(OT) Sort of. Compaq Mobo Follow-Up.

Hi Peepz.
On Jan 5th I posted asking for input on a problem, thus...

I'm building a machine for a "financially challenged" friend, resurrecting
spare hardware.
I have a Compaq micro atx mobo from a 5541, SIS530 chipset, onboard sound
and agp video.
This was removed from a machine where the atx psu failed, and stored.
As built, this machine had Win98 installed and worked properly prior to psu
failure.

The problem.
When assembled, I plugged the monitor into the mobo onboard video connector.
On first boot, BIOS beep code indicating video problem and nothing on
monitor screen.
I installed a PCI graphics card and plugged the monitor into that, bingo,
boot and graphics drive.
I cannot find a graphics driver for this *Compaq *******ised* SIS board that
supports XP.
A *standard* SIS 530 board driver will not work with this board.
Therefore cannot use the onboard agp chipset and the mobo has no agp slot.
PCI only.

The question.
How do Compaq initialise the machine like this?
You can't use the agp video until the driver is installed, this comes AFTER
OS install.
Did they use a PCI card to get it running and then take it out?

I got a few helpful replies, but still had this *intractable* problem, today
I solved it, finally.
When I first powered the machine, I believe I had no memory in DIMM1.
This is, I believe, where the graphics chip draws it's memory from. Hence no
video drive.
Not realising this, I stuck in a PCI adaptor and got video, and the device
error in Windoze.
Today, I pulled the PCI card out (memory in ALL slots now) and txf to
onboard socket.
Now the blasted thing works. Must be a conflict as you can't disable onboard
video on this board.

Just in case this might help someone out. You never know.

"Phoenix" wrote in message
...
Hi Peepz.
On Jan 5th I posted asking for input on a problem, thus...

I solved it, finally.
When I first powered the machine, I believe I had no memory in DIMM1.
This is, I believe, where the graphics chip draws it's memory from. Hence
no
video drive.
Not realising this, I stuck in a PCI adaptor and got video, and the device
error in Windoze.
Today, I pulled the PCI card out (memory in ALL slots now) and txf to
onboard socket.
Now the blasted thing works. Must be a conflict as you can't disable
onboard
video on this board.

Just in case this might help someone out. You never know.

A search on the net can usually find the manual and other related material.

Being an ex-compaq technician I know how these machines can be funny and
very particular.

Another good thing is to find the lastest bios for the machine, they are
refered to as a Rompaq.

It's most likely hidden in the bowels of the HP site.