Compaqs have been mentioned, but to my knowledge they are the exception.
I knew they did this on servers, but I did not know they did that on
desktops too. One more reason to not like Compaq, or at least they're
home PCs (like I need one...)

Anyone know if this has changed yet with HPs acquisition of Compaq? Or
did they stop doing this before they were bought out?

John

> -----Original Message-----
> From: tclug-list-bounces at mn-linux.org 
> [mailto:tclug-list-bounces at mn-linux.org] On Behalf Of Tom Penney
> Sent: Monday, January 12, 2004 9:47 AM
> To: TCLUG Mailing List
> Subject: RE: [TCLUG] Grubb boot menu options
> 
> 
> On Mon, 2004-01-12 at 08:26, John T. Hoffoss wrote:
> > To my knowledge, almost no desktop computers have separate 
> partitions. 
> > Instead, the setup is in the CMOS chip. This is why BIOS 
> updates can 
> > change your menu options.
> 
> I haven't been following this thread closely so forgive me if 
> this has been covered. I have seen computers (old inexpensive 
> compaq's I think) with the bios info stored on a mini drive 
> partition. I've trashed this "bios Partion" in the past and 
> had to download  and  make bootable floppies to recreate it. 
> The hard drive bios has to go down as one of the stupidest 
> ideas ever. 
> 
> I couldn't google up anything quickly to support my story so 
> you may think I'm crazy. I wouldn't  believe it either. but 
> several years ago I did fix a computer that wouldn't boot 
> without a partition on the primary master drive for bios info.
> 
> - Tom
> 
> 
> 
> On Mon, 2004-01-12 at 08:26, John T. Hoffoss wrote:
> > To my knowledge, almost no desktop computers have separate 
> partitions. 
> > Instead, the setup is in the CMOS chip. This is why BIOS 
> updates can 
> > change your menu options.
> > 
> > As for David's boot menu disappearing act, I want to agree with 
> > Matthew's response in that I have a hard time believing 
> that would be 
> > the case, except I've seen this behavior too, in laptops 
> alone. (I've 
> > got two old Dells on my workbench behind me right now that 
> I am having 
> > trouble with.) I've not tried a BIOS update on them yet, 
> and I do have 
> > a feeling that will repair the issue.
> > 
> > Just my two cents, I guess.
> > 
> > > -----Original Message-----
> > > From: tclug-list-bounces at mn-linux.org
> > > [mailto:tclug-list-bounces at mn-linux.org] On Behalf Of 
> Samuel MacDonald
> > > Sent: Saturday, January 10, 2004 11:52 AM
> > > To: TCLUG Mailing List
> > > Subject: Re: [TCLUG] Grubb boot menu options
> > > 
> > > 
> > > Is the F12 the option that puts you into the machines setup?
> > > Many manufacturers use this Compaq, Dell, Micron, and 
> others.  It's a 
> > > partition from 10 - 30 megabytes that contains programs for 
> > > configuration, hardware testing, remote administration, 
> etc...  Most 
> > > machines can live without this but it's a good thing to have 
> > > if you have 
> > > a hardware problem. This is not exclusive to laptops. 
> Compaq has long 
> > > used it in Servers and Desktops.
> > > 
> > > I remember this happening to someone else but it was a long
> > > time ago.  
> > > The person let Red Hat do the automatic partitioning, it 
> erased the 
> > > setup partition.  The only way "I" know how to fix it is to 
> > > rebuild the 
> > > whole thing. Some smarter LUGer may have a way to work around it.
> > > 
> > > You will need to setup and diagnostics disks from the 
> manufacturer.
> > > When you setup Red Hat you will need to manually partition 
> > > the drive to 
> > > be sure the setup partition remains on the disk.
> > > 
> > > This should be a topic at an Install  Fest.  I can do a setup
> > > partition 
> > > clinic on a Compaq if anyone is interested.
> > > 
> > > Sam.
> > > 
> > > David Schiff wrote:
> > > 
> > > >For what its worth the DeadRat manuals state the reason 
> they use a
> > > >/boot partition is so if you have file corruption on / 
> you can still 
> > > >have pure kernel to boot and fix things.
> > > >
> > > >I ha a Dell Inspiron 11. It had this really nice feature of
> > > a one time
> > > >boot option, you hit f12 at start up and you get a menu of boot
> > > >options. I installed Fedora core w/Grubb on mbr now not only 
> > > wont this
> > > >feature work (which is not surprising) but Grubb kicks in
> > > before I can
> > > >boot a cd or dvd no matter what the bios boot order is set
> > > to. To boot
> > > >from cd I have to dissable boot from hd in bios. Is 
> there a HOWTO 
> > > >to
> > > >create a boot from cd munu option ror Grubb like the boot 
> > > from floppy
> > > >option on Mandrake's LILO setup?
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >_______________________________________________
> > > >TCLUG Mailing List - Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota
> > > >http://www.mn-linux.org tclug-list at mn-linux.org 
> > > >https://mailman.real-time.com/mailman/listinfo/tclug-list
> > > >
> > > >  
> > > >
> > > 
> > > _______________________________________________
> > > TCLUG Mailing List - Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota
> > http://www.mn-linux.org tclug-list at mn-linux.org 
> > https://mailman.real-time.com/mailman/listinfo/tclug-list
> > 
> > 
> > _______________________________________________
> > TCLUG Mailing List - Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota 
> > http://www.mn-linux.org tclug-list at mn-linux.org 
> > https://mailman.real-time.com/mailman/listinfo/tclug-list
> -- 
> Tom Penney <blots at visi.com>
> 
> 
> _______________________________________________
> TCLUG Mailing List - Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota 
http://www.mn-linux.org tclug-list at mn-linux.org
https://mailman.real-time.com/mailman/listinfo/tclug-list


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