*---- Setup_DIAGSNew.txt
*---- Rainald Taesler
*---- May 07, 2004
*---- revised March 03, 2005
*---- NOTE: This text refers to the Armada 7xxx series.
Software versions named herein won't work with
*---- some older notebooks.
Access to BIOS-Setup on COMPAQ notebooks
For many long years COMPAQ-notebooks had their proprietary way of handling the BIOS:
All of the Setup- and Diagnostics-files are stored on a special partition called "DIAGS", which has to be the *first* partition on the HD. There's *NO* access to the BIOS otherwise (except booting from the "Setup"-diskette [which in most cases will not be at hand when really
needed])
A.
If this partition is not there, there are two options:
(a) Create the partition and install the software there.
(b) Use the Setup-diskette.
Problem is that the DIAGS partition has to be the *first* one on the HDD. If the partition is not there (if F10 does not work), the HD has either to be put into a virgin state to start with or a partition tool like Partition Magic has to be used.
OTH, working without the DIAGS-partition means that there is no "built-in" BIOS-access and one has to have the Setup-diskette available when needed to change BIOS-settings. This can be a serious drawback - especially with a notebook: Who wants to carry around a Setup-diskette (I for one would always forget it <g>). What's ebven more important: some features like setting passwords are not
available if Setup is not run from the HDD.
B.
For both options the proper diskettes are needed.
For creating them do the following:
1. Download the following SoftPaqs to a directory on your hard drive. The files downloaded are self-extracting executables with a filename based on the SoftPaq Number.
SP9962 - Computer Setup for Portables v. 2.01 J (24 Jan 99)
<A HREF="http://h18007.www1.hp.com/support/files/notebooks/us/download/8089.html" target="_new">http://h18007.www1.hp.com/support/files/notebooks/us/download/8089.html</A>
SP16085 - Personal Computer Diagnostics version 10.40 A (7 Dec 00)
<A HREF="http://
h18000.www1.hp.com/support/files/desktops/us/download/9260.html" target="_new">http://
h18000.www1.hp.com/support/files/desktops/us/download/9260.html</A>
2. Create two directories (folders), one for each of the SPs and store the downloads there.
Execute the downloaded files and follow the on-screen instructions. Diskettes will be created from the SoftPaqs.
Make sure to stick a distinctive label on each of the diskette. During the install procedures you'll be prompted several times for inserting one of them; then it's necessary to know what is what.
3. After the diskettes have been created, you may delete the self-extracting files downloaded in step one, as well as the directory folders and files created in step two.
4. Having created the diskettes, run Diagnostics and Setup by booting from the diskettes. Start with booting from the Diagnostics diskette and follow the on-screen instructions.
**** Important Note: If no FDD is available, there's a way to use a CD instead. Vine Perry and Me have made CD-images available to be burnt to a CD using a CD-writer.
For instructions pls ask in the forum.
C.
To make access to Setup persistent, the DIAGS partition is needed. As said,it has to be the *first* one on the HDD.
You need both diskettes.
Way to go:
1. First thing to do is BACKUP all of the data.
2. Erase all partitions on the drive.
a) It could be done with FDISK after booting from a DOS boot-disk.
b) My advice was to completely eras the whole HDD.
This can easily be done with dBAN. Downloadable the tool from here: http://dban.sourceforge.net/
3. Boot from the Diagnostics diskette.
4. Follow the on screen instructions and select the menu-options to create
the partitions and to install the programs.
*-- EoF
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