what's next? (error after BTX started)

[Jorn Argelo]

Robert Slade wrote:

>On Sat, 2005-07-23 at 12:05, user local wrote:
>  
>
>>This computer I'm writing from is a Compaq Evo D310m/845 r BU ALL
>>I found enthusiastic articles about FreeBSD, so I decide to download the 
>>stuff (FreeBSD5.4RELEASEi386) and I start to load it.
>>    
>>
>Snip
>
>  
>
>>But seriously, I noticed that something strange is happening w/ booting even 
>>Micro$ on theese boxes, as well on some compaq laptops: the only floppy I 
>>manage to boot from was a Partition Image one, and when I installed an Open 
>>on a laptop, I discover a hidden partition at the begining of the hard disc. 
>>Several Live CDs and other booting CDs stuff, an W2k including, also failed. 
>>I have 20 boxes like this, and that's happend not only on a specific one, so 
>>it can not be a CD drive problem.
>>
>>Help me, please! just once!
>>Bundy, Al, esq.
>>    
>>
>
>The hidden partition is most likely the Compaq utilities. You should be
>using these to setup the machine for installing an OS. On my Compaq
>Prolient they are called at boot time by pressing F10.
>
>Rob
>
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>  
>
Well, we have Evos at work, and with us all the machines produce the 
same results. FreeBSD 5.1 worked fine on those machine, but after that 
it refuses to boot. One of my colleagues mentioned that the ATA 
controller is not (well) supported. FreeBSD 4.11 does work I think.

About the utility partion Robert mentioned, I'm not too sure if that 
exists on the Evos. Because if that was the case, Windows or Linux 
shouldn't boot either, and they both do. It's more of a FreeBSD problem 
(or, well, maybe just the crappy hardware in it).

I've never found a solution for this problem. This reply maybe doesn't 
help you that much, but I figured you might be interested to know that 
you're not the only person having problems with them.

Jorn.