problem. For some reason now it will not boot from the flash drive. It shows it as available in the BIOS but it looks like it reads it for just a second and then goes right back to the screen that allows me to choose which drive I want to put to.The same flash drive works fine in other computers to boot to.I did check to make sure the USB drive was not excluded in the BIOS and it is not.
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Jan 31, 2011
I just received a new W540 and I am unable to boot from CD/DVD. Any attempts result in a BSOD indicating the BIOS is not APCI compatible
Link to picture
There is no UEFI/BIOS options to set the 'SATA Controller Mode' accordingly, nor does the [F7] text mode option work.
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Oct 30, 2014
I got my W540 recently with windows 8.1 pro on it. but as all engineers worst nightmare windows 8 has hard time with engineering softwares (for my case TIA Portal for PLC programming software which only support windows 7). so i need to have a windows 7. i prefer to keep my windows 8 and have dual boot system with windows 7 added. But i can't install windows 7. initially due to disk type (GPT), then i changed it to MBR without losing my files (which only was possible if i had deleted the recovery partition- now my recovery is on my flash drive). But there are already 4 partitions on the system (1 for C: drive and 3 for recovery and system files which came originally with the product) , how can i install a windows 7? i can't add another partition because that makes my disk a Dynamic disk. i really need windows 7 on my system ASAP.
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Feb 24, 2014
After updating to brand new BIOS from Jan. 19th I cannot boot anymore into Windows 8.1 - always get INACCESSIBLE_BOOT_DEVICE. Tried to repair using a Windows 8.1 USB Stick, no success. Even downgrading to 1.08 did not work as well!
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May 27, 2014
I've just been handed a new W540 to be rebuilt as Win7 x64 via SCCM.
How do I access the boot options to select PXE?
I've use X220 and X230's before and they have a button to access boot options.
Tried F12 and Fn +F12,but it just boots into Win 8.
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Sep 6, 2014
Using Defender Offline "Beta" as instructed on MS website for Windows8.1. Created the media on a USB drive, then on a CD. Manually selected boot device on the boot sequence page. Followed all the instructions to the letter, but the Defender Offline media won't boot on this new W540, either on USB flash drive, or on the CD drive.
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Apr 15, 2014
I just updated my bios on my Z510, and now the only boot options i have is network boot, something that i don't use. I used the bios update tool that Lenovo is distributing from the drivers page for my PC.
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Oct 14, 2012
I can't get past BIOS when my W530 is connected to an external hard drive, in my case a WD My Book Essential 3TB (USB 3.0).
Here are some previous threads I've found:
-W520 hangs on boot when a WD SES USB drive is connected
-W520 won't boot with SES device connected to USB
-W530 stuck or won't boot when WD external drive plugged in.
I would be satisfied if I could disable USB Legacy Support in BIOS and move on, but I can't find that option anywhere on my W530.
Here's what I've tried so far:
-Updated BIOS to the latest version (1.11) and updated WD My Book firmware.
-Changed the port (tried both USB 2.0 and 3.0, powered and unpowered) that the drive is connected to.
-Removed everything except my MSATA drive in boot priority. I can't enter BIOS settings when the WD drive is connected so I can't actually exclude it from the boot priority, but I've tried to enable Boot Order Lock.
-Disabled USB options in BIOS (USB UEFI BIOS Support, Always on USB, etc.).Switched between Quick and Diagnostic boot. With Quick it's stuck at the Thinkpad splash screen, with Diagnostic I just get a black screen.
-Tried with both GPT and MBR partitions styles for the external drive.
-Changed between UEFI and Legacy.Tried it with my friend's Thinkpad T520, wouldn't boot either with the drive connected...
Other information:
My Thinkpad is docked to a Thinkpad Mini Dock Plus Series 3 with USB 3.0 (170W). I haven't bothered to try it undocked, but judging from the other posts it's not likely to fix the issue.
Surprisingly I don't have this issue with my older WD My Book Essential Edition 2.0 1TB (USB 2.0) external hard drive. I don't think it would work to simply remove the drive from boot priority. I've removed my other external hard drive but I can still hear it spinning up during boot (when the Thinkpad splash screen shows up), which suggest that it's still being identified during boot. Is there really no workaround other than "get a different enclosure" or "unplug it when powering on"? Are there any >3TB external hard drives, preferably USB 3.0, that are known to work?
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Feb 7, 2010
The problems still exist after I do a fresh restore with Lenovo DVDs. Also ran the Lenovo Update & Driver utility.
1. My W530 wont boot or start if I have a External drives plugged in. It stucked at "ThinkPad" screen. I have to unplug the external drive and press/old power button to shut it down. Same thing happened when the laptop is docked.
=> Contacted the technical support today. They told me I have to unplug and plug it back in everytime. I told him that there is a reason I got the dock station so I don't have to unplug and plug my external drive every time.
2. I have no problems booting if thumbs drive plugged in. But it keep "Auto run" everytime I turn on the machine.
I do not have this problem with my W500 and W510.
W530, Intel Core i7-3820, 32G DDR3 RAM, 180G Intel SSD, Windows 7 x64, NVIDIA Quadro K2000M.
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Sep 7, 2014
My new W540 has the latest bios & software updates. It won't wake up from sleep...or rather the display won't come on. When I push the power button (pulsing green), it goes to solid green and the fingerprint scanner light turns on, but no screen. I scan my fingerprint and the scanner light turns off, but still no screen. The only way to bring it back to life is a long press on the power button and a reboot.
Nothing plugged into any of the ports. It does this regardless of whether it's plugged in or on battery.
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Apr 1, 2014
I am considering replacing the original 512 MB HDD that came with my W540 to SSD with similar capacity.
From what I read, the performance difference is huge
I am using - Win 7 pro and my reason buying this beast is solid CAD drafting
Anything special I need to know regarding BIOS, driver setup, other issues, SSD recommendations?
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Nov 6, 2014
I have a Lenovo Y410P that will not boot. The BIOS only sees to PXE boot. It does not attempt to boot from the Windows 8 installation disc, or from the hard drive that I reinstalled Windows on myself. I can boot to both of these on other computers, so I know they are not the problem. I'm thinking it's BIOS or motherboard related, but I'm not sure where to go from here.
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Jan 8, 2013
I have tested the following on 2 identical W540 machines.After installing Windows 8.1, the internal camera is not working. I dont remember if the camera worked before we installed 8.1. I have installed all relevant drivers and updated all windows updates. I have installed all drivers from System update.
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Sep 7, 2008
I waited a long time for this new W540. Downlkoad all the newest drivers and did all the updates and now this POS will not shut down. Just goes to a black screen and have to hold the power button to force a shut down.
When I try to reboot the screen goes to black right after the home screen with a twirling cursor. Had to send my new W530 back for hard drive failure and now this W540 is screwed, too!
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Oct 31, 2014
When I put my laptop to sleep or it sits idle for a period of time and goes to sleep on it's own it stops recognizing the laptop monitor. It will still display on other monitors connected through the docking station, but not the laptop. It doesn't matter if I put it to sleep while on the dock or off the dock, it never recognizes the monitor.
I have an Intel HD Grpahics 4600, and an NVIDIA Quadro K1100M video cards. I've checked drivers for both and they both say they are up to date (9/29/14 for Intel, and 09/12/2014 for NVIDIA). I have also updated every possible thing in the Lenovo System Update.
This problem occured after switching from windows 7 to windows 8.1.I have also lost the ability to control the brightness of my laptop monitor through my computer at any point in time. The function keys don't work, and the setting is not shown on my power manager.
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Jan 18, 2014
I recieved the W540 a few days ago, and I see there is a slot behind the battery for a SIM card, I tried using my SIM card and I still can't use mobile broadband. Can I use mobile broadband on the W540? do I need any drivers? and if I can't use it, can I buy something like this for the expresscard slot and insert the SIM in the slot behind the battery?
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Sep 9, 2014
I got my w540 in about 2 weeks ago, and finally had a chance to start migrating everything to it last week. I bring my laptop(s) to and from work everyday and right now I'm bringing a w520 and my new w540. But everyday since I started bringing my w540 home with me when I get home the laptop is running when I take it out of my bag.
So yesterday and this morning, I made 100% sure the laptop was in sleep mode and nothing was running before I put the laptop in the bag. I get to work 15 minutes later and the laptop bag is about 150 degrees because the w540 is running even through the lid is closed.
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Oct 7, 2009
We have three dock posibilities:
- basic dock
- pro dock
- ultra dock
They differentiate by the number of ports and by the power adapter supplied with them. I had an opurtunity to try my W540 on pro dock, which normally has 65W or 90W power adapter. The computer warned me about insufficient power, and did not charge on dock, everything else worked fine. The I disconnected 90W and connected my original 170W power supply to the doc. Everything is working normally since.
So, my question is: Since I don't need all the ports on the ultra dock, nor on the pro dock. Would basic dock work with W540 and 170W power adapter too?
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Mar 28, 2014
Is it possible to set the backlight on the keyboard to always stay on when the screen is open?
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Nov 18, 2014
My W540 recently became unable to charge while the laptop is running. When the laptop is off, the battery will charge completely. As soon as Windows (or Linux) boots, the charge terminates and the computer starts running off battery power. The computer will boot without the battery installed, but the computer turns off as soon as either operating system is booted (a few seconds after the desktop appears).
I have tried a different power adapter without success (both adapters are Lenovo 170W supplies) and also put a different battery in (also genunie Lenovo battery) but the issue still remained.
The laptop is still under warranty, could it be the charging circuit on the motherboard? Will I have to ship the laptop back to Lenovo for repair? I am out at sea and might have to wait a while to get back into port to be able to ship the unit back to Lenovo, so I would like to investigate other options.
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May 6, 2014
New W540, bios 2.10, latest drivers installed, 20BH
My w540 is not registering my Samsung 840 Pro SSD in the 9.5mm ultrabay adapter.
Not showing in BIOS, and not showing in disk manager or in device manager anywhere. I just want to use it as a second drive.
Main drive is 7200 rpm - with a Win 7 corporate image on it.
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Sep 25, 2014
I have a W540 Laptop with 170W Ultra-Dock. I have setup 3 external monitors, but can't seem to get my 3rd monitor to run at 1920x1080. Whenever I set it to that resolution and I move a window to that monitor, the window flickers and shakes.
I have my right monitor at 1920x1080 (VGA), my middle monitor at 1080x2560 (DisplayPort), and my left monitor at 1440x900 (HDMI) - this is the monitor that I can't get to work at 1920x1080.
Wondering if there is a max number of pixels that the graphics card can handle? I am using a NVIDIA Quadro K1100M 2GB graphics card.
I read on a review of that graphics card that it can support 4 monitors and up to 4K resolution (although not sure if it meant that all 4 monitors could be at 4K - I'm thinking not)
How to make this work?
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Nov 26, 2014
Since I've installed Windows 8.1 I have a problem with Pantone Color Calibrator. No screen is found. **bleep**? It doesn't see my laptops screen. I tried to reinstall the program but it doesn't work...
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Apr 19, 2014
I've a new Thinkpad W540 with Windows 7 64bit. I can't see the Card Reader in the device list. When I insert a SD Card, nothing happens. All I/Os are enabled in the Bios. What can I do?
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Sep 6, 2014
I might have seen the numeric keypad keys work once since getting this machine, but now can't get the keys to produce numbers. Some of the keys initiate other actions not associated with numeric data entry.
I tried removing the wireless dongle for my Microsoft wireless mouse but no improvement -- I simply swapped this MS mouse from my old W510 without doing any formal install.
This doesn't appear to be a hardware problem since the keypad keys have some effect -- just not the intended effect.
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Nov 17, 2014
Is it possible to remove the Raid 1 Controller / Drive from a W540 that was ordered with it installed?
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Feb 23, 2014
My OS is Windows 8.1 last update. I own the Lenovo ThinkPad W540 work station. There is a program called Lenovo Toast and nothing appears or starts when I click on it. I have tried to download Lenovo Toast but have not succeeded. (I did not know where to look for Lenovo Toast ).
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Feb 20, 2014
I just got me a W540 with docking. It is connected with two Samsung 24inc screens. They are connected with two display ports kables from the docking. I also have a wireless logitech mouse and keybord. And a Jabra headset connected.I have reinstalled it with windows 8.1 And now I have a serious issue that both screens turns off randomly while I work. They go black for 15 sec. And then re-appear. It seems like the computer looses all USB connection also while this happens. I sometime get an error msg. saying that I connected a USB device that cant be recognized. But most of the time nothing happens.
All 3 of us at work who has a W540 has this issue. So it must be known by Lenovo. I have an ongoing case with the support. But dosnt look like we are getting anywhere. They gave me this to try: URL...We think it could be a driver issue with the USB or that the computer is swiching between the Intel and the Nvidia gfx card.I think I have tried about everything, but can not figgure this one out. I have all the latest drivers from Lenovo installed. Tried to use a wired mouse and keyb. no change, tried with a DVI and Displayport to the screen. No change.
Here is a link to Lenovos System report on my W540. URL...
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