I picked up a Deskpro/286 the other day. It passes POST, and the hard disk
(an IBM 0665 30MB F/H ST-412 unit) spins up and makes encouraging noises,
but then it stops (after apparently trying to boot via floppy) with a "non
system disk or disk error" message.
IIRC, there's a setup utility on the Compaq DOS disks - does this include
configuration of the hard disk? I wonder if the system's simply lost NVRAM
settings and so the disk controller is trying to talk to the drive using
the wrong geometry (although of course it could just as easily be a faulty
or formatted drive). There's no obvious manufacturer of the combined
floppy/hard disk controller board, but it's perhaps reasonable to assume
that it's whatever was originally shipped with the system.
If I do need the Compaq DOS floppies, does anyone have images available
(3.5" preferred, but I think I have some spare 5.25" HD floppies and could
put the Compaq's drive into my desktop PC temporarily to write them)
thanks
Jules