Old Compaq deskpro needs help

**JeremyC** · 08-19-2004, 05:53 PM

i have an old old deskpro runs 98SE im tryin to get it to sunb usin 2 harddrives.

i am also having trouble using the USB ports so i can attach and external hard drive. any ideas? thnx in advance

**JeremyC** · 08-24-2004, 08:54 PM

anyone help?

does 98 even support external hardrives ? how about helpin me with the hole 2 hard drives situation

Valtelino · 09-04-2004, 07:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JeremyC

i have an old old deskpro runs 98SE im tryin to get it to sunb usin 2 harddrives.

Sorry JC. I must be too old for this shorthand. Imagine you're trying to explain it to your father, and four year old younger brother, at the same time.
I'm sure I'll know the answer, once I understand the question

**JeremyC** · 09-29-2004, 05:44 PM

sorry i meant tryin to get it to run using two harddrives at one time

oh yah the usb ports dont seem to be working ither with any sort of usb device

Veritas413 · 09-30-2004, 06:18 PM

Check in Settings-> Control Panel -> System -> Hardware -> Device Manager, and make sure you have the USB drivers installed, and that the interface is wrking properly. Also, you need to make sure that if any drivers came with the external drives that they are installed too...
Also note - you probably won't be able to boot off of anything USB, so just keep that in mind...

Also, make sure you have all the Windows Updates done, and that you have all the current drivers from Compaq/HP's site, as it could be a USB 2.0 issue...

And once again, in the BIOS, make sure that onboard USB is enabled... (it's in there somewhere... probably...)

Best of luck

Shoto · 09-30-2004, 08:44 PM

Ok well first off, I am assuming this is a desktop PC. Your going to have to look at both the hard drives, and on the back there should be little tiny jumpers... they tell the PC how many hard drives you have. Primary master should be selected for you first HDD, and primary/secondary slave, for your 2nd HDD. Hopefully your PC will pick them up just fine, if not you have to go into the CMOS and do an autodetect... I hope you can get there on a compaq :P if not you need to look around on the mother board for yet another hard to find jumper.

As for the USB stuff.... read above, make sure you have the drivers installed for both the USB device, and the HDD... I havent even seen an external, so Im no help fo ryou there...

Good luck

Valtelino · 10-04-2004, 05:56 AM

Compaqs much prefer cable select on their hard drives.
And, depending on the vintage, and the chipset, there's some issues with running external USB hard drives on old USB version one motherboards.
Can you find any model/serial/spec stickers on this compaq?

08-19-2004, 05:53 PM	#1 (permalink)
JeremyC Resident Alchemist Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Virginia Posts: 1,148 OS: SuSE 10.0/XP Pro	Old Compaq deskpro needs help i have an old old deskpro runs 98SE im tryin to get it to sunb usin 2 harddrives. i am also having trouble using the USB ports so i can attach and external hard drive. any ideas? thnx in advance

09-30-2004, 06:18 PM	#5 (permalink)
Veritas413 Registered User Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Michigan Posts: 1 OS: XP SP2	Check in Settings-> Control Panel -> System -> Hardware -> Device Manager, and make sure you have the USB drivers installed, and that the interface is wrking properly. Also, you need to make sure that if any drivers came with the external drives that they are installed too... Also note - you probably won't be able to boot off of anything USB, so just keep that in mind... Also, make sure you have all the Windows Updates done, and that you have all the current drivers from Compaq/HP's site, as it could be a USB 2.0 issue... And once again, in the BIOS, make sure that onboard USB is enabled... (it's in there somewhere... probably...) Best of luck Last edited by Veritas413; 09-30-2004 at 06:35 PM.

08-24-2004, 08:54 PM	#2 (permalink)
JeremyC Resident Alchemist Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Virginia Posts: 1,148 OS: SuSE 10.0/XP Pro	anyone help? does 98 even support external hardrives ? how about helpin me with the hole 2 hard drives situation

09-29-2004, 05:44 PM	#4 (permalink)
JeremyC Resident Alchemist Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Virginia Posts: 1,148 OS: SuSE 10.0/XP Pro	sorry i meant tryin to get it to run using two harddrives at one time oh yah the usb ports dont seem to be working ither with any sort of usb device

09-30-2004, 08:44 PM	#6 (permalink)
Shoto Registered User Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Kingston Posts: 38 OS: Windows XP Professional	Ok well first off, I am assuming this is a desktop PC. Your going to have to look at both the hard drives, and on the back there should be little tiny jumpers... they tell the PC how many hard drives you have. Primary master should be selected for you first HDD, and primary/secondary slave, for your 2nd HDD. Hopefully your PC will pick them up just fine, if not you have to go into the CMOS and do an autodetect... I hope you can get there on a compaq :P if not you need to look around on the mother board for yet another hard to find jumper. As for the USB stuff.... read above, make sure you have the drivers installed for both the USB device, and the HDD... I havent even seen an external, so Im no help fo ryou there... Good luck

10-04-2004, 05:56 AM	#7 (permalink)
Valtelino Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: BrisVegas Australia Posts: 173 OS: WinXP	Compaqs much prefer cable select on their hard drives. And, depending on the vintage, and the chipset, there's some issues with running external USB hard drives on old USB version one motherboards. Can you find any model/serial/spec stickers on this compaq?