Linux

[Bella]

"SYSTEM" says:

PCI bus master enabled

system POST fast

Power management enabled

Power on password

Setup password

Alternative memory reporting disabled

System inactivity timeout 30 minutes

[C-Chan]

System POST is what SHOULD work, but upon further investigation it would seem that the Compaq BIOS for that particular model is very primitive.  Hence it seems there's no way to change the boot sequence short of replacing the entire motherboard.  ^^;

It's just one of those caveats of the dreaded Golden Age of Floppy Disks, so.....

http://puppylinux.org/wikka/WakePUP

^^;

[Bella]

No, I can't make floppy disks, at least not with either of the laptops. The compaq for the time being is a standalone (no internet/network) system, as well.

[C-Chan]

I know it's asking a bit too much, since I barely have any floppy disks myself (though I still have two computers that can create them).  -___-

But wait, if you say it's a standalone system, does that mean you can still boot into Hacchan?  '__'

[Bella]

The only thing I can change about System POST is Fast/Full.

But wait, if you say it's a standalone system, does that mean you can still boot into Hacchan? '__'

Yeah.

[C-Chan]

Aa sou.  ^___^

Well if Hacchan can make floppies, then all we really need to do is....

A) send you the puppy files you need.

B) make sure to include Wakepup

C) burn those onto a CD manually (and hope it works).  ^__^

D) pop that CD into the working Hacchan

E) create your Wakepup floppy inside Hacchan

F) reboot with Wakepup in your floppy drive

G)  ......

H)  PROFIT!!!  ^v^

Added after 2 minutes:

Well at least to offer you a placebo, here's Wakepup fro Puppy Linux 1.xx.  ^.^

Keep that around while the CD files are being uploaded to my server.  ^___^

BTW, Hacchan doesn't have any USB ports, by any chance?  ^^;

[Bella]

How would I get to boot from the floppy drive instead of the HD, though?

Added after 1 minutes:

BTW, Hacchan doesn't have any USB ports, by any chance? ^^;

Yes, it does have USB ports.

[Tsubashi]

Pretty sure it does that automatically


In other ideas, Have you updated your BIOS? I don't know if it will help, but I do know there is an update for that model

[C-Chan]

Usually these old Compaqs are designed to read floppy disks before Hard Drives.  if not, then switch that "Post" thing I told you about to full and maybe that will do the trick.

BTW.... if you want, you can get a headstart with the ISO as well.  ^^

Try the program called BurnCDCCâ,,¢ here....

http://www.terabyteunlimited.com/utilities.html

Presumably a free, no-frills ISO-burning solution.

Added after 1 minutes:

ummm....  ^___^;

ROMPaqs are not OS specific, but your factory warranty covers technical support for the originally installed OS only. Please refer to the text to insure that your model is listed. Installing this on a system that it is not designed for may render your computer useless.

I'll consider this a last resort in case the floppy thing doesn't work.  ^^;

Added after 2 minutes:

Oh, and btw....

If Hacchan has USB ports, then rather than put Wakepup on the CD, why not just go ahead and pop that little ol' thing into a USB stick, then send it off to Hacchan?  That way, you can see if it does boot to a floppy now, rather than later once I'm booted off the internet due to inclement weather?  ^^;

[Bella]

Oh, and btw....

rather than put Wakepup on the CD, why not just go ahead and pop that little ol' thing into a USB stick, then send it off to Hacchan? That way, you can see if it does boot to a floppy now, rather than later once I'm booted off the internet due to inclement weather? ^^;

Cause I don't have any floppies on hand right now...they're in a storage shed, under tons of junk, in an unknown local O__O Hopefully that internet cafe I told you about will sell them....

And I think I'm too afraid to try that BIOS update...

Added after 4 minutes:

But let me see if I get this...

First I download Wakepup to my external HD (like a USB stick), then upload it to Hacchan, then download it onto a floppy (when I find/buy one). Then boot up.

I thought older machines didn't really have a tolerance for USB storage devices? Or maybe I'm thinking of booting up from a USB...

[C-Chan]

GYAAAAAAH!!  XvX

*collapses*

Hehe...  ^v^;
Well, um,... without floppies were sunk in this case.  We can't continue until you get a hold of some, so I guess we'll call it a day for now.  -v-

Might I suggest, though, perhaps getting a hand on version 2.16 of Puppy, burning that to a LiveCD, and then try it out on DY?  That way at least you can get used to the interface, so when it comes time to try it on the Compaq, it won't be much of a culture shock for you.  ^__^

Likewise, you might also want to give SAM Linux a try....

http://www.sam-linux.org/

It's essentially a version of PCLinuxOS but running under Xfce (in addition to other enhancements), so at least in theory it's much kinder to older hardware than it's KDE-using Onee-san.  ^.^

[Tsubashi]

I'll consider this a last resort in case the floppy thing doesn't work. ^^;

And I think I'm too afraid to try that BIOS update...

Of course, it was always a backup, a just in case. Still, there's no reason to be scared. It says "ROMPaqs are not OS specific" and the part Senpai bolded doesn't really apply here, since it clearly reads "Compaq Presario 5220 Desktop PC" at the top, so the only problem would be if you had a warranty, you would void it by installing linux ^__^
...Unless, of course, you lied about the model number ^__^'

[C-Chan]

But let me see if I get this...

First I download Wakepup to my external HD (like a USB stick), then upload it to Hacchan, then download it onto a floppy (when I find/buy one). Then boot up.

I thought older machines didn't really have a tolerance for USB storage devices? Or maybe I'm thinking of booting up from a USB...

Oh wait, you don't actually have just a regular stick?  ^^;

Yeah, you're thinking of booting up with a USB, whereas I'm just saying to stick it in while Hacchan is running.  However, there weren't any USB hard drives during the Windows 98 era, so not sure if it can read it.

In that case, it's safer to just keep the Wakepup zip file in the CD you will be burning (if it's not in it already).

Speaking of which, how's that ISO burning tool working out for you?

Added after 2 minutes:

Of course, it was always a backup, a just in case. Still, there's no reason to be scared. It says "ROMPaqs are not OS specific" and the part Senpai bolded doesn't really apply here, since it clearly reads "Compaq Presario 5220 Desktop PC" at the top, so the only problem would be if you had a warranty, you would void it by installing linux ^__^
...Unless, of course, you lied about the model number ^__^'

Fufufu... well at this day and age, I think the warranty has long since mummified, no?    But certainly we don't want to turn poor Bella-san's system into a brick....

*recalls ulcer-inducing moment when upgrading laptop BIOS*

...., not when all she probably will need are some floppies.  ^v^

Guess the moral of the story is that you can never really get rid of those 1.44MB pieces of plastic and cheap metal after all.  ^^;

[Bella]

Gosh you guys post fast. I haven't downloaded Wakepup yet (1.09, right?), let alone the burning program. I wonder if I can just use DY's burning program...?

*goes off to check...*

[C-Chan]

Hey,.... we're here to serve...... ^___^

Linux may not have customer service numbers (unless you've got an enterprise edition), but it's got tons of friendly neighborhood tech geeks like us ready to help you at any given moment.  ^.^

Please go ahead and try them so I know you're in good hands, at least during the weekend.  ^^