Trouble Reinstalling My Op.Sys - HELP!

[Beno]

Hi,

I decided to format my system, because it was getting really slow and a few weird errors kept occuring. I decided to format and partion my 6.4GB HDD, but when I did that, DOS complained that the drive was "unrecognisable media" and so I formated the 2 partions I created again to get rid of this problem. So I learnt that you have to partition first then format.

I put in my Compaq recovery CD which contains Windows 95 into the CD-Drive and DOS does not see it. I started the computer up with the startup disk that I made, but even the ASPI drivers that comes with the startup disk don't work. I tried pressing F10 to get into the BIOS, so it could boot off the CD first, but I can't even get into the BIOS to do this.

So I am left with a recovery disk, a partioned formatted drive but stuck because I can't seem to load the recovery CD, nor can I get into the BIOS settings. I have done this b4 with success with one partition but this time I am having no luck. University starts tommorow and I am well helpless without my computer functioning the way I want it to.

If anyone can recommend any advice at all, I will happily accept it. I have Win95 on the recovery CD, Win98SE on another CD, a bootup disk created by Win98SE. I have a Compaq Armada 1750, 64MB RAM, 6.4GB HDD.

Thanks everyone

Beno

------------------
"Don't stop till you get enough"

[yawningdog]

Just a stab here.

Can you boot with a different startup disk?

------------------
Linux- Because you wouldn't buy a car with the hood welded shut, why should your O.S. be different?

[Dinosaur]

I am not 100% sure of this, but you can check with Compaq tech support.

I think that Compaq is one of the major PC marketers who have weird proprietary designs. Some of these companies do it to make production of many systems efficient at the expense of other considerations. Some do it to make you a captive customer when it come times to upgrade your system.

I think that Compaq creates a master hard disk with the OS, some of the BIOS, and the bundled software on it. They then mass produce copies of this disk for installation into the systems they sell. This is very efficient when you are manufacturing a lot of the same type of systems. These systems are basically not designed to make it easy to install an OS the normal way. I think Compaq is one of the systems which is not designed to allow an OS install. You have to get them to do it or do an upgrade over your existing OS.

When you format the hard drive, you lose the BIOS that was copied to it. Only Compaq has any idea how to get started again. Without the missing BIOS, you are stone cold dead in the water.

Get somebody with a working system to get in touch with Compaq Tech support site. They might be able to download a rescue diskette for you.

Failing that, Partition Magic 6.0 (or maybe 7.0 is the latest now) might be able to help. For this to work, you would need a friend to install PM on his system and create rescue disks for you. PM will run from the rescue disks and might be able to create a partition into which you can install Win9x.

Problems like this are one of the many reasons why I recommend getting your system from the local clone maker. I have heard horror stories about some of the systems produced by the major manufacturers. Their systems are great (if a bit pricey) under normal conditions, but hell if something unusual happens, or if you want to upgrade them.

There is one manufacturer (possibly Compaq) who does somthing strange with their hard disks. You cannot install and run them on another system without some obscure adapter cable.

------------------
Gouverneur, the Dinosaur from pre-compter era.
Eschew Obfuscation!
If one hundred million people believe a foolish idea, it is still a foolish idea.

[Paul Komski]

Hi Beno Don't know if this previous thread http://www.pcguide.com/ubb/Forum2/HTML/003023.html has any info or links that would help you out but there are a couple of hopefully useful comments by iisbob and sea69 in particular.

This Compaq hidden partition thing crops up sporadically and I believe that the relevant download can be got from the website but that it is not the easiest place in the world to navigate. Good Luck anyways.

P.S. I think what you need should be under SOFTWARE & DRIVERS and is called something like "F10 Setup and Personal Computer Diagnostics". Then you make a couple of floppies from the download. Maybe someone who has actually done this could confirm???


[This message has been edited by Paul Komski (edited 03-04-2002).]

[Paleo Pete]

Try and get a standard Windows 98 start up disk. The Compaq should boot with it, I've done it (way too many times...) Bootdisk (http://www.bootdisk.com) has bootdisk images you can download, read their instructions, this is not a bootdisk you can simply download and use, it is a disk image that has to be installed onto a floppy.

Or you can find a friend with a win98 computer and make one. Make sure the computer has no viruses. Boot with the win98 start up disk, choose "Start computer with CD ROM support" and the CD ROM drive should work if it is functional. Go to Start\Settings\Control Panel\Add/Remove Programs\Startup Disk tab. Have a clean floppy ready.

Usually the BIOS stored on the Compaq is in a hidden partition, the only way you can lose it is to use fdisk to delete all partitions. Then it's gone. Getting that fixed may require a call to Compaq tech support, I'm not sure how to deal with it, and I'm not sure if the Restore Disk will replace it. The second partition, usually called DISK_SAVE I think, is a diagnostics partition and can be useful for running the diagnostics stored on it. Compaq usually doesn't tell you that though...The Restore disk should replace both it and the primary C: drive partition. Use the full restore option. With a win98 boot disk you should be able to get CD ROM access and run the Restore Disk.

Your mistake was formatting to begin with. When you need to reinstall the Compaq you just boot with the restore disk and run a full restore. It automatically partitions and formats as part of the restore process. Manually formatting in DOS is not necessary, although it can be done and usually doesn't cause problems like the one you describe. With a win95 machine it may require booting to a win98 start up disk, depending on whether the motherboard supports the CD ROM drive as a boot device.

------------------
If your nose runs and your feet smell...
You're built upside down!
Note: Please post your questions on the forums, not in my email.

Computer Information Links (http://www.dreamwater.com/paleopete/computer.htm) has been moved, please update your bookmarks.

[Beno]

Yawning Dog, Paul Komski, Paleo Pete and Dinosaur - - - thank you all for your help. I know this is a pretty tough question but the advice you all gave sounds right, especially Dinosaur and Paleo Pete. I haven't tried your suggestions yet because I just finished a 13 hour day at work but I will endevour to do so first thing tommorow morning.

I'll keep you informed of how I go.

Thanks again.

Beno

------------------
"Don't stop till you get enough"

[sea69]

you may want to try here (http://www.compaq.com/support/files/armada/us/locate/4_1060.html)

http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/wink.gif



------------------
sea1_69@hotmail.com

homepage (http://www.seanweb1.homestead.com/3.html)

[Paul Komski]

Sea that's so http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/cool.gif I spent ages looking for something similar but could not get away from Presario!! Some glich somewhere; either on the computer but more likely in my head! http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/biggrin.gif

If I've now understood it; one goes to (for the armada series) http://www.compaq.com/support/files/armada/us/index.html and select the the relevant OS, the exact series and model and then go to its ROMpaqs; "Personal Computer Diagnostics". The following quote is from one of these (but probably not the right model) but it sounds like what is needed.


"Personal Computer Diagnostics". The diskette of this softpaq can be used to update PC Diagnostics on the Diagnostics Partition or to restore it if the Diagnostics Partition has been destroyed.


Hope you're well rested Beno. Let us know if you succeed.

------------------
Take nice care of yourselves - Paul
"There are old pilots and bold pilots but there are no old bold pilots."

[Beno]

Hey Sea69 and Paul and others,

Your links that you gave me worked and everything is back again running normally. I had no idea that Comaq would of put some of there BIOS onto the HDD. I don't really know why they did this, but anyway.....!!

Just a quickie for Sea or anyone else.

The pull down menu's in Office programs such as outlook and Word often don't pull the entire menu down, but only a portion of it. To see the rest of the menu you have to click on 2 arrows pointing in a down direction. Does anyone know how to get rid of this, so that when I do click the menu the entire menu appears and not just a portion of it??


Cheers

Beno

------------------
"Don't stop till you get enough"

[Paul Komski]

I haven't seen this feature on menus in Office97 but maybe they are there in 2000 and/or XP.

They puzzled me when I first used WinME, where they appear on the Start Menus. For WindowsME they can be deactivated by going to Settings<>Taskbar and StartMenu and then unchecking "Use Personalised Menus". These personalised menus retain recently used menu items and hide the other ones under the double arrows.

I cant find any reference to this in the Office97 Options but maybe you can turn this option off in those options if you are using a later edition of Office.


------------------
Take nice care of yourselves - Paul
"There are old pilots and bold pilots but there are no old bold pilots."

[sea69]

Beno - glad you got it all working.

as for the other thing, I hate that as well, it seems to have something to do with a windows memory thing too because you will notice that the limited arrow view will include the last things you asked it to do with the expanded menu.

I hope this makes sense.. will try to see about that- i really hated the winME machines- it was arrow city everywhere!




------------------
sea1_69@hotmail.com

homepage (http://www.seanweb1.homestead.com/3.html)

[rond36]

To show the full menus in MS word 2002 goto the tools menu-->customize-->options tab-->tick the box "always show full menus" (second option from the top) show full menus after short delay is default. MS Office 97 doesn't have this feature.

------------------
I think Windows XP and Microsoft use more of my bandwidth than I do!
WindowsBBS.com (http://www.WindowsBBS.com/index.php?referrerid=115) Is back online, check it out

[This message has been edited by rond36 (edited 03-08-2002).]

[mjc]

Beno, from what I have been able to figure out, it isn't really part of the BIOS that is on the drive, it is the program to access the BIOS and make changes that they store on the drive. Seems like a crazy way of doing it, but it is a hold over from the days when there wasn't enough room on the BIOS ROM chip to hold everything, so they put the setup program on floppies, at first, then on the hard drive.

And as you found out, without that program, they might as well have put everything on the drive, because unless you have everything set up the way it came from the factory and never make any BIOS changes the computer may run, but not the way you want it too, and you would not be able to make any changes...

------------------
mjc
Links list:Computer Links (http://www.dreamwater.org/tech/mjc/index.htm)

Celts are the men that heaven made mad, For all their battles are merry and their songs are all sad.

[Beno]

Hi mjc,

Yeah I kinda figured that out as well. They (Compaq) call it the diagnostics partition, and I suppose this partition is what holds the F10 setup procedure which then allows access to the BIOS itself. The function that accesses the BIOS in not in BIOS but instead on the diagnostics partition. I don't like this idea. Next computer I get, I'm going to build it myself!! and then I have the luxury of putting whatever partitions I like onto it, with ease!!

Cya :-)

Beno

------------------
"Don't stop till you get enough"