Getting old Compaq 5100 to work. Please help

Hi all,

I have just obtained a very old computer that was previously used in a
university lab. I have several questions about it. I have trawled
postings here, but I am still very confused about the computer and its
behaviour.

a) The computers' exterior panel reads Compaq Deskpro 5100. Does this
mean that the computer is a Deskpro 4000 5100? I am trying to download
software/drivers for this my computer, but this is the closest match I
can get to on the Compaq website.

b) If the model is correct, then which software (in the Compaq
website) should I download for the setup/diagnostic program that so
many posts have been talking about?
The link that I use is:
http://h18007.www1.hp.com/support/fi...cate/4_74.html

c) I tried downloading the software "Computer Setup/VP and PC
Diagnostics" but that only creates a single diskette. Some posts have
state that the Setup/Diagnostic program should have created 3
diskettes. Am I downloading the wrong package?

d) The computer came with a VxWorks O/S and it boots off the Ethernet
network. So, I have detached the HDD and plug it into another
computer, before wiping the whole drive and creating a single
partition. Then I formatted the HDD to FAT32 and inserted Windows
system files into it. When I have re-attached the HDD to the Compaq
computer, I could not boot off either the floppy or the HDD. What is
wrong?

e) To try booting the machine (after performing step (d)), I have
created both an MS-DOS(Windows) and Setup/Diagnostic (mentioned in
(c)) boot disks. Both refuse to boot. I try booting them using F10
after then memory check, and then the standard 2 beeps. All that
happens is the floppy gets reads twice, briefly, before and after the
2 beeps. After that, I get the error:
"Non-system disk or disk error, please insert the correct disk and
press any key"
I think it is trying to read off the HDD here?

f) Should I try to jumper the HDD to slave to force the floppy to
boot?

Thank you very much in advance for ANY pointers/clues.

Paul

For a better answer, post the serial number of the machine. That'd tell
some of us, what you have..

Mike in Houston


"Paul" wrote in message
om...
Hi all,

I have just obtained a very old computer that was previously used in a
university lab. I have several questions about it. I have trawled
postings here, but I am still very confused about the computer and its
behaviour.

a) The computers' exterior panel reads Compaq Deskpro 5100. Does this
mean that the computer is a Deskpro 4000 5100? I am trying to download
software/drivers for this my computer, but this is the closest match I
can get to on the Compaq website.

b) If the model is correct, then which software (in the Compaq
website) should I download for the setup/diagnostic program that so
many posts have been talking about?
The link that I use is:
http://h18007.www1.hp.com/support/fi...cate/4_74.html

c) I tried downloading the software "Computer Setup/VP and PC
Diagnostics" but that only creates a single diskette. Some posts have
state that the Setup/Diagnostic program should have created 3
diskettes. Am I downloading the wrong package?

d) The computer came with a VxWorks O/S and it boots off the Ethernet
network. So, I have detached the HDD and plug it into another
computer, before wiping the whole drive and creating a single
partition. Then I formatted the HDD to FAT32 and inserted Windows
system files into it. When I have re-attached the HDD to the Compaq
computer, I could not boot off either the floppy or the HDD. What is
wrong?

e) To try booting the machine (after performing step (d)), I have
created both an MS-DOS(Windows) and Setup/Diagnostic (mentioned in
(c)) boot disks. Both refuse to boot. I try booting them using F10
after then memory check, and then the standard 2 beeps. All that
happens is the floppy gets reads twice, briefly, before and after the
2 beeps. After that, I get the error:
"Non-system disk or disk error, please insert the correct disk and
press any key"
I think it is trying to read off the HDD here?

f) Should I try to jumper the HDD to slave to force the floppy to
boot?

Thank you very much in advance for ANY pointers/clues.

Paul

"Mike Calkins" wrote in message ...
For a better answer, post the serial number of the machine. That'd tell
some of us, what you have..

Mike in Houston


Hi,

Um... I dont know which number is the serial number. Seems to have
numbers pasted all over the internal/external of the machine.

Any help here?

Paul

Hi,

I seem to have found the number, not really sure if it is the one..
8546HSI(1?)70767

Regards,
Paul

(Paul) wrote in message om...
"Mike Calkins" wrote in message ...
For a better answer, post the serial number of the machine. That'd tell
some of us, what you have..

Mike in Houston


Hi,

Um... I dont know which number is the serial number. Seems to have
numbers pasted all over the internal/external of the machine.

Any help here?

Paul

Hi,

Can anyone help on this matter? Please see thread. I dont want to clog
up the newsgroup by reposting.

Thanks!
Paul

(Paul) wrote in message . com...
Hi,

I seem to have found the number, not really sure if it is the one..
8546HSI(1?)70767

Regards,
Paul

(Paul) wrote in message om...
"Mike Calkins" wrote in message ...
For a better answer, post the serial number of the machine. That'd tell
some of us, what you have..

Mike in Houston


Hi,

Um... I dont know which number is the serial number. Seems to have
numbers pasted all over the internal/external of the machine.

Any help here?

Paul

"|
| (Paul) wrote in message
. com...
|
| (Paul) wrote in message
om...
| "Mike Calkins" wrote in message
...

Paul" wrote in message
om...
| Hi,
|
| Can anyone help on this matter? Please see thread. I don't want to
clog
| up the newsgroup by reposting.
|
| Thanks!
| Paul

Just go to their support page and it will autoprobe your PC.
They will let you know exactly what you have.

"Frank" wrote in message
m...
|
| "|
| | (Paul) wrote in message
| . com...
| |
| | (Paul) wrote in message
| om...
| | "Mike Calkins" wrote in message
| ...
|
| Paul" wrote in message
| om...
| | Hi,
| |
| | Can anyone help on this matter? Please see thread. I don't want to
| clog
| | up the newsgroup by reposting.
| |
| | Thanks!
| | Paul
|
| Just go to their support page and it will autoprobe your PC.
| They will let you know exactly what you have.

As an after thought, here is the URL
http://h71025.www7.hp.com/support/parts/hwlookup.asp

Hi,

Just an update. I have typed in the serial number and got the model as
"Deskpro DT4 5100". Getting to the right webpage that has _available_
support files is a pain but I got there.

I tried running the boot disk created using SP8447 but still the
computer refuses to boot into the floppy.

I am wondering if the BIOS has been set to NOT boot from floppy. Now
that the bootable partition is gone, therefore I cannot re-configure
the BIOS and the computer wont be able to boot into either the floppy
or the setup partition.

So the question is whether this computer is recoverable i.e. make to
boot properly? Should I try formatting the HDD to DOS mode and
'sys'-ing it ?

Thanks. Any pointers would help,
Paul

"Frank" wrote in message om...
"Frank" wrote in message
m...
|
| "|
| | (Paul) wrote in message
. com...
| |
| | (Paul) wrote in message
om...
| | "Mike Calkins" wrote in message
| ...
|
| Paul" wrote in message
| om...
| | Hi,
| |
| | Can anyone help on this matter? Please see thread. I don't want to
clog
| | up the newsgroup by reposting.
| |
| | Thanks!
| | Paul
|
| Just go to their support page and it will autoprobe your PC.
| They will let you know exactly what you have.

As an after thought, here is the URL
http://h71025.www7.hp.com/support/parts/hwlookup.asp

Paul wrote:

Hi,

Just an update. I have typed in the serial number and got the model as
"Deskpro DT4 5100". Getting to the right webpage that has _available_
support files is a pain but I got there.

I tried running the boot disk created using SP8447 but still the
computer refuses to boot into the floppy.

What, if any, messages are you getting when you try to boot from the
floppy disk?

I am wondering if the BIOS has been set to NOT boot from floppy. Now
that the bootable partition is gone, therefore I cannot re-configure
the BIOS and the computer wont be able to boot into either the floppy
or the setup partition.

So the question is whether this computer is recoverable i.e. make to
boot properly? Should I try formatting the HDD to DOS mode and
'sys'-ing it ?

Thanks. Any pointers would help,
Paul

"Frank" wrote in message om...
"Frank" wrote in message
m...
|
| "|
| | (Paul) wrote in message
. com...
| |
| | (Paul) wrote in message
om...
| | "Mike Calkins" wrote in message
| ...
|
| Paul" wrote in message
| om...
| | Hi,
| |
| | Can anyone help on this matter? Please see thread. I don't want to
clog
| | up the newsgroup by reposting.
| |
| | Thanks!
| | Paul
|
| Just go to their support page and it will autoprobe your PC.
| They will let you know exactly what you have.

As an after thought, here is the URL
http://h71025.www7.hp.com/support/parts/hwlookup.asp

I am wondering if the BIOS has been set to NOT boot from floppy. Now
that the bootable partition is gone, therefore I cannot re-configure
the BIOS and the computer wont be able to boot into either the floppy
or the setup partition.


A CMOS reset would return the unit to default settings, which would be boot
first to FDD---right? Good luck!

Dale