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#1
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I just low level formatted my iGo2000...
Arghhhhhhhh!
Yup my 'tattoo' has been wiped and I don't have a master CD. Obviously the low level format had totally blanked the disk but I can't fDisk it coz the BIOS is locking the disk until it gets properly tattooed. I hate vendor lock in! Grrrrr! Do any of you out there have the following files from your Master CD I could download? [For those of you who have had to re-tattoo before you'll know the ones I mean] tattoo.exe shellhs.dll You'd really help coz I told my girlfriend, "Yeah, I'll make your ill notebook better". Instead it's as dead as a Do-Do. |
#2
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I am a little confused
A low level format? I only do such a thing if it can at all possible fix a bad sector or block. and this is often hopeless in itself 99% of the time. A bad low level format will often totally screw the HD if done incorrectly. Are you sure it was not normal format. Maybe I am from Planet X but the bios to the best of my knowledge should not stop a fdisk . Having the parameters set incorrectly could cause some inconsistancies but it should not stop it. Tattoo to the best of my knowledge is in the master boot sector and just tells the Master Cd that it is a PB system and it is ok to continue with restore. If you are truly having a problem with Fdisk and you did a low level format perhaps you have done something wrong. This site http://groups.yahoo.com/group/officialpackardbellusers/ thanks to Elector tells how to do a tattoo but it requires the Master CD. You do not have it so an alternative is to use a Windows Cd of the proper vintage and do an install assuming the Hd is OK I would download if possible a copy of partition magic and check out the HD and see what is going on Perhaps Ben or elector have some more insight on the whole matter wrote in message ups.com... Arghhhhhhhh! Yup my 'tattoo' has been wiped and I don't have a master CD. Obviously the low level format had totally blanked the disk but I can't fDisk it coz the BIOS is locking the disk until it gets properly tattooed. I hate vendor lock in! Grrrrr! Do any of you out there have the following files from your Master CD I could download? [For those of you who have had to re-tattoo before you'll know the ones I mean] tattoo.exe shellhs.dll You'd really help coz I told my girlfriend, "Yeah, I'll make your ill notebook better". Instead it's as dead as a Do-Do. |
#3
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Thanks for your advice Metronid.
The disk is fine, tested elsewhere and the BIOS is seeing it. The tattooing process writes the tattoo string right at the start of the disk (track 0). Nothing should disrupt it. It's not part of the MBR or PT it just sits there quietly. I didn't know that Packard Bell used tattooing until I hit the forums and I think this 'Vendor Lock-in' is awful The low level format was a last ditched effort because I thought the disk was knackered - it wouldn't allow MBR writing to the disk. If anyone has the files above so I can give this 'tattooing' lark a bash I would be most grateful. |
#4
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"metronid" wrote in message ... I am a little confused A low level format? I only do such a thing if it can at all possible fix a bad sector or block. and this is often hopeless in itself 99% of the time. A bad low level format will often totally screw the HD if done incorrectly. Are you sure it was not normal format. Maybe I am from Planet X but the bios to the best of my knowledge should not stop a fdisk . Having the parameters set incorrectly could cause some inconsistancies but it should not stop it. Tattoo to the best of my knowledge is in the master boot sector and just tells the Master Cd that it is a PB system and it is ok to continue with restore. If you are truly having a problem with Fdisk and you did a low level format perhaps you have done something wrong. This site http://groups.yahoo.com/group/officialpackardbellusers/ thanks to Elector tells how to do a tattoo but it requires the Master CD. You do not have it so an alternative is to use a Windows Cd of the proper vintage and do an install assuming the Hd is OK I would download if possible a copy of partition magic and check out the HD and see what is going on Perhaps Ben or elector have some more insight on the whole matter Assuming that no restore CD is available and that one from a poster here cannot be obtained I would say a clean install of the OS (Windows version ??) would be the easiest. You can then go to http://www.windrivers.com or http://www.drivers.com and get the needed sound, video and modem drivers for the system. I also know of folks selling Restore CD's on EBay even though I don't get there much any more. metronid's advice is sound and should be followed. I hope I helped? Elector |
#5
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Thanks for replying, both of you.
Unfortunately the HD remains locked until the BIOS can authenticate it as a genuine Packard Bell Fujitsu HD. This is done by the BIOS checking track zero for the tattoo. As the HD is locked I can't write squat to it therefore the iGo is unusable. Even if another HD was put in he notebook I would have the same problem as there would be no tattoo on the disk. Once the tattoo is applied using the two files I mentioned above I'm in business. Until then I can't do anything with it. The only alternative is to obtain and flash a non Packard Bell BIOS onto the machine but as you can appreciate this is a risky alternative and I haven't been able to locate a BIOS that anybody can reliably tell me will work with the NEC Premium 5a Mobo and VIA KN133 chipset (spot the geek ). If you meet anyone on your net travels with tattoo.exe and the DLL I'd be over the moon. |
#6
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Since he has made his mind up and how to restore his unit and knows what he
needs than I will leave it as is. I only wish him good luck. "Elector" wrote in message ... "metronid" wrote in message ... I am a little confused A low level format? I only do such a thing if it can at all possible fix a bad sector or block. and this is often hopeless in itself 99% of the time. A bad low level format will often totally screw the HD if done incorrectly. Are you sure it was not normal format. Maybe I am from Planet X but the bios to the best of my knowledge should not stop a fdisk . Having the parameters set incorrectly could cause some inconsistancies but it should not stop it. Tattoo to the best of my knowledge is in the master boot sector and just tells the Master Cd that it is a PB system and it is ok to continue with restore. If you are truly having a problem with Fdisk and you did a low level format perhaps you have done something wrong. This site http://groups.yahoo.com/group/officialpackardbellusers/ thanks to Elector tells how to do a tattoo but it requires the Master CD. You do not have it so an alternative is to use a Windows Cd of the proper vintage and do an install assuming the Hd is OK I would download if possible a copy of partition magic and check out the HD and see what is going on Perhaps Ben or elector have some more insight on the whole matter Assuming that no restore CD is available and that one from a poster here cannot be obtained I would say a clean install of the OS (Windows version ??) would be the easiest. You can then go to http://www.windrivers.com or http://www.drivers.com and get the needed sound, video and modem drivers for the system. I also know of folks selling Restore CD's on EBay even though I don't get there much any more. metronid's advice is sound and should be followed. I hope I helped? Elector |
#7
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Read your suggestion again!
How on earth am I supposed to write any data to the HD when it's locked by the BIOS? Erase the first track (sector if you like) of your hard disk and then start up DOS partition magic and see what happens! Try and install any flavour of whatever you like... you won't get very far. I'm not disregarding any advice I just don't think you understand what my posts said or ment. metronid wrote: Since he has made his mind up and how to restore his unit and knows what he needs than I will leave it as is. I only wish him good luck. "Elector" wrote in message ... "metronid" wrote in message ... I am a little confused A low level format? I only do such a thing if it can at all possible fix a bad sector or block. and this is often hopeless in itself 99% of the time. A bad low level format will often totally screw the HD if done incorrectly. Are you sure it was not normal format. Maybe I am from Planet X but the bios to the best of my knowledge should not stop a fdisk . Having the parameters set incorrectly could cause some inconsistancies but it should not stop it. Tattoo to the best of my knowledge is in the master boot sector and just tells the Master Cd that it is a PB system and it is ok to continue with restore. If you are truly having a problem with Fdisk and you did a low level format perhaps you have done something wrong. This site http://groups.yahoo.com/group/officialpackardbellusers/ thanks to Elector tells how to do a tattoo but it requires the Master CD. You do not have it so an alternative is to use a Windows Cd of the proper vintage and do an install assuming the Hd is OK I would download if possible a copy of partition magic and check out the HD and see what is going on Perhaps Ben or elector have some more insight on the whole matter Assuming that no restore CD is available and that one from a poster here cannot be obtained I would say a clean install of the OS (Windows version ??) would be the easiest. You can then go to http://www.windrivers.com or http://www.drivers.com and get the needed sound, video and modem drivers for the system. I also know of folks selling Restore CD's on EBay even though I don't get there much any more. metronid's advice is sound and should be followed. I hope I helped? Elector |
#8
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I fully understand what you are saying
The Hd is locked by the bios Possibly Because it is not recognizing the HD as a PB most unlikely Placing tattoo on the HD only needed if you have the OEM PB CD for install Low level format was not a good idea I have seen your concern many times and have managed to get an OS on the system I was willing to help with no strings attached I will just go back to Ebay Where sell my stuff and get paid Going on vacation starting tonight Good luck "Super B" wrote in message oups.com... Read your suggestion again! How on earth am I supposed to write any data to the HD when it's locked by the BIOS? Erase the first track (sector if you like) of your hard disk and then start up DOS partition magic and see what happens! Try and install any flavour of whatever you like... you won't get very far. I'm not disregarding any advice I just don't think you understand what my posts said or ment. metronid wrote: Since he has made his mind up and how to restore his unit and knows what he needs than I will leave it as is. I only wish him good luck. "Elector" wrote in message ... "metronid" wrote in message ... I am a little confused A low level format? I only do such a thing if it can at all possible fix a bad sector or block. and this is often hopeless in itself 99% of the time. A bad low level format will often totally screw the HD if done incorrectly. Are you sure it was not normal format. Maybe I am from Planet X but the bios to the best of my knowledge should not stop a fdisk . Having the parameters set incorrectly could cause some inconsistancies but it should not stop it. Tattoo to the best of my knowledge is in the master boot sector and just tells the Master Cd that it is a PB system and it is ok to continue with restore. If you are truly having a problem with Fdisk and you did a low level format perhaps you have done something wrong. This site http://groups.yahoo.com/group/officialpackardbellusers/ thanks to Elector tells how to do a tattoo but it requires the Master CD. You do not have it so an alternative is to use a Windows Cd of the proper vintage and do an install assuming the Hd is OK I would download if possible a copy of partition magic and check out the HD and see what is going on Perhaps Ben or elector have some more insight on the whole matter Assuming that no restore CD is available and that one from a poster here cannot be obtained I would say a clean install of the OS (Windows version ??) would be the easiest. You can then go to http://www.windrivers.com or http://www.drivers.com and get the needed sound, video and modem drivers for the system. I also know of folks selling Restore CD's on EBay even though I don't get there much any more. metronid's advice is sound and should be followed. I hope I helped? Elector |
#9
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Now it is I that doesn't understnd!
Sorry for my curt post but I've had little sleep for the past few nights because of this problem. My girlfriend needs her laptop working for university and I've been frantic trying to get it working. Sorry. fDisk won't let me write partitions to the disk so I don't know how to get anything onto the PC It's doing my head in and my girlfriend is none too pleased |
#10
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I need to know the following
What are you using to run fdisk What is under #4 under Fdisk Is the bios seeing the HD and what are the all the numbers Have you gone to fujitjus web site for any disk utilities I am leaving for work now "Super B" wrote in message oups.com... Now it is I that doesn't understnd! Sorry for my curt post but I've had little sleep for the past few nights because of this problem. My girlfriend needs her laptop working for university and I've been frantic trying to get it working. Sorry. fDisk won't let me write partitions to the disk so I don't know how to get anything onto the PC It's doing my head in and my girlfriend is none too pleased |
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