Subj : 10 net
To   : WAYNE CHIRNSIDE
From : CHARLES ANGELICH
Date : Tue Sep 13 2005 02:17 pm

123c778dfcd5
tech



Hello Wayne - 

--8<--cut 

WC> The blasted proprietary setup partition. Messes with Linux
WC> to. FIPS non-destructive partitioning docs warn it's IS
WC> destructive in Compaqs. 

Seems few understand the Compaq 'setup partition'. It was an
idea ahead of it's time (sort of). IBM used something similar
for the PS2 line of computers. A portion of the BIOS was
written on the hard drive and, I suppose, because it must be
read in by a 'bootstrap loader' must be in the _first_
partition. I can imagine ways they could've worked around this
but putting it first was probably the easiest least complicated
method at one time? 

I have two Compaq machines and neither has this 'setup
partition'. Contrary to what the documentation tells users I
did find software that will access the Compaq BIOS to make
changes that works without this setup partition being on the
hard drive. 

Both are older models using DOS and W31. I have no idea what a
new Compaq would require or even if Compaq continues to use
this 'setup partition'. HP has hidden directories with Windows
CAB files in them to make life easier for their helpline
employees I suppose? 

->>> Keyboards also seem to pack it in faster on Compaqs for
->>> whatever  reason. Perhaps they are overpowering the ps2
->>> port? 

->> This is a compaq-labeled keyboard I'm typing on at the
->> moment, one of the few I have that has tactile response,
->> but then this one doesn't get as much use as the IBMs that
->> I have here. 

WC> This post seems to have been misdirected. No experience
WC> with Compaq keyboards. Still using the old heavy IBM here. 

One of my very lightest keyboards is a Compaq keyboard and it
has 'puddles' worn into the keycaps (especially the spacebar)
but continues to function with no problems. :-) 


--8<--cut

WC>>> Tossed the H.P. software sound card - modem combo as
WC>>> refuse. Oddly a salvaged Turtle Beach Sound card uses
WC>>> precisely the same Vortex sound drivers and it's a
WC>>> hardware card :-) 

FWIW: The combination of the Conexant sound card and Roland
soundfonts creates some of the best musical instrument sounds
for MIDI that I have found so far. TIMIDITY is good for
orchestral arrangements but is also a 10 meg (or more)
proposition to add to a machine. 

->> Hm. I got given a couple machines a while back that are
->> probably gonna be used as upgrades in the not-too-distant
->> future, one's a Compaq and one's an HP. :-0 

WC> I'd prefer the H.P. Micron PCI100 168 pin Dimms will work
WC> in it even if their web site claims otherwise ( PCI66),
WC> assuming of course that's the sort of memory that H.P. uses. 

WC> I have heard tell of Compaqs without the proprietary
WC> partition but I've not played with such a one. The H.P. is
WC> likely to have the proprietary SFX power supply as well,
WC> Compaq too. 

->> I had yanked the chip out of the Compaq thinking that I'd
->> put it in a box here, but then found that the MB jumpers
->> for voltage won't go *quite* far enough in the right
->> direction, so it's sitting here.. Oh well. I don't want to
->> use that box itself because it has a *teeny* little power
->> supply in there. 

WC> SFX alright. 

I know this is terribly 'geeky' and all that but whats to stop
a person from just sitting a HUGE powersupply
_outside/alongside_ the tower rather than finding one that fits
_inside_ the tower? I remember one of my friends having 3 hard
drives sitting on the table with his XT computer with longish
ribbon cables connecting them to the machine. It worked. Looked
very geeky but it worked. 

>
>        ,                          ,
>      o/      Charles.Angelich      \o       ,
>     <|                              |>  __o/
>     / >          USA, MI           < \   __\__
 

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