Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.compaq (More info?)

Thanks alot for the responses, but I relayed the wrong problem..so I'm
starting a new thread..First off, the pc I am trying to fix, I formatted
the hard drive, not knowing that I wouldn't be able to access the bios
afterwards....now, I want to reinstall Windows 2000, but I'm having a
problem, nothing will work when i try to install, and I cant access the
bios, so I need to make a disk with a softpaq(I think)but the only ID I
have for the sick machine is deskpro 2000 and I know that is 166
mhz...Evidently, I need to obtain a softpaq, which requires me to know
certain information that I should have gotten from the pc before I
formatted the HD....I'm under the impression that I need this softpaq to
fix the bios, or reinstall it...I think it was on the HD...(does this
thing have a cmos?) I'm really confused here...never run into this
problem, and like I said I'm doing this to help someone who cant afford
the local repair shop...Second, the softpaq that i need must be DL'd onto
floppy from my computer, which is NTFS...the sick machine is FAT....will
the info on the floppy(softpaq), which will probably require me to make a
boot disk for the sick machine be compatible with the sick machine FAT if
the disk is created on an NTFS? If not, I will have to use an old pc at a
friends house, but that is 35 miles from my home..I've tried that when I
thought I had the right "softpaq"(if thats what I need), and I dont know
which of the 15-20 some odd softpaqs available at the site I was at is the
right one...if anyone can tell me the right one, or what other information
i can get from the inside of this thing, and where it is to narrow my
search, I would appreciate it very very much...no matter what kind of disk
i make to boot this thing i keep getting the infamous "non system disk
error, replace the disk and press any freakin key dude".God bless you guys
for trying...sorry to give you the wrong idea to start....dave

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.compaq (More info?)

dave4hirenow3000 wrote:
> Thanks alot for the responses, but I relayed the wrong problem..so I'm
> starting a new thread..First off, the pc I am trying to fix, I
> formatted the hard drive, not knowing that I wouldn't be able to
> access the bios afterwards....now, I want to reinstall Windows 2000,
> but I'm having a problem, nothing will work when i try to install,
> and I cant access the bios, so I need to make a disk with a softpaq(I
> think)but the only ID I have for the sick machine is deskpro 2000 and
> I know that is 166 mhz...Evidently, I need to obtain a softpaq, which
> requires me to know certain information that I should have gotten
> from the pc before I formatted the HD....I'm under the impression
> that I need this softpaq to fix the bios, or reinstall it...I think
> it was on the HD...(does this thing have a cmos?) I'm really confused
> here...never run into this problem, and like I said I'm doing this to
> help someone who cant afford the local repair shop...Second, the
> softpaq that i need must be DL'd onto floppy from my computer, which
> is NTFS...the sick machine is FAT....will the info on the
> floppy(softpaq), which will probably require me to make a boot disk
> for the sick machine be compatible with the sick machine FAT if the
> disk is created on an NTFS? If not, I will have to use an old pc at a
> friends house, but that is 35 miles from my home..I've tried that
> when I thought I had the right "softpaq"(if thats what I need), and I
> dont know which of the 15-20 some odd softpaqs available at the site
> I was at is the right one...if anyone can tell me the right one, or
> what other information i can get from the inside of this thing, and
> where it is to narrow my search, I would appreciate it very very
> much...no matter what kind of disk i make to boot this thing i keep
> getting the infamous "non system disk error, replace the disk and
> press any freakin key dude".God bless you guys for trying...sorry to
> give you the wrong idea to start....dave

Floppies are formatted Fat16 by default. When formatting, create a
system disk (an option on the format dialog) which is bootable, then
copy the file onto it. Do not Fast Format, but do a full format. To
save yourself some frustration, use new floppies. Look at the serial
number tag on the computer. It should have the model ID also, I
believe. The serial number can be used to ID the machine from HP
support, maybe, possibly, if you can get their attention.

http://h18007.www1.hp.com/support/ [...] /1053.html
This is a start on the ROMPaq for the Deskpro 2000 166Mhz. This says it
updates the system ROM for NT4- nothing about a HD BIOS sector. The
instructions say F10 Setup, which might be F10 at boot to enter BIOS
setup. The entire Deskpro 2000 166 support information is at
http://search.hp.com/query.html?qt [...] lish&st=61

or http://tinyurl.com/4xax6

Have you tried to boot with an Win2K install CD? Simply formatting the
HD should not have prevented you from installing from CD, unless you
need to set the boot order for the CD from F10 at the power-on self
test.

Q

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.compaq (More info?)

On Thu, 09 Sep 2004 03:05:29 -0400, in alt.sys.pc-clone.compaq
"dave4hirenow3000" <dave4hirenow3000@yahoo.com> brain farted
>Thanks alot for the responses, but I relayed the wrong problem..so I'm
>starting a new thread..First off, the pc I am trying to fix, I formatted

<snip - no. huge chop!)

>error, replace the disk and press any freakin key dude".God bless you guys
>for trying...sorry to give you the wrong idea to start....dave
God that was hard to read.


ftp://ftp.compaq.com/pub/softpaq/ [...] SP4711.exe

This is for Deskpro 2000 - 5100,5120,5133,5166,5200,6180,6200

Yours is probably a 5166.

Creates two diskettes:
1. Computer Setup/V Version 1.23 Rev. A.
2. Personal Computer Diagnostics Version 10.19 Rev. C.

Since you have just formatted this box,
**Remove any existing partitions from the disk**

Boot from 1.
This will rebuild the F10 diagnostic partition.

Not sure if a 5166 can boot from CD, if not:

Rebuild DOS (you do have the DOS for this box..?)
to the point where you can use the CD, i.e
MSCDEX.EXE in autoexec.bat
CDROMDRV.SYS in config.sys

You should then be able to use the Win2k CD



--
SSS,
Steve / Strathclyde / Scotland.
-------------------------------

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.compaq (More info?)

i cant set the boot order from bios, thats the first thing i tried when the
win2k wouldnt install from the cdrom.....i cant access the bios with f10
or any other button....its like it doesnt exist, which i feel may be the
problem since i overwrote the entire hd with zeros using the dataeraser
program from SystemSuite...am i ignorant here or what? i am going to try
the other links that you included and see what i can come up with...check
back for my response please. Thx

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.compaq (More info?)

Steve, youre funny as hell...but youre right about the brain fart...didnt
say i was a scientist, in fact admitted to ignorance,nevertheless my
friend, thanks for taking it easy on me...i will use the information youve
provided and respond on this forum, needing several days to do so....but
please check back for response..Thx very much.

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.compaq (More info?)

ok steve, you are the shizziggity.....the link you gave me for the softpaq
worked and i now have a pulse on this machine(deskpro 2000 166 mhz), a new
diag partition, and a place to start....however:

"Rebuild DOS (you do have the DOS for this box..?)
to the point where you can use the CD, i.e
MSCDEX.EXE in autoexec.bat
CDROMDRV.SYS in config.sys"

I have no clue how to rebuild dos without the floppy dos disk....I do not
"have the dos for this box", and am hoping that doesnt mean i cant put dos
back on here....does the dos have to be specific to this machine? Ok
Steve, you are the high wizard, help me out here. Where can I get the
information i need or the dos DL i need to enable an installation of
Win2k...I havent messed with autoexec.bat nor config.sys since 1992...so
hook me up with a link...Thx in advance oh great one.
BTW, the softpaq you gave me was the 10th one i had tried including the
ones from HP site, and several from other responses on other boards. That
was the only one that worked. Thank you so much.

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.compaq (More info?)

Go to www.bootdisk.com and download the program which creates a Windows 98SE
boot disk. Create the boot disk, run it, create a (preferably FAT32) partition
with FDISK, reboot, format the partition and that's that. The boot disk can
also be used to load the Windows 98SE setup program from the CD... Ben Myers

On Mon, 13 Sep 2004 19:37:51 -0400, "dave4hirenow3000"
<dave4hirenow3000@yahoo.com> wrote:

>ok steve, you are the shizziggity.....the link you gave me for the softpaq
>worked and i now have a pulse on this machine(deskpro 2000 166 mhz), a new
>diag partition, and a place to start....however:
>
>"Rebuild DOS (you do have the DOS for this box..?)
>to the point where you can use the CD, i.e
>MSCDEX.EXE in autoexec.bat
>CDROMDRV.SYS in config.sys"
>
>I have no clue how to rebuild dos without the floppy dos disk....I do not
>"have the dos for this box", and am hoping that doesnt mean i cant put dos
>back on here....does the dos have to be specific to this machine? Ok
>Steve, you are the high wizard, help me out here. Where can I get the
>information i need or the dos DL i need to enable an installation of
>Win2k...I havent messed with autoexec.bat nor config.sys since 1992...so
>hook me up with a link...Thx in advance oh great one.
>BTW, the softpaq you gave me was the 10th one i had tried including the
>ones from HP site, and several from other responses on other boards. That
>was the only one that worked. Thank you so much.
>

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.compaq (More info?)

On Mon, 13 Sep 2004 19:37:51 -0400, in alt.sys.pc-clone.compaq
"dave4hirenow3000" <dave4hirenow3000@yahoo.com> wrote:

>ok steve, you are the shizziggity.....the link you gave me for the softpaq
>worked and i now have a pulse on this machine(deskpro 2000 166 mhz), a new
>diag partition, and a place to start....however:
>
>"Rebuild DOS (you do have the DOS for this box..?)
>to the point where you can use the CD, i.e
>MSCDEX.EXE in autoexec.bat
>CDROMDRV.SYS in config.sys"
>
>I have no clue how to rebuild dos without the floppy dos disk....I do not
>"have the dos for this box", and am hoping that doesnt mean i cant put dos
>back on here....does the dos have to be specific to this machine? Ok
>Steve, you are the high wizard, help me out here. Where can I get the
>information i need or the dos DL i need to enable an installation of
>Win2k...I havent messed with autoexec.bat nor config.sys since 1992...so
>hook me up with a link...Thx in advance oh great one.
>BTW, the softpaq you gave me was the 10th one i had tried including the
>ones from HP site, and several from other responses on other boards. That
>was the only one that worked. Thank you so much.

http://www.bootdisk.com/bootdisk.htm

Is your next step.



--
SSS,
Steve / Strathclyde / Scotland.
-------------------------------

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.compaq (More info?)

assuming usually makes me out as even dumber...unfortunately in this
situation, steve, and ben also, for that matter, you guys have chosen to
test my jedi initiative. Ben, Im trying to install Win2k Pro on a machine
that had 95 before i formatted the HD..Not sure if 98SE would be the
optimal choice here for the boot disk...nevertheless, I will try it, but
first im going to try the win2k setup disks....think they will work? im
not sure, but steve, you are holding out on me sir, or maybe your fingers
were tired, or maybe you delight in my misery...lol..
There are so many choices on the bootdisk.com site, but i already made the
dos 6.2 boot and used that....what in the world.
Then I made the Win2k bootdisk, and I was informed that i need the
ntoskernel to continue.
Evidently, I am dumber than i thought, or just spoiled from windows
easiness.....no finesse here fellas.
Is this a bit easier to read? Maybe I should have chosen comp science
rather than law school....although I am good enough on my end...lol.
Thx guys...be back later

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.compaq (More info?)

assuming usually makes me out as even dumber...unfortunately in this
situation, steve, and ben also, for that matter, you guys have chosen to
test my jedi initiative. Ben, Im trying to install Win2k Pro on a machine
that had 95 before i formatted the HD..Not sure if 98SE would be the
optimal choice here for the boot disk...nevertheless, I will try it, but
first im going to try the win2k setup disks....think they will work? im
not sure, but steve, you are holding out on me sir, or maybe your fingers
were tired, or maybe you delight in my misery...lol..
There are so many choices on the bootdisk.com site, but i already made
the
dos 6.2 boot and used that....what in the world.
Then I made the Win2k bootdisk, and I was informed that i need the
ntoskernel to continue.
Evidently, I am dumber than i thought, or just spoiled from windows
easiness.....no finesse here fellas.
Is this a bit easier to read? Maybe I should have chosen comp science
rather than law school....although I am good enough on my end...lol.
Thx guys...be back later

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.compaq (More info?)

Right, you are trying to install Windows 2000 on a Pentium 166 system incapable
of booting from a CD-ROM drive. Now I recall.

Okay. The Win 98SE boot disk would accomplish only one useful thing. It would
enable you to see the partitions currently on the hard drive, and to delete
them. But a successful boot load of the Window 2000 Pro setup program would
allow you to do the same thing, so forget messing with Win 98SE.

As far as I can tell, you have exactly two choices:

1. Get yourself or create the three(?) diskette set needed to start up the
Windows 2000 Pro install. This will allow the rest of the Windows 2000 Pro
setup to read the CD-ROM drive.

2. How big is the hard drive on your system? It can't be more than 8.4GB, the
typical BIOS limit for a Pentium-class system. The memory cannot be more than
128MB, the limit imposed by the most popular motherboard chipsets used in
Pentium-class systems, especially Compaq systems. Sooooo....

When you are done, you will have a pretty crippled system running Windows 2000
Pro. Get yourself another computer (!!!) more suitable for running Windows 2000
Pro. Today's minimum would be 450MHz Pentium III (you could scrape by with a
Pentium II or Slot 1 Celeron, but why?), 256MB (expandable upwards), bootable
from a CD, and at least 8GB disk capacity, preferably more.

If you are in the vicinity of Harvard, MA (30 mi west of Boston), drop me and
email or call. I can provide you with such a system, in good operational
condition, and I won't rip you off on costs. If you are somewhere in the east,
shipping costs won't be too outrageous either. Or buy a system on eBay. But
for heaven's sake, don't waste your billable lawyer's hours on a computer
unsuitable for running Windows 2000 Pro to begin with! ... Ben Myers

Ben Myers
Spirit of Performance, Inc.
73 Westcott Road
Harvard, MA 01451
tel: 978-456-3889
fax: 810-963-0412
PayPal, MC, VISA, cold hard cash accepted.

On Tue, 14 Sep 2004 22:10:46 -0400, "dave4hirenow3000"
<dave4hirenow3000@yahoo.com> wrote:

>assuming usually makes me out as even dumber...unfortunately in this
>situation, steve, and ben also, for that matter, you guys have chosen to
>test my jedi initiative. Ben, Im trying to install Win2k Pro on a machine
>that had 95 before i formatted the HD..Not sure if 98SE would be the
>optimal choice here for the boot disk...nevertheless, I will try it, but
>first im going to try the win2k setup disks....think they will work? im
>not sure, but steve, you are holding out on me sir, or maybe your fingers
>were tired, or maybe you delight in my misery...lol..
>There are so many choices on the bootdisk.com site, but i already made
>the
>dos 6.2 boot and used that....what in the world.
>Then I made the Win2k bootdisk, and I was informed that i need the
>ntoskernel to continue.
>Evidently, I am dumber than i thought, or just spoiled from windows
>easiness.....no finesse here fellas.
>Is this a bit easier to read? Maybe I should have chosen comp science
>rather than law school....although I am good enough on my end...lol.
>Thx guys...be back later
>
>

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.compaq (More info?)

Ben, thanks for the tips, but I've got two very new machines of my own that
were quite expensive. The machine I am attempting to load win2k on belongs
to a lady I am helping. I'm a student and broke at that. I doubt my
parents will buy her a new one, although they buy me new cars, computers,
clothes, etc.. Not to boast, although I drive a new BMW, I am broke more
often than not, no doubt directly proportional to my club habits, as are
my grades(not too bad though).....This lady cannot afford the local repair
shop, and having dabbled, I reluctantly volunteered to help (3 months
ago)...my excuses are becoming pitiful.
I was recently released from the hospital after a 5 week stay. Next
week I am sure to be the victim of a horrible robbery which will give me
some more time( again, ) Now I have created and booted with the setup
disks for win2k, of which there were 4....After the 4th one finished
loading, and I attempted to Install win2k, a few seconds and then an error
message <"could not find the .sif file" (sourcediskfile)> and the sp1.cab
file is missing or corrupt... I know this file on my win2k cd is good...on
my machines. What do I do from here?

Next year, I graduate and will buy her a nice laptop with my public
defender salary. lol

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.compaq (More info?)

You know, you've been coming across as a bit of a smart ass all along, and your
last post seems to confirm it. Ben, et al, have done an outstanding job of
offering technical advise, and have appropriately related to you that the best
choice would be not to try to put WIN2000 on the unit you are toying with.
Thank them sincerely for their efforts, and either tell the woman to purchase a
current PC, if she really needs WIN2000, or install WIN95/98 on her current one
and be done with it.

Dale

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.compaq (More info?)

Well, then, forget Windows 2000 Pro, and install Windows 95 or preferably
Windows 98SE (or maybe Windows NT 4.0??). A 166MHz computer with no more than
128MB and pretty limited hard drive capacity (my guess is no more than 4.3GB) is
EXTREMELY likely to give unsatisfactory performance with Win 2000. Whatever! I
have run out of positive and eminently reasonable suggestions.

.... Ben Myers

On Wed, 15 Sep 2004 03:39:08 -0400, "dave4hirenow3000"
<dave4hirenow3000@yahoo.com> wrote:

>Ben, thanks for the tips, but I've got two very new machines of my own that
>were quite expensive. The machine I am attempting to load win2k on belongs
>to a lady I am helping. I'm a student and broke at that. I doubt my
>parents will buy her a new one, although they buy me new cars, computers,
>clothes, etc.. Not to boast, although I drive a new BMW, I am broke more
>often than not, no doubt directly proportional to my club habits, as are
>my grades(not too bad though).....This lady cannot afford the local repair
>shop, and having dabbled, I reluctantly volunteered to help (3 months
>ago)...my excuses are becoming pitiful.
>I was recently released from the hospital after a 5 week stay. Next
>week I am sure to be the victim of a horrible robbery which will give me
>some more time( again, ) Now I have created and booted with the setup
>disks for win2k, of which there were 4....After the 4th one finished
>loading, and I attempted to Install win2k, a few seconds and then an error
>message <"could not find the .sif file" (sourcediskfile)> and the sp1.cab
>file is missing or corrupt... I know this file on my win2k cd is good...on
>my machines. What do I do from here?
>
> Next year, I graduate and will buy her a nice laptop with my public
>defender salary. lol
>
>