Cameron Kaiser wrote: I just unpacked one that had been stored in a reasonable warehouse environment, this week, and when I pulled off the keyboard, the insulation sheathing totally disintegrated. I think they tried some sort of plastic to make the cable retain the curl, and it was not very good. I have not tested the keyboard, the later suggestion of trying another standard at is a good one. This is pretty much an AT with a 30 or so entry HD table, instead of just the AT's 15 entry table in the disk extension. As such, you need an AT setup disk to set the cmos if it is dead. It should boot and run either the compaq one, or the standard AT one. If you dont need > 15 in the drive type, the standard AT will work. A lot of these had drive type 2, which IIRC is a 20mb. Another thing that concerns me is that you need to say whether you see floppy activity, either constant (bad ps) or none at all after you boot up. You should see a floppy seek if you have a floppy installed, just like an ordinary AT would do. <snip> yes, it needs to have cmos setup program booted from floppy if (since the battery will be) is dead. They are nice 286 or 386 machines, consume much less than preserving the equivalent AT pile. Jim

Cameron Kaiser wrote: Can you accept ~1MB email attachments? I can forward images to you... though you'd be on your own as to how to get that image onto a *5-1/4"* floppy! Have you tried this with a disk installed AND THE DOOR "closed"? (button pressed in all the way)

Cameron, I would look up the beep codes for the IBM bios. I don't think they are too far different, but I could be wrong. Might be a hint unless someone has an old manual or cheat sheet somewhere that says what 3 beeps is. Jim

Don wrote: I think you should get a keyboard error number on the screen, so unless the keyboard problem you have has zapped the 5v supply to the keyboard and caused some other collateral damage to the system, you have some other problem as well. <snip> On mine all the individual wires insulation that was in the bundle seem to be okay. there is a huge amount of fine wire, that flew out, and some shield wrapping, that makes it look worse than it is. I think the actual 5 conductors's insulation survived, not the stupid sheathing that they used to try to make the stiff curled action work. <snip> good enough if you have a drive type 2 or 4, which were the most common drive types shipped with it. I customized my bios, to support a 512mb drive, and it requires being able to do up higher. There were some excellent setup utilities that were introduced after the AT was out for a while, whose name escapes me, that could do higher numbers to be compatable with such as the phoenix bios that began to come out then. <snip> the drive should spin and seek at least in the 360k and 1.2mb variety, whether a floppy is in it or not. I will make the familiar "growl" due to using a slower than normal seek pulse train when the bios comes up, to be able to baby all forms of floppies. Most accessories fit in both, and I think the frame is identical. By the way, the setup disks are on the compaq web site. I'll have to scrounge what I sent to Don Y and send you a link. I have them somewhere also, if you cannot find them. They are on the ftp site, not the normal Hp / Compaq web site. I think there was a search engine over ftp.compaq.com that let you do intelligent searches and hit the setup disks but they seem to be gone. so now all you have is a huge list of "SP's" if I recall that have to be expanded and written to floppy after downloading. and little info as to what is which. However they seem to have a long list of old stuff there. Jim

Cameron Kaiser wrote: Ah. "Ooops!" AT style, not PS/2 It's not a "portable" in that sense -- it requires Mains power at all times (when running). But, there is a small battery inside that powers the clock and CMOS. It will almost certainly be dead. Without valid CMOS, you can't use internal (hard) disk, etc. Here's a list of POST errors that I found. Hopefully they fit your symptoms... --------8<-----------8<------------- Power-On Self-Test Messages When you switch on your system, it runs a series of diagnostic tests, collectively called the Power-on Self-Test (POST). POST makes sure the following computer parts are functioning properly: * Keyboard * Power supply * System board * System memory * Memory modules * Controllers * Graphics system * Diskette drives * Hard drives POST also detects the type of mass storage devices installed in the computer. If POST finds an error in the system, it reports the error condition by an audible and/or visual message. The computer will show an error message if POST determines a potential problem. The following table lists the POST messages, the audible (beep) message, probable cause, and recommended action. Power-On Self-Test Messages Message Beeps Probable Cause Recommended Action 101 - ROM Error 1 Long, 1 short System ROM Checksum 1. Inspect the ROM Placement. 2. Verify the correct ROM. 3. Replace the ROM 101 - I/0 ROM Error None Option ROM checksum 1. Inspect the ROM Placement. 2. Verify the correct ROM. 3. Replace the ROM 102 - System Board Failure None DMA, Timers, etc. Replace the system board 162 - System Options Error 2 Short No diskette drive or mismatch in drive type Run Computer Setup. 162 - System Options Not Set 2 Short Configuration incorrect Run Computer Setup 163 - Time & Date Not Set 2 Short Invalid time or date in configuration memory Run Computer Setup 164 - Memory Size Error 2 Short Memory configuration incorrect Run Computer Setup 174 - ISA Configuration /Slot Mismatch 1 Short Plug & Play ISA board not found Run the Configuration and Diagnostics Utility 175 - ISA Configuration /Slot Mismatch 1 Short Plug & Play ISA board added, configuration not updated Run the Configuration and Diagnostics Utility 178 - Processor Configuration Invalid None Processor type or step do not match configuration memory Run Computer Setup 201 - Memory Error None RAM failure 1. Run Computer Setup. 2. Replace the memory modules. 3. Replace system board. 203 - Memory Address Error None RAM failure 1. Run Computer Setup. 2. Replace the memory module(s) (if any). 3. Replace system board. 205 - Memory Error None Cache memory error Run the Configuration and Diagnostics Utilities. 206 - Secondary cache controller Failure None Cache memory controller or RAM failure Run the Configuration and Diagnostics Utilities 301 - Keyboard Error None Keyboard failure Reconnect keyboard with computer turned off. 301 - Keyboard Error or Text Fixture Installed None Keyboard failure Replace the keyboard. 303 - Keyboard Controller Error None I/O board keyboard controller Replace the system board. 304 - Keyboard or System Unit Error None Keyboard 1. Replace the keyboard. 2. Replace the system board. 40X - Parallel Port X Address Assignment Conflict 2 Short Both external and internal ports are assigned to parallel port X Run Computer Setup. 402 - Monochrome Adapter Failure 1 Long, 2 Short Monochrome display controller. Replace the monochrome display adapter. 501 - Display Adapter Failure 1 Long, 1 Short Video display controller Replace the video board. 601 - Diskette Controller Error None Diskette controller circuitry. 1. Check and/or replace cables. 2. Replace the system board. 602 - Diskette Boot None Diskette in drive A not bootable Replace the diskette. 605 - Diskette Drive Error. 2 Short Mismatch in drive type Run Computer Setup. 611 - Primary Floppy Port Address Assignment Conflict 2 Short Configuration error Run Computer Setup. 612 - Secondary Floppy Port Address Assignment Conflict 2 Short Configuration error Run Computer Setup. 702 - A Coprocessor Has Been Detected That Is Not Reported In CMOS None Configuration error Run Computer Setup. 703 - CMOS Reports a Coprocessor That Has Not Been Detected By POST 2 Short Configuration error Run Computer Setup. 1151 - COM Port 1 Address Assignment Conflict 2 Short Both external and internal serial ports are assigned to COM1 Run Computer Setup. 1152 - COM Port 2 Address Assignment Conflict 2 Short Both external and internal serial ports are assigned to COM2 Run Computer Setup. 1153 - COM Port 3 Address Assignment Conflict 2 Short Both external and internal serial ports are assigned to COM3 Run Computer Setup. 1154 - COM Port 4 Address Assignment Conflict 2 Short Both external and internal serial ports are assigned to COM4 Run Computer Setup. 1720 - IntelliSafe Hard Drive detects imminent failure None Hard drive is about to fail Backup contents and replace hard drive. 1771 - Primary Disk Port Address Assignment Conflict 2 Short Internal and External hard drive controllers are both assigned to primary address Run Computer Setup 1772 - Secondary Disk Port Address Assignment Conflict 2 Short Internal and External hard drive controllers are both assigned to secondary address Run Computer Setup 1780 - Disk 0 Failure None Hard drive/format error Run the Configuration and Diagnostics Utilities. 1781 - Disk 1 Failure None Hard drive/format error Run the Configuration and Diagnostics Utilities. 1782 - Disk Controller failure None Hard drive circuitry error Run the Configuration and Diagnostics Utilities. 1790 - Disk 0 Failure None Hard drive or wrong drive type Run the Configuration and Diagnostics Utilities. 1791 - Disk 1 Failure None Hard drive or wrong drive type Run the Configuration and Diagnostics Utilities. 1800 - Temperature Alert None Internal temperature exceeds specification Check that computer air vents are not blocked and cooling fan is running. XX000Y ZZ parity Check 2 None Parity RAM Failure Run the Configuration and Diagnostics Utilities. Hard Drive Parameter Table or BIOS Error System Halted 3 Long Configuration or hardware failure Run the Configuration and Diagnostics Utilities. IOCHECK Active Slot X None Defective board in slot X Run the Configuration and Diagnostics Utilities. Bus Master Timeout Slot X None Defective board in slot X Run the Configuration and Diagnostics Utilities. Audible 1 Short Power-on successful None. Audible 2 Short Power-on successful None. (RESUME = F1 KEY) None As indicated to continue Press the F1 key.

I'll try that. I'll have to dig around for an AT keyboard. Would it fail POST like that (I assume this is a POST error) without a proper keyboard connection? -- --------------------------------- personal: http://www.armory.com/~spectre/ --- Cameron Kaiser * Floodgap Systems * www.floodgap.com * ckaiser at floodgap.com -- Furious activity is no substitute for understanding. -- H. H. Williams -----