jaclaz

There used to be a builder for one, from Qualystem, see here: http://www.911cd.net/forums//index.php?showtopic=12326 But you can make one allright following the various links, (of course you will need to use EXTENSIVELY the Wayback Machine) example: http://web.archive.org/web/20051229215909/http://www.lachiesadicristo.it/w98cd/page1.htm Or using the Winimize approach: http://reboot.pro/forum/53/ http://reboot.pro/3835/ In the meantime a nice little thingy has come out, but if I recall correctly there were no takers to experiment with it : http://reboot.pro/2293/ jaclaz

See if Speedfan works on your setup: http://www.almico.com/speedfan.php jaclaz

Well, that is appropriate . If you insist on using Windows 98 you actually are stodgy and antiquated . The whole point is that there is nothing actually bad in being so , and - on the contrary - you are a modern ecologist, think at all the unused/unuseful bytes the stylish and forward-looking needlessly waste.... The thing I wonder is WHY it took you so long to get here! jaclaz

No. Making the clean room is "nothing" when compared to a head change on a multi-platter disk . To give you a term of comparison it sounds to me like : jaclaz

NO . Rest assured I can believe it . The amount of bloat is: http://thesaurus.com/browse/immeasurable jaclaz

Naaah, you got it wrong, the 90's are behind the green glass door : 1981 to 1989 are not there (though we made an exception for 1988 )! jaclaz

Fair enough . What about: jaclaz

... and I thought that 1982 didn't belong to the 90's I guess that the original idea was more along the lines of: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spagna jaclaz

Maybe it's time to change the topic title , like : jaclaz

Oww, come on , you don't really want to know about the past of some members : jaclaz

No. All references we have for the 7200.12 (summed up in this post): are saying that the terminal works allright with the PCB not connected to the hard disk. But, of course the "click of death" has nothing to do with the common issues and could be caused EXACTLY by an unreadable part of the hard disk that thus fails to "calibrate" (or whatever). By any chance is the disk recognized in BIOS like here?: http://forums.seagate.com/t5/Barracuda-XT-Barracuda-Barracuda/Barracuda-7200-12-problem/td-p/128736 I doubt that there is any DIY way out for a "click of death", but you never know.... Are you positive that the disk is actually spinning? jaclaz

The Seagate "flow" of bricked disk mainly depended on an issue with a firmware, the hard disk wrote to a log at every switch on. When the entry in the log "hit" position 320 or any 320+n*256 the hard disk firmware "locked itself". You can read about it around here: BUT the symptoms you describe are however NOT apparently connected with a BSY or LBA0 kind of issue. In any case you cannot do *ANYTHING* while the disk is still inside the laptop. You need to take the disk out and connect it (through an USB adapter) to a working PC. It is very possible that by simply removing the disk and re-seating it, the issue disappears, as from what you write it sounds like a "dead" hard disk, which could well be a simple cable/connector problem. jaclaz

It is already difficult enough to try following you mixing two CF cards on two different systems, with a report once a week or so, at each test you seem like changing two things together (or doing more than one test per report, or report something else from what I need, I am really confused, see previous post #3) This makes NO sense (or it is completely irrelevant): When compared with: The BIOS shows the 4GB CF as Secondary Master - IDE Removable, but under the Boot submenu it shows the CF under both HDDs and Removable Devices. Cylinders 7769 Heads 16 Sectors 63 CHS Format 4010MB LBA Format 4010MB Multi-Sector Transfers Disabled LBA Mode Disabled 32 Bit I/O Enabled Transfer Mode FPIO 4 / DMA 2 Ultra DMA Mode Mode 2 Using grldr v0.4.4: drive 0x80 (LBA): C/H/S=1024/16/63 Sector Count/Size =1032192/512 However, currently I have updated to 0.4.6a so I need to check how that reports the geometry on the VL400. I'm not actually sure which version of the grub4dos MBR I have on there though (I would have installed it with the latest version of BOOTICE I have, which is 06-05-2012), nor how to update it (i've used grubinstgui in the past but unfortunately that doesn't seem to be available for recent versions and it seems to have the MBR hardcoded in the program, rather than being able to install a MBR file contained in the same directory, which would be handy). Perhaps you can suggest which MBR version I should install and a good way to do so (preferably from Windows)? Again, you are "mixing" things and/or posting confusing info. If you start again from scratch, maybe it will be possible to do (hopefully) some step forward. You were almost there here: http://reboot.pro/16737/page__st__50#entry155690 before you started doing all changes and variations you could think of (and one more) . General suggestions: You should NOT EVEN THINK of using grub4dos 0.4.6a, that is a test version. You should use ONLY 0.4.4 - 2009-10-16 (and NOT any other 0.4.4 version) unless told to use another version. You should NOT install the grub4dos MBR. You should try, WITHOUT making ANY modifications, of ANY kind unless told so, with a "plain" XP MBR, an XP bootsector, NTLDR, BOOT.INI and grldr Read the generic advice given in FAQ#10 here: http://jaclaz.altervista.org/Projects/USB/USBfaqs.html Now, it is almost clear that - for *any* reason - that that particular BIOS/CF card combo: sees the 4 Gb card as having a geometry of 16/63 does not "like" LBA mapped partitions AND/OR it doesn't "like" partitions bigger than 512 Mb (1024*16*63*512=528482304) So the next step would be to create a smaller partition, with a 16/63 geometry, FAT 16 CHS formatted, with the standard XP MBR and bootsector, NTLDR, BOOT.INI and grldr (0.4.4 - 2009-10-16). With mkimg: Can you simply do EXACTLY the above, transfer the image to the CF card and report? Please verify that once the image has been transferred to the CF card and the VL400 has been booted at least once with the card connected the MBR signature is non-zero. To do so, use MBRFIX (and NOT any other tool): http://www.sysint.no/nedlasting/mbrfix.htm MbrFix /drive <num> readsignature If it is 00000000 change it with: MbrFix /drive <num> writesignature 01020304 A meaningful (to me) report follows this scheme (let's number them so it will be easier): Machine used: the VL400 CF card used: the 4Gb one Partitioning scheme used: the one made with mkimg 264273408-16/63-06 Files in the device: NTLDR; BOOT.INI with contents as per post #18, glrldr from grub4dos 0.4.4 - 2009-10-16 Description of what happens when booting (if not any of the following) Description of what happens when booting when choosing the "Windows XP" entry (if it gets to the BOOT.INI choices) Description of what happens when booting when choosing the "grub4dos" entry (if it gets to the BOOT.INI choices) Result of grub4dos commands (if it gets to the grub> command prompt) for these commands: root geometry (hd0) geometry (hd1) Once you have posted this info, you are kindly requested to NOT do any change to anything until I suggest you WHICH changes to try. I know that I sound like an old, grumpy bastard, mainly because I am an old, grumpy bastard , but also because this thingy is getting on my nerves, it should have taken NO time to find a solution or a workaround for your issue, but it is going on for what? 3 MONTHS? Maybe this way we can get rid of it quickly . jaclaz

You do understand that you never posted the contents of the BOOT.INI? Now, be nice, please FORGET whatever you have done and let's start again from fresh, OK? Remove the grub4dos MBR+hidden sectors, replacing it with the "standard" 2K/XP MBR. Make sure that the FAT32 filesystem has the standard 2K/XP bootsector invoking NTLDR. Copy to the filesystem only NTLDR, BOOT.INI and grldr. Make sure that the BOOT.INI contents are as follows: [boot loader] timeout=30 default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS [operating systems] multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Professional" /noexecute=optin /fastdetect C:\grldr="Grub4Dos" In other words, you want to have this way to load grub4dos (and NOT any other way): http://diddy.boot-land.net/grub4dos/files/install_windows.htm#windows1 In a "perfect" world, you would use the MBRbatch command to create a proper disk image and then dd it to the card. Once you are ready, INDPENDENTLY from whether it is booting to the BOOT.INI choices or not, extract the MBR and bootsector eith hdhacker and post them, together with a description of what exactly happens when you try to boot. jaclaz

With all due respect , I completely fail to see how yours is NOT as well anecdotal evidence at best , or if you prefer, apart the divergence of opinions, your post contains the SAME *whatever* you are saying MagicAndre1981's post contains . I also completely fail to see the BIG differences between Asus (Asustek), Asrock and Pegatron: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asustek http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ASRock http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pegatron http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pegatron_Corporation To me they are just names/brands all revolving around the same "main group". jaclaz

Naah, this one would be UNpolite (remember that most of the good guys that write BIOSes are from the far East), what you could have: YGISBTO = Your guess is surely better than ours On the other hand, if our good friend Sinofsky would put his hands on BIOSes, you would have the simplification of only one choice: WYCWWDWWFBFY8=Whatever you choose we will do whatever we find better for you (8 means than only Windows 8 will ever boot from this PC) jaclaz

OT , sometimes I wonder if people actually READ what they write. I mean the good guys that wrote the BIOS "illustrating" string. Would this imply that there is a possible setting for : and one for : jaclaz

As often happens, OT but not much . http://www.codeproject.com/Articles/8688/Extracting-files-from-a-remote-ZIP-archive jaclaz

Hmmm. From: http://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/10pdf/09-893.pdf I would guess that IF some 17 million indivduals get really angry against MS, no matter if they will receive or not any indemnification and whether they will be allowed a class-action arbitration or litigation , MS will have it's share of issues.... jaclaz

...and thus you will most probably get a "wrong" converter, working at 5V TTL and NOT at 3.3V TTL , I see how the read-me-first: besides NEVER being read FIRST , is NOT actually read at all! . Commas are parameter separators, two consequently commas simply mean that the parameter between them is omitted. DO NOT EVEN THINK of experimenting with seagate terminal commands. Your ONLY choice is to find a set of commands and issue them EXACTLY, even a very minor change may make your driive not only "bricked" but also IRRECOVERABLE. DO NOT try inventing a new set of commands. There is a "manual" for Seagate commands linked to in the "main" thread, though, here: AND read these: http://forum.hddguru.com/seagate-terminal-commands-t6411-40.html http://forum.hddguru.com/seagate-7200-terminal-commands-t11926.html jaclaz

owww , come on . So, the disk is visible and as soon as a letter is manually assigned to the volume on it, by sheer magic the missing mass storage controller materializes itself from thin air? @ragsboss WHO are the "we"? <-this is just curiosity WHICH PE is it? <- I mean is it a PE 3.x i.e. made form windows 7 or another earlier version? WHICH VM is it? <- Some detail might help HOW exactly was the PE built? <-WAIK or some builder, if the latter which one? From WHICH device is the PE booted? <-like cirtual CD/iso, seconf hard disk like device, etc. A possible workaround, NOT a solution, could be to autoexecute a program like the ones discussed here: http://reboot.pro/10169/ If i were you I would check the PE Registry, namely checking first thing the Mounteddevices / Dosdevices and the Nodrives key, see: http://diddy.boot-land.net/firadisk/files/mounteddevices.htm http://www.wisdombay.com/hidedrive/index.php What is the output of MOUNTVOL? And the one from dd --list (see the linked thread on reboot.pro)? jaclaz

Sure they don't. (I mean people actually runnning the telemetry ) They tend to get to a web site and read the title, and possibly the incipit of an article, at this point all their neurons are already busy with the overflow of information contained in a few sentences and they click away to some other site, while senselessly twitting a random thought about the news they didn't actually read, let alone understood. jaclaz

Let's see if the attached images help you (and BTW is a good example how the information is - even when disclosed - actually "retained"). First one is a crop of the image you posted ("under" side) of the PCB. Can you see the contacts "circled" in yellow? They are the "head" contacts, four sets of five contacts. Can you see the two contacts circled in red, they are the read channel. (this should be "common" to "all", the .11 and .12, ES2 and LP) Since you have to short it, the first occurrence that you can do it "from the upper side" is circled in green. As you may have noticed, most (BTW nice ) posts indicating where to short only give you the "upper side" of the specific PCB, so you cannot get a "general rule", the given post is an exception, in the sense that they give you the "under side" position (but you have to find yourself what the points are on the "upper side"). The second image attached (also a crop, this time from your second posted image) circles in green/yellow the (hopefully) same two points, but do check them with a multimeter . Nothing you can do (AFAIK) at home, without some dedicated hardware/software (please read as PC-3000 UDMA), mind you I presume that it could be done at home also through far more econoomical means BUT you would need a number of informations and an amount of training that are far beyond your capabilities/knowledge (NO offence intended ) but worst than that far beyond my capabilities/knowledge (and I would guess beyond those of any non-professional). More or less all the info we "amateurs" get are the crumbs that the guys at hddguru and on a selected number of places, mostly Polish, Russian of Chinese (and thus with the aggraviation of google translate or similar) leave behind them or simply feel - from time to time - exceptionally "good" and give as "charity" to the poors. The usual caveat applies, it all depends on HOW MUCH you value your data (and are prepared to spend for them) and/or HOW MUCH you like gambling. Only you can decide if it is the case of forgetting a DIY attempt and pay a pro or risk on an all or nothing bet . jaclaz

Forget about *any* .iso or .img modifying tool such as poweriso or ultraiso. 7-zip has (obviously) limited capacity in editing anything but .zip or .7z (and a few other types) archives. it won't do anything to .img's and .iso's (or to files contaqined in them). Get IMDISK: http://www.ltr-data.se/opencode.html/ http://reboot.pro/forum/59/ use 7-zip to EXTRACT the Bootable_1.44M.img to a directory on your disk. mount the "on disk" Bootable_1.44M.img to drive A: or B: through IMDISK do the whatever changes you want to do unmount the IMDISK drive If you want to recreate the .iso, get IMGBURN: http://www.imgburn.com/ and make it following this guide: http://forum.imgburn.com/index.php?showtopic=1779 jaclaz

Yep , I earned it, rest assured : http://reboot.pro/2764/#entry18795 http://reboot.pro/3078/#entry20899 http://reboot.pro/3096/ http://reboot.pro/8710/#entry74627 http://reboot.pro/8840/#entry76073 http://reboot.pro/12527/#entry109689 Now, back to topic, let's see if we can find a compromise, let's call the stupid thingy a So that I may be able to ask a Mod/Admin to split this thread from post #36 onwards to a new thread aptly titled ..... jaclaz