compaq deskpro for linux - HD problem

[Lennart Sorensen]

On Fri, Feb 13, 2004 at 06:53:00AM -0800, James wrote:
> hello, list
> 
> this maybe little OT, but i am desperate.
> 
> I am hitting a dead end on this problem. The HD in my deskpro 4000 (Pentium 200) died couple days
> ago. I am trying to replace it with a 8.4G HD. however, this machine seems to use some hidden
> partition to store BIOS information and the new HD won't get recognized. 
> 
> so i download the setup/diagnostics utility from compaq site.
> 
> following is what i did.
> 
> I fdisk the new HD so there is no partition at all. then i load the diagnostics disk and choose to
> create diagnostics partition. This process seems run fine( however i choose to 'delete diagnostics
> partition' after the create operation and got error saying 'operation failed on diagnostics
> partition'. then i starts the computer with setup disk to 'install computer setup', and i got 'A
> diagnostic partition does not exist. use the pc diagnostics diskette to create a partition'.
> 
> seems the diagnostics partition never created. what is going on ?
> 
> I am using the sp4129.exe to generate the setup and diagnostics diskettes. found it here
> http://h18000.www1.hp.com/support/files/diags.html

What size was the original disk.  Some machines of that era had a
problem with disks over 8.something GB (later ones had a problem with
32GB, then 137GB).  If the machine had a driver smaller than 8GB before,
check if the drive has an 'alternate jumper' setting, that clips it down
below the limit of those older machines, and perhaps it won't have a
problem anymore.

I believe it creates the special partition at the end of the disk, and
if the disk is bigger than the limit the machine supports, it may be
wrapping around or just getting plain confused.  Not sure really, but it
could simply be a 1024 cylinder limit problem.

Lennart Sorensen
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