TCP/IP

[Charles]

I was recently on the phone with Earthlink customer support trying to set DUN #'s on a Compaq computer to set it as default ISP and Windows95 began asking about files to be replaced. Before I clicked "yes" or "no" I asked tech support about this and they explained that sometimes you say "yes" to those and sometimes you say "no". To make a long story short they directed me to replaced some Novell Client32 files and it seems these files were behind a firewall and need to be installed for this PC to be working. Any ideas as to what happened here? Is it true Compaq computers have Bios installed inside the hard drive? If so, is it possible to Fdisk, format and install Windows98 in this computer, or do I need to have a Bios installed first? Thanks.

[Xayd]

Not sure on the Novell net drivers, but yeah, the BIOS is on the HD. If you wipe the HD completely, the recovery disk will replace everything with BIOS defaults from what I've been told. So I'm assuming that only part of the BIOS, or any custom settings maybe, are actually on the HD. Either way, can't be done without the recovery disk.

Now, another thing you might try is this. I'm no Novell expert, but managed to get a machine back on the network at a customer's office a few days ago by just having him remove and reinstall the protocol and client, in his case all he needed was a new IPX/SPX and a new Novell Client, and everything worked great. I'd try removing and reinstalling the client before dealing with a format/reinstall of the OS.


Xayd

[Edited by Xayd on 09-22-2000 at 06:18 AM]

[Charles]

Thanks Xayd.

[bob]

Bios/CMOS are not on the HD. They are on the Mother Board

The thing on the HD is the setup program for the bios/cmos settings. The program changes the settings on the MB - it does not store the settings on the HD. It is not necessary. You can just as easily have the program on floppy disks. The disketts programs can easily be downloaded from the compaq web site.

[glc]

Its called a "diagnostic partition". The recovery kit will reestablish this partition in addition to wiping the drive and putting it back the way it came from the factory.

[Charles]

Thanks for clarification.