Repost of post from ME forum:Ok, I'm here. Yes I have dealt with Compaqs more than I care to say. I do know if there is only one partition: DO NOT FORMAT. Use a deltree.exe uninstall instead. Here is a link to that page: Selective Uninstall. As for this problem at hand. You will find the RomPaq that you need to replace the bios here: System ROMPaq. Now for a link to the more popular Manufacturer Computer Support Sites you will find that on my site under: PC SUPPORT. Link to my site: ENTER_Terris WebSpace!

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I'll post this here again. Found it on one of the help forums. If it is a Compaq. Thank you for writing to Compaq Support Services. Regarding your inquiry, please note that Compaq does not support hard disk drive upgrades for Presario desktops, nor do we have any BIOS or ROM updates to increase the size of supported hard drives. It is possible to go to a computer dealer or repair shop in your area and see what third-party equipment they have that may be compatible with your computer. However, Compaq does not test third-party hardware or software and cannot support such a course of action. Also note that Quick Restore disk will not work after replacing harddrive. If you cannot reinstall the original Compaq hard disk, you need to prepare the new hard disk for QuickRestore. Please be advised that this may not work for all hard disks and you may have unpredictable results for non-Compaq hardware. During the manufacturing process, an identification number (BOMID) is written to the UIA area of the hard disk. The BOMID identifies the model of the computer in which the hard disk is installed. Replacement hard disks do not contain this information. Therefore, when using QuickRestore on a Compaq Presario computer that contains a replacement hard disk, the QuickRestore program will be unable to identify the model of the computer. SOLUTION Follow the steps below to write the BOMID to the UIA area of the new hard disk: 1. Insert the QuickRestore diskette (when applicable) and CD into the appropriate drives, and then restart the computer. NOTE: If a QuickRestore boot diskette is not included with the QuickRestore kit, you can create this diskette from the BOOTDISK subdirectory on the QuickRestore CD. 2. At the initial screen (Program Language Selection), select "Exit" from theQuickRestore utility. 3. At the A:\> prompt, type uiabomwr_xxx (where xxx is the BOMID of the computer), and then press Enter. EXAMPLE: A:\uiabomwr 201 would store the 201 BOMID (for a Compaq Presario model 8772) into the UIA area of the hard disk. If the BOMID fails, then your new hard disk does not support the ability to have the BOMID written to it. You cannot run QuickRestore without the BOMID. You should take the computer to a local Compaq Authorized Service Center to have a replacement hard disk installed that supports QuickRestore. This would require the original spare part to be installed. NOTE: On future versions of QuickRestore CDs, the uiabomwr.exe utility will be located in the TOOLS directory of the QuickRestore CD. Regards, Compaq Consumer E-Services ------------------

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Ok Dusted1, I'll give you this that you have copied and pasted this information from some Compaq Support services. I wonder if this is called copyright infringement? Anyone know? But anyway, ok, what your information says is all said and good. Only one problem, we are on a computer help message board. If everyone had all the drivers, and all the restore disks, and all the bios data, ect, ect, ect.... then we wouldn't need this board. But now what do you do in a case like mine where the RESTORE DISK IS UNAVAILIBLE? No where to be found. Conflicts in the system properties. So now what do I do? Throw away a perfectly restorable computer because a Compaq Tech says it can't be done? I DON'T THINK SO. If there is a will there is a way. Compaq has all the drivers on their site if you know where to look and I know where to look, and I have restored about 50 Compaqs without restore disks in the last 2 months. How many have you restored? People come here because they need help. Not for someone to tell them take it to the dealer. They can read the little sticker stuck on the side of the computer if they want that information!!!!

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To furthermore my findings on the possiblilties of what can or cannot be done with a Compaq read on: My client pc: Compaq Prolinea P90 BootDrive= 1.1G IDE (taken from an NEC 4/100)[listed as Generic IDE 15] Second Hard drive= 2.0G SCSI [QUANTUM EMPIRE_2100S (slaved off of Media Vision/Thunder Blaster Sound Card/Not Compaq hardware) Third Hard drive= 850mb Compaq [listed as generic IDE 65]. (taken from a Prolinea P75) 3Com ISA Network card (Compaq original hardware) Floppy Drive= NEC Floppy (taken from NEC 4/100) All this done with NO Quick Restore disks, as they didn't make Quick Restore disks for older Compaqs. How you gonna restore something with a quick restore disk when there was never one made? You gonna call up Compaq and order them to make one because Dusted1 says you can't do it without it? I've done it 50 times over and I'll do it as many mores times as needed. I found out I DON'T need those drasted restore disks and will never use them again, and I don't care what Compaq says. As long as it is out of warrenty and Compaq is not doing the repairs, then it is up to the end user how they choose to restore it. Correct me if I am wrong on this. Once you bought and paid for something it becomes yours and you can do with it as you please, is that not correct????? P.S. I reposted the last post you had removed because you didn't like what I said could be done without the restore disks.

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What is it with Dusted1? Is he like some kind of salesman or spy for Compaq? He keeps pushing these restore disks on every Compaq problem post. Can't he understand that Compaq didn't always make restore disks? It is only in the newest models that Restore Disks CAN be used. But even then it is the end users choice to use or not to use a restore disk. Isn't it? Do you sign some kind of agreement when you by a Compaq computer agreeing that you will always, no matter what use only Compaq requirements to recover from a crash and if Compaq requirments cannot be reached satisfactorily then the Compaq computer will be disposed of? I am really curious on this as to why he is pushing we MUST use the restore disks. Restore disk get lost or broken. I had to restore one that had a Corrupted disk from the start. Imagine that. Compaq putting a Corrupted disk in with one of it's brand new computers. I can't belive it happened but it did!!!!

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Forgot to add this to post #10: Prolinea P90 has 64mbs of EDO SIMM ram (some Compaq, some not. Also it is running Win98SE (retail because they don't make a restore disk for the Prolinea P90) Or do they Dusted1? How do I find out just exactly what makes and models have restore disks and what ones don't? I figured you should know where to find this information. Maybe you can get it from that Compaq tech site you got this other information from. And if you wanna see this Compaq with all this non-Compaq stuff in it running you can find a picture of it on my website under my Pc's. Thanks everyone for letting me blow off steam about Compaqs and restore disks. God I hate restore disks.

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WOW, that was quite a tounge lashing! Didn't mean to gore anyones ox, only trying to help. NO I do not work for Compaq. I'm still keeping you web site in my favorites, kinda like it.

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Well Dusted1, we come face to face.... I actually didn't expect my posts to make it so far. I know Justin and when I get outta hand he just deletes me. But I usually deserve it. I didn't mean to lash you so bad but when I saw the same post up on the ME board, well, guess I lost it. I am sure that the easiest way to redo a Compaq is with a restore disk, but as I tried to get my point across, that just isn't always an option, and that was the only point I was trying to make. This girl asked me where to find the bios RomPac and I sent her a link to the exact one she needed for her machine. It's all there at Compaq, you just need to know where to look. I am in the process of yanking all the drivers availible for another Compaq Laptop for another friend because he runs win95A on it and can't get anything to work right. We all know win95 is real dumb about digging for drivers. So I am downloading all the drivers for that lap and putting them on a cd rom for him. Again, I appologize for coming down so hard on you, but I guess that was the only way we would come face to face, so to speak. I'm really not a bad person and I always give my 200% on this board in trying to help people. I'm sure you know that. I hope we can be friends. And I'm glad you like my website. Hey if you have any suggestions for new pages I'm always open. And as you probably have seen when someone gives me an idea for a page the credit for that page is at the bottom. Anyway, again, sorry and hope we can be friends and meet on friendlier terms on Computing.net (or as I call it: pc.net).

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I'm having a hell of a time with my Presario. I had a laptop that had a damaged hard drive. So I bought a 2.5" to IDE converter so I could add a second hard drive to my Presario 5000 so I could attempt to pull the data off. Now I cannot boot my Preario. It does not detect an operating system and if I try to get into BIOS, I get nothing. Anyone have any ideas what I should try?

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