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Compaq FAQ
Helpful Links:
For drivers, software, manuals/docs http://h18007.www1.hp.com/support/files/ For Compaq spare parts http://sparesstore.compaq.com/sparesstore/default.asp? For the Presario Customer Communities (Forums) http://communities.compaq.com/servle...=121&RPAGEID=0 Q) How do I enter the BIOS on my Presario? A) Normally, hitting F10 at the Compaq logo (cursor to upper right corner) at bootup. If this does not work, it means you have an earlier model, 1996 or earlier, that retains Setup info on a small non-DOS partition at the front of the hard drive, not in ROM, and this partition is damaged or missing. Most Commercial desktops/notebooks (DeskPros, Prolineas, Armadas/Elites, etc.) also have this partition. If this is the case, go he http://h18007.www1.hp.com/support/files/ Select your model desktop or notebook and download the Softpaq for Computer Setup. Run this SoftPaq and it will create a boot floppy from which you can enter the BIOS. You might want to download the Personal Computer Diagnostics SoftPaq as well. Q) Can I disable the onboard video/audio on my Presario and install different ones. A) Yes. As for video, installing the new card normally will disable the onboard video. Sometimes, you may have to reset your video to Standard VGA in Device Manager in Windows first, then shut down and install the PCI video card. On Presarios with an AGP slot, this is not necessary. The onboard audio is disabled in Windows device manager, then shut down and install the PCI audio card, reboot and install the drivers. Q) How do I get QuickRestore Discs for my Presario? A) In the U.S., call 800-841-2761. Have your model number or serial number (it's usually on a white barcode sticker on the back or side of the PC).The cost is $10 for the discs. Outside the U.S., contact Compaq support in your region for more info. Note: Since Microsoft no longer supports operating systems earlier than Millenium, Compaq may not have QR CDs left for those models that came with Win 95, 98, or 98SE. Q) How can I reinstall my audio (or video, modem, etc.) driver or specific software without doing a full restore? A) Most newer model Presarios have a Selective Restore Option. Double click on the Compaq Support desktop icon, or select it from the menu. Select QuickRestore, then Selective Restore. you can then select which driver(s) or software you wish to reinstall. NOTE: If you have upgraded the operating system or if the Compressed Compaq folders (CPQDRV, etc.) on the System Save partition have been deleted, or if the Presario model is an older one without Selective Restore, the above may not apply. In this case, check the website link above to see if the driver is there for your model and OS. For software, go into the icons directory on the QuickRestore CD and and open each image. Once you find the image for the software you wish to reinstall, then the file name is the directory name of the software install directory. That said, some of the programs are not separately installable. Q) I've installed a new hard disk (or CD-ROM/DVD drive) in my Presario/DeskPro etc., and it is not recognized. Why? A) Compaqs come with Cable Select IDE cables. Any drive attached to them must be jumpered CS for Cable Select. You will also have to partition (using FDISK) and format the drive before it will be recognized. Q) I've installed a new 80 GB hard drive in my older Presario, but only 8 GB is recognized. Where is the other 72GB? A) Unfortunately, many older Presarios ( Pre-1996) have an 8GB hard drive size limit in BIOS. There are no BIOS upgrades from Compaq to raise this limit, however, there are two ways to overcome the limit: 1. The best way is to install a PCI IDE controller card with its own BIOS. These cards are not expensive, less than $50, and also allow full ATA100/133 transfers as well. Promise and SIIG both offer these cards. 2. the other way is to install BIOS overlay software, available from the hard drive manufacturer's website. This method will slow down drive operation however. Q) Can I put a different motherboard in my Presario/DeskPro? A) Yes, but not really. The problems would be many, including: 1. Physical layout. Finding one with the same Input/output connector layout at the back would be very difficult. 2. Onboard connectors. The front panel wires for the onn/off switch and hard disk/power LEDs go to a single connector designed to fit the pins on the current board. So, unless you feel comfortable cracking connectors or re-splicing wires, don't try it. 3. Power Supply connectors on earlier models may be proprietary. So, generally speaking for most users, the board is NOT easily upgradeable. Q) How do I prevent getting Blue Screens or freezeups while using the Compaq DVD player? A) Look for a file named SCSI1HLP.VXD(or SCSIHLP.VXD) in the Windows\system\iosubsys directory. If there, rename it toSCSI1HLP.OLD, then reboot. Q) Is there a different or later BIOS for my Compaq that allows more adjustments? A) The only BIOS updates that are safe for your Compaq are those listed for your specific model on the Compaq/HP website. Occasionally, a BIOS update from Compaq will provide a few new settings, but not as a general rule. Installing any other is risky and may render your Compaq unbootable. Q) Is my Compaq Compatible with Windows XP? A) There is a compatibility app on the MS site. It attempts to examine all installed hardware and software and to let you know if you might have a problem. It's fairly conservative and may warn about things that might later prove to be trouble-free. http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/p...ng/advisor.asp Also check to see if the Compaq website has XP drivers posted for your model. Q) How can i uninstall MSN Messenger on my Windows XP Compaq? It does not show up in Control Panel, Add/Remove Programs, Windows Components. A) To make it visible, you first must make a slight change in Sysoc.inf in the C:\Windows\Inf directory. The line now reads: msmsgs=msgrocm.dll,OcEntry,msmsgs.inf,hide,7 make it read: msmsgs=msgrocm.dll,OcEntry,msmsgs.inf,,7 In other words remove "hide" from the line. Then be sure to save the file, exit notepad, then go to control panel and it will be visible so you can uncheck the box to uninstall it, which merely removes the entries for it from the registry. It does not remove the folder from C:\Program files. You can always reinstall by going back to Control Panel, Add/Remove Programs, Windows Components and rechecking the box. |
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I started writeing up one once and then switched jobs and it got forgotten
about. Here is if you want to add to yours: 1. Common Questions a. What is a SoftPaq? A Softpaq is a self extracting software solution. They can contain drivers, software packages, BIOS updates etc. They are a convient way to compress and archive downloadable files. Since they are self extracting they are easier to use than other formats such as ..zip files. You simply download the appripriate softpaq and run it then follow the prompts. It will either ask for blank disk(S) for things like rom and setup software, or prompt for a directory to extract the driver / software to. b. What is a ROMpaq? A ROMPaq is simply a name for a SoftPaq that contains a ROM image. You download the ROMPaq and extract it just like any other SoftPaq, and it should create a bootable disk which will flash upgrade the BIOS. c. How do I enter BIOS Setup? On Compaq's you use the f10 key to enter BIOS. Press f10 when the red Compaq logo is displayed, or when the cursor moves from the left to the right of the screen. If the cursor never moves see question c and d. d. What is the small non-dos partition on my hdd? If you look at the partition structure of the HDD in a Compaq system you will see a small non-dos partition (Note Windows NT Disk adinistrator calls this an EISA config partition, more on this later). This is where the CMOS setup program is located along with diagnostic programs. If you go back in time a few years when IBM was on top of the PC world you will remember that Compaq among others adopted the open architecture of the IBM PC/AT. IBM, after noticing that everyone else was making more money selling 'clones' based upon their open ISA standard decided to bring out micro channel architecture. The big 'clone' makers joined together to create the EISA standard. Part of this standard was to have cards that were software configurable through the use of config files provided by the manufacturer of the cards. The configuration of these cards was done through a program called the EISA configuration utility by loading .cfg files which containes resource information about the card being installed. The EISA configuration program and its associated .cfg files were typically loaded on a small partition on the HDD since you could not copy the .cfg files to a ROM BIOS. Compaq later extended this to include a diagnostic prgram as well as a GUI based setup program. This partition still exists today on all but the latest Compaq products (The New EP and EN were the first to go back to a ROM based text only setup program although you can still load and use the partition since it has other features such as remotly flashing BIOS). e. How do I install the setup / diag partition If you have replaced the HDD or deleted the setup / diag partition you can create it easily. Goto Compaq's www site. Choose software and drivers under the support heading. Choose the product group, i.e. desktops, portables, servers. Then you can choose the machine type and model and choose as OS that you will be installing, or simply choose Rompaq's and system SW. Once you hve choosen and downloaded the correct setup / diag Softpaq you run the softpaq and it will create floppy disks. Boot the system off the first diskette and it will ask if you want to install the partition. Note some systems ship with a Quick restore CD which will recreate the setup / diag partition as well as restoring the rest of the drive to factory original configuration which makes this step not necessary if you plan to use the QR CD. f. Do I need the setup / diagnostics partition? The setup / diag partition is not necessary for normal operation of the PC. The BIOS can auto detect IDE drives, floppy drives, etc. You only need it to run setup / diagnostics from the HDD. You cam boot off the setup floppy disk and choose do not install and run setup from there (although slower). This could be used for security purposes such as not installing the partition in a corporate environment to prevent access or you may have a system that already "HH" wrote in message m... Helpful Links: For drivers, software, manuals/docs http://h18007.www1.hp.com/support/files/ For Compaq spare parts http://sparesstore.compaq.com/sparesstore/default.asp? For the Presario Customer Communities (Forums) http://communities.compaq.com/servle...=121&RPAGEID=0 Q) How do I enter the BIOS on my Presario? A) Normally, hitting F10 at the Compaq logo (cursor to upper right corner) at bootup. If this does not work, it means you have an earlier model, 1996 or earlier, that retains Setup info on a small non-DOS partition at the front of the hard drive, not in ROM, and this partition is damaged or missing. Most Commercial desktops/notebooks (DeskPros, Prolineas, Armadas/Elites, etc.) also have this partition. If this is the case, go he http://h18007.www1.hp.com/support/files/ Select your model desktop or notebook and download the Softpaq for Computer Setup. Run this SoftPaq and it will create a boot floppy from which you can enter the BIOS. You might want to download the Personal Computer Diagnostics SoftPaq as well. Q) Can I disable the onboard video/audio on my Presario and install different ones. A) Yes. As for video, installing the new card normally will disable the onboard video. Sometimes, you may have to reset your video to Standard VGA in Device Manager in Windows first, then shut down and install the PCI video card. On Presarios with an AGP slot, this is not necessary. The onboard audio is disabled in Windows device manager, then shut down and install the PCI audio card, reboot and install the drivers. Q) How do I get QuickRestore Discs for my Presario? A) In the U.S., call 800-841-2761. Have your model number or serial number (it's usually on a white barcode sticker on the back or side of the PC).The cost is $10 for the discs. Outside the U.S., contact Compaq support in your region for more info. Note: Since Microsoft no longer supports operating systems earlier than Millenium, Compaq may not have QR CDs left for those models that came with Win 95, 98, or 98SE. Q) How can I reinstall my audio (or video, modem, etc.) driver or specific software without doing a full restore? A) Most newer model Presarios have a Selective Restore Option. Double click on the Compaq Support desktop icon, or select it from the menu. Select QuickRestore, then Selective Restore. you can then select which driver(s) or software you wish to reinstall. NOTE: If you have upgraded the operating system or if the Compressed Compaq folders (CPQDRV, etc.) on the System Save partition have been deleted, or if the Presario model is an older one without Selective Restore, the above may not apply. In this case, check the website link above to see if the driver is there for your model and OS. For software, go into the icons directory on the QuickRestore CD and and open each image. Once you find the image for the software you wish to reinstall, then the file name is the directory name of the software install directory. That said, some of the programs are not separately installable. Q) I've installed a new hard disk (or CD-ROM/DVD drive) in my Presario/DeskPro etc., and it is not recognized. Why? A) Compaqs come with Cable Select IDE cables. Any drive attached to them must be jumpered CS for Cable Select. You will also have to partition (using FDISK) and format the drive before it will be recognized. Q) I've installed a new 80 GB hard drive in my older Presario, but only 8 GB is recognized. Where is the other 72GB? A) Unfortunately, many older Presarios ( Pre-1996) have an 8GB hard drive size limit in BIOS. There are no BIOS upgrades from Compaq to raise this limit, however, there are two ways to overcome the limit: 1. The best way is to install a PCI IDE controller card with its own BIOS. These cards are not expensive, less than $50, and also allow full ATA100/133 transfers as well. Promise and SIIG both offer these cards. 2. the other way is to install BIOS overlay software, available from the hard drive manufacturer's website. This method will slow down drive operation however. Q) Can I put a different motherboard in my Presario/DeskPro? A) Yes, but not really. The problems would be many, including: 1. Physical layout. Finding one with the same Input/output connector layout at the back would be very difficult. 2. Onboard connectors. The front panel wires for the onn/off switch and hard disk/power LEDs go to a single connector designed to fit the pins on the current board. So, unless you feel comfortable cracking connectors or re-splicing wires, don't try it. 3. Power Supply connectors on earlier models may be proprietary. So, generally speaking for most users, the board is NOT easily upgradeable. Q) How do I prevent getting Blue Screens or freezeups while using the Compaq DVD player? A) Look for a file named SCSI1HLP.VXD(or SCSIHLP.VXD) in the Windows\system\iosubsys directory. If there, rename it toSCSI1HLP.OLD, then reboot. Q) Is there a different or later BIOS for my Compaq that allows more adjustments? A) The only BIOS updates that are safe for your Compaq are those listed for your specific model on the Compaq/HP website. Occasionally, a BIOS update from Compaq will provide a few new settings, but not as a general rule. Installing any other is risky and may render your Compaq unbootable. Q) Is my Compaq Compatible with Windows XP? A) There is a compatibility app on the MS site. It attempts to examine all installed hardware and software and to let you know if you might have a problem. It's fairly conservative and may warn about things that might later prove to be trouble-free. http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/p...ng/advisor.asp Also check to see if the Compaq website has XP drivers posted for your model. Q) How can i uninstall MSN Messenger on my Windows XP Compaq? It does not show up in Control Panel, Add/Remove Programs, Windows Components. A) To make it visible, you first must make a slight change in Sysoc.inf in the C:\Windows\Inf directory. The line now reads: msmsgs=msgrocm.dll,OcEntry,msmsgs.inf,hide,7 make it read: msmsgs=msgrocm.dll,OcEntry,msmsgs.inf,,7 In other words remove "hide" from the line. Then be sure to save the file, exit notepad, then go to control panel and it will be visible so you can uncheck the box to uninstall it, which merely removes the entries for it from the registry. It does not remove the folder from C:\Program files. You can always reinstall by going back to Control Panel, Add/Remove Programs, Windows Components and rechecking the box. |
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