Unable to access Setup/BIOS

Since the second post was 12 minutes after the first, why bother with the
spanking?

You responded authoritatively to someone asking for help, initially posting
something
wrong, then posted something contradictory without acknowledging the first
incorrect
assertion. I read the tread, the poster still seems confused, and thought you
still needed
the "spanking".
You were hours late in correcting my spelling. Show me in the
first post where I used the word partitioning?

This has nothing to do with "spelling". You should have posted that the
programs are run before you partition, on a blank HDD. You said that they are
run before you format. Dead wrong. I'm not critical of your spelling of
partition--I'm critical of the fact you failed to use that word instead of
format, so that your advice would have been correct.

Dale

Looks like my other post didn't make it. Chalk it up to "operator negative."

I hooked up a small (850MB) HD to the 4784 and jumpered it for Cable Selective
(CS). I got a Diags diskette to work (S(10245) but not the one that was
supposed to come with the machine (SP2373). SP2141 still not able to launch
Setup. Took the blank WD HD and partitioned if for the utilities. Diags went
on OK and so did the Setup but they wouldn't work. Diags (10245) would work
externally. So, it seems my main problem is the obtaining of a Setup Utility
that will do its job...not SP2141.

If memory serves me right, the Setup and/or Diags diskettes can be run
regardless of the condition of the HD...formatted or not, OS installed or not.
HD must be blank for non-DOS 4mb partition to be created, tho.

Don't think the mobo has been replaced. It appears to be OK. This business
with these utilities not doing right is not new for several Compaq machines.
have checked prior posts. It would seem there is some little something that
is required to get them to work. Wonder if there is a more "generic" Setup
utility for these Compaq machines????

And, that's where I am now.

Charley
************************************************** ***************

In article , "Mike Calkins"
wrote:
Since the second post was 12 minutes after the first, why bother with the
spanking? You were hours late in correcting my spelling. Show me in the
first post where I used the word partitioning?

"DEJ57" wrote in message
...
Dale,
Don't put words in my mouth. Show me in the first post where I used the
word partitioning?
Grrrrrrrrrrrr!

That's exactly the point. You should have. The diskettes need to be run
before you partition, not before you format. What you posted was
incorrect--even you know it, as you in a later post indicate the diskettes
should be run on a blank HDD.....

Grrrrrrrr yourself.....

Have you tried a CMOS reset--a tried and true fix for weirdness.....

The 4784 likely has an 8GB limit on the BIOS--are the other HDDs you've been
trying to use larger than that?

Unless you have some systemboard controller failure CS or master should make no
difference. And yes Setup should run from diskette no matter what the
condition of the HDD. That you can't run appropriate Setup programs hints that
a CMOS reset might help....

From older support files I see that:

(SP2141 ) Personal Computer Setup (Version 1.51C Rev. A)

(SP10245) Personal Computer Diagnostics

The first being what one would run from the FDD, and the second used for
installing the Compaq Diagnostic, I believe...

Dale

CS or master, CS is recommended, some HDs had a jumper for master or master
with slave present. It did matter.

I agree that CMOS reset may help, even that the CMOS battery 'may' need to
be replaced.

I have the QRCD for this model, which laid down the Windows '95 that came
with the PC. It was standard for this QRCD to put the setup partition on
the HD as well.

Going back a few years...... Remove all third party boards and additional
RAM, specifically, remove all non-Compaq RAM in this beast. You need to get
it as close to a factory configuration, and start from there....

Good luck,

Mike in Houston


"DEJ57" wrote in message
...
Have you tried a CMOS reset--a tried and true fix for weirdness.....

The 4784 likely has an 8GB limit on the BIOS--are the other HDDs you've
been
trying to use larger than that?

Unless you have some systemboard controller failure CS or master should
make no
difference. And yes Setup should run from diskette no matter what the
condition of the HDD. That you can't run appropriate Setup programs hints
that
a CMOS reset might help....

From older support files I see that:

(SP2141 ) Personal Computer Setup (Version 1.51C Rev. A)

(SP10245) Personal Computer Diagnostics

The first being what one would run from the FDD, and the second used for
installing the Compaq Diagnostic, I believe...

Dale

CS or master, CS is recommended, some HDs had a jumper for master or master
with slave present. It did matter.

Again, I don't understand your point. It makes no difference to the BIOS and
the CPU if the HDD is jumpered CS or Master/Single (It's likely this is only a
two connector data cable. If it were a three connector, and he was connecting
onto the slave position with a HDD jumpered as Master, I doubt it would be
recognized properly--he would know it and connect to the correct master postion
where being jumpered either CS or Master would work). It would make no
difference to attempting to load a program via the FDD. There is no
performance advantage I am aware of.

CS was only an advantage if you knew you had CS three connector cables, wanted
to install a slave HDD, and knew to jumper them both as CS.

So why would you say CS is recommended?

Dale

The default for this unit, was all drives jumpered as CS.


"DEJ57" wrote in message
...
CS or master, CS is recommended, some HDs had a jumper for master or
master
with slave present. It did matter.

Again, I don't understand your point. It makes no difference to the BIOS
and
the CPU if the HDD is jumpered CS or Master/Single (It's likely this is
only a
two connector data cable. If it were a three connector, and he was
connecting
onto the slave position with a HDD jumpered as Master, I doubt it would be
recognized properly--he would know it and connect to the correct master
postion
where being jumpered either CS or Master would work). It would make no
difference to attempting to load a program via the FDD. There is no
performance advantage I am aware of.

CS was only an advantage if you knew you had CS three connector cables,
wanted
to install a slave HDD, and knew to jumper them both as CS.

So why would you say CS is recommended?

Dale

chas has already stated that the HD cable and HD were missing.


"DEJ57" wrote in message
...
CS or master, CS is recommended, some HDs had a jumper for master or
master
with slave present. It did matter.

Again, I don't understand your point. It makes no difference to the BIOS
and
the CPU if the HDD is jumpered CS or Master/Single (It's likely this is
only a
two connector data cable. If it were a three connector, and he was
connecting
onto the slave position with a HDD jumpered as Master, I doubt it would be
recognized properly--he would know it and connect to the correct master
postion
where being jumpered either CS or Master would work). It would make no
difference to attempting to load a program via the FDD. There is no
performance advantage I am aware of.

CS was only an advantage if you knew you had CS three connector cables,
wanted
to install a slave HDD, and knew to jumper them both as CS.

So why would you say CS is recommended?

Dale

The default for this unit, was all drives jumpered as CS.

But not required or necessary. A single HDD installed jumpered either as
Master or CS would be recognized and performance would be the same. You don't
select "Master/Slave" or "Cable Select" in the BIOS--the type of recognition is
determined by the data ribbon used, and CS is only different if it has a third
connector for a second HDD. And a cut or missing 28 pin or wire, as I
understand it....

You can install two HDDs as Master and Slave in any Compaq, as long as you use
the correct data ribbion cable, and not a CS one. Compaqs were not by
"default" CS, or anything else--they were CS because Compaq installed CS data
ribbon cables and jumpered the HDDs CS.

That's how I've come to undersand it. Perhaps I'm wrong?

Dale

chas has already stated that the HD cable and HD were missing.

Which makes it even more likely the he installed a standard data ribbion cable,
not CS, as that what should have come with it.

SO?

You can install two HDDs as Master and Slave in any Compaq, as long as you
use
the correct data ribbion cable, and not a CS one.


I have a few Compaq laptops that I'd love to see you pull this trick on.
Even a few Presario desktops that only supported one HD as shipped from
Compaq.



That's how I've come to undersand it. Perhaps I'm wrong?


Perhaps.....

Dale