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old win98 compaq laptop help


togermano

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I have an old windows 98 compaq laptop I lost the restore cd so i installed windows 98 using the cd I had of it and unfort the compaq drivers check to see if its a windows 98 that came from compaq off their restore cd I guess. THere must be some kind of reg hack to make the drivers think I am using the windows 98 version from compaq... Does anyone know of such a hack?

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I have an old windows 98 compaq laptop I lost the restore cd so i installed windows 98 using the cd I had of it and unfort the compaq drivers check to see if its a windows 98 that came from compaq off their restore cd I guess. THere must be some kind of reg hack to make the drivers think I am using the windows 98 version from compaq... Does anyone know of such a hack?

I believe you are talking about two different CDROMS. You said you "installed" from a ( official Windows ? ) disc but then you say the "drivers" then "check" something. Did this "check" happen during the install? And by "install" do you mean Windows setup or the Compaq recovery which are two different things? It would help if you describe exactly what you did in detail including describing the discs you used, and Windows version.

The "Recovery" or "Restore" discs are different from "Windows discs", and were a completely different animal in those days. Some that I remember for that Win9x era contained OEM created images or similar packed files with the OS and OEM branding and crapware all in one. This is roughly comparable to the way it is done today in the Windows 6.x era with recovery partitions holding the same type of stuff ( Dell, HP, etc ). Others had only the applications on the "Recovery" or "Restore" discs and required setup from the OEM Windows CDROM first. It can be very confusing!

( Although this doesn't apply to you with Win98 gold, I have the Microsoft Win98se and the similar Compaq branded version, they are the "Windows discs" and only differ slightly with OEM branding stuff and some INFs in two CABs ( one is Precopy2 iirc ). This Compaq Windows CD is not tied to any Compaq model however, unlike the "Recovery" or "Restore discs" which are very specific to the exact model of computer. )

In theory, a complete reformat and install from any non-OEM branded official Microsoft "Windows" disc usually works, only resulting in some missing logos in the owner page and other minor things. However, at least Compaqs had a radically different BIOS arrangement that used some local files in addition to the CMOS chip. So, while 95% of computers can be tamed by re-formatting and full installing Windows, you might very well have one of the very few that are actually locked to custom install files. What I am saying is that you might have the type of computer that cannot be wiped and installed normally and will have to track down the correct discs.

Also, the Compaq model is very important for another reason. If I am not mistaken, they had these very specific Driver PAQs ( update and support files ) that might be necessary, but this info should be able to be researched today in Google ( unlike in those days in the early to mid-1990's ).

So you have to really be specific on what discs you have, what you did, and what was the result. What is the exact Compaq Model? What exactly do the discs look like? Is one of them the correct "Recovery" or "Restore" disc for that model? I despise those recovery-restore discs personally but you may be stuck and have to rely on it unfortunately. There is some chance an image of it can be downloaded from a Compaq user group website, but failing that, there may be one on eBay.

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The model is 1600-XL145 and what I mean is I used a windows 98 se I bought years ago. Unfort the driver setup files you download from compaq website checks to see if a valid compaq mobile platform and the setup says no it is not because I did not install windows 98 se from the compaq branded windows 98 cds...

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So this is a laptop and you are talking about Win98se, correct? What is actually installed now? Is this how it was originally delivered?

Do you know what the partitioning is? In other words, is it just C: or maybe several partitions, perhaps a hidden partition with recovery/restore files?

What are the specific discs you have? Are they distribution or CDR? We need to know what you are missing!

What are the files you say you downloaded and are they the exact ones for that laptop?

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So this is a laptop and you are talking about Win98se, correct? What is actually installed now? Is this how it was originally delivered?

Do you know what the partitioning is? In other words, is it just C: or maybe several partitions, perhaps a hidden partition with recovery/restore files?

What are the specific discs you have? Are they distribution or CDR? We need to know what you are missing!

What are the files you say you downloaded and are they the exact ones for that laptop?

The original harddrive has been changed because it was broken. Its just the regular windows 98 se cd and I use the windows 98 key that is on the back of the laptop. I downloaded the drivers from the compaq website and yes they are exact drivers....

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The Compaq Win98se CDROM I have seems to be an "update" disc rather than "full install". It is an original blue and silver distribution disc and has this in small print: "This program will search your system to confirm your eligibility for this special update edition".

I did an audit between the Microsoft Windows 98se and Compaq CDROMs and found three main files of difference in the \Win98 folder, (Compaq shown ) ...

1999-04-23 ... 17:22 ..... 168,096 ... Dossetup.bin

1999-04-23 ... 17:22 ... 1,351,645 ... Precopy2.cab

1999-04-23 ... 17:22 ...... 37,299 ... Setup.txt

The CDROM structure is largely identical, however 2 subfolders are removed from the Compaq disc that appear on the Microsoft disc ...

\Tools\Admin

\Tools\Nettools

Additionally there is one extra file on the Compaq disc not on the Microsoft disc ( and probably not of consequence ) ...

\Drivers\Printers\Hp\Djet690c\Disk2\Hpf69r08.gid

Within the \Win98 folder, there are three files on the Microsoft disc missing from the Compaq ...

\Win98\Format.com

\Win98\Oemsetup.bin

\Win98\Oemsetup.exe

Full stop here. I believe this means that the Compaq CDROM is considered an "Update" disc rather than full install, because of the lack of format. I thought they were essentially the same in those days, but I may have mis-remembered. Anyway, continuing ...

Many of the CABs are binary different but it is because of 7 files that appear in almost all of the Microsoft CABs that are missing from the corresponding Compaq CABs. So when you WinDiff the two CDROMs there is a large list of differences until you compare the CAB contents. These are the 7 files that repeat in almost every CAB on the Microsoft disc but removed from the Compaq disc ...

Dibeng.dll

Gdi32.dll

Iosclass.dll

Krnl386.exe

Ntdll.dll

Systhunk.dll

Vfd.vxd

Additionally Compaq removed these files from their version of Win98_74.cab which exist on the Microsoft CDROM ...

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The differences that matter all occur in PRECOPY2.CAB where most of the INFs have the references to those 7 extra Microsoft files edited out. Whatever driver update files that the OP ran which require Compaq branding, the references will most likely be found within these 22 files that differ between the two CDROMs (Compaq shown ) ...

1999-04-23 ... 17:21 ...... 54,959 ... copy.inf

1999-04-23 ... 17:21 ...... 56,353 ... copy1.inf

1999-04-23 ... 17:21 ...... 50,498 ... copy2.inf

1999-04-23 ... 17:24 ...... 76,410 ... default.sfc

1999-04-23 ... 17:21 ...... 45,747 ... del.inf

1999-04-23 ... 17:21 ...... 35,342 ... del1.inf

1999-04-23 ... 22:22 ...... 40,816 ... ieeula.chm

1999-04-23 ... 22:22 ...... 23,355 ... iesupp.chm

1999-04-23 ... 17:31 ...... 56,006 ... layout.inf

1999-04-23 ... 17:31 ...... 57,187 ... layout1.inf

1999-04-23 ... 17:31 ...... 55,036 ... layout2.inf

1999-04-23 ... 22:22 ...... 26,204 ... lic_help.txt

1999-04-23 ... 22:22 ...... 40,816 ... license.chm

1999-04-23 ... 22:22 ...... 26,204 ... license.txt

1999-04-23 ... 22:22 ...... 23,355 ... mtshelp.chm

1999-04-23 ... 22:22 ...... 23,361 ... setupc.inf

1999-04-23 ... 22:22 ...... 17,997 ... setuppp.inf

1999-04-23 ... 22:22 ..... 745,168 ... setupx.dll

1999-04-23 ... 16:35 ...... 61,528 ... subase.inf

1999-04-23 ... 22:22 ....... 8,116 ... support.txt

1999-04-23 ... 22:22 ...... 57,292 ... webhelp.chm

1999-04-23 ... 16:35 ...... 28,028 ... winver1.inf

The most likely solution for OP will be to obtain a proper full install Compaq version of the Win98se disc and re-install. An alternative method might be somehow converting his official Microsoft full install disc to Compaq branded by obtaining those three files: DOSSETUP.BIN and PRECOPY2.CAB and SETUP.TXT and dropping them into the \Win98 folder and overwriting the originals and then burning the disc again. This would keep FORMAT and the other files in place. Whether this would work I am not sure. Due to the relative lack of information given, I am not sure if his Hard Drive actually has Windows physically in place, which is a requirement for the "update" to work ( it probably on requires one file really ). So this is up in the air. Since this is Win9x you could even skip the burning of the disc and just copy the entire contents to the harddrive in the laptop and running the SETUP from a dos prompt if you can boot to clean DOS.

Personally, here is how I would do this. Pull the HDD out, slave it in another computer ( rigged for 2.5" drives ). If there is any Windows installation still on that HDD I would back it up temporarily, and then format it FAT32 with system ( so it boots ), copy the Win98se Compaq CDROM to the HDD, ( and copy the backed up Windows installation if it existed ). Put it back in the laptop, boot to DOS and then run SETUP from the copied folder. If the transplant of those Compaq files onto a full install CDROM does not work, I would have to Google to find the trick to make it full install.

I believe this is do-able, but might take a few tries. Still better to just find a Compaq full install Win98se on eBay I think. The OP has not given nearly enough information though. Depending on specs there is some chance you might be able to get Win2k working.

P.S. Here are all the disc comparison details ...

;;;;;;;;;;; Audit Differences between Microsoft Win98se and Compaq CDROM ...

Microsoft: 1,095 dir(s) 3,533 file(s) 663,260,856 bytes

Compaq:::: 1,086 dir(s) 3,521 file(s) 661,560,382 bytes

Autorun.inf .... File is identical

Readme.txt ..... File is identical

Setup.exe ...... File is identical

Setuptip.txt ... File is identical

\Add-Ons ....... Folder and SubFolders are identical

\Cdsample ...... Folder and SubFolders are identical

\Drivers ....... Folder and SubFolders are identical EXCEPT *1*

\Tools ......... Folder and SubFolders are identical EXCEPT *2*

\Win98 ......... Differences *3*

\Win98\Ols ..... SubFolders are identical

\Win98\Tour .... SubFolders are identical

*1* one file on Compaq CDROM missing from Microsoft:

\Drivers\Printers\Hp\Djet690c\Disk2\Hpf69r08.gid

*2* two subfolders missing from Compaq CDROM:

\Tools\Admin

\Tools\Nettools

*3* Detailed Differences in \Win98

;------- FILES MISSING from Compaq CDROM ...

\Win98\Format.com

\Win98\Oemsetup.bin

\Win98\Oemsetup.exe

;------- IDENTICAL FILES in Microsoft and Compaq

\Win98\Chl99.cab

\Win98\Deltemp.com

\Win98\Extract.exe

\Win98\Intl.txt

\Win98\Mini.cab

\Win98\Precopy1.cab

\Win98\Save32.com

\Win98\Scandisk.exe

\Win98\Scandisk.pif

\Win98\Scanprog.exe

\Win98\Scanreg.exe

\Win98\Setup.exe

\Win98\Setup0.wav

\Win98\Setup1.wav

\Win98\Setup2.wav

\Win98\Smartdrv.exe

\Win98\Suback.bin

\Win98\Sucatreg.exe

\Win98\Suhelper.bin

\Win98\W98setup.bin

\Win98\Wb16off.exe

\Win98\Win98_ol.cab

\Win98\Xmsmmgr.exe

;------- DIFFERENT FILES in Microsoft and Compaq

\Win98\Base4.cab

\Win98\Base5.cab

\Win98\Base6.cab

\Win98\Catalog3.cab

\Win98\Dossetup.bin

\Win98\Driver11.cab

\Win98\Driver12.cab

\Win98\Driver13.cab

\Win98\Driver14.cab

\Win98\Driver15.cab

\Win98\Driver16.cab

\Win98\Driver17.cab

\Win98\Driver18.cab

\Win98\Driver19.cab

\Win98\Driver20.cab

\Win98\Net10.cab

\Win98\Net7.cab

\Win98\Net8.cab

\Win98\Net9.cab

\Win98\Precopy2.cab

\Win98\Setup.txt

\Win98\Win98_21.cab

\Win98\Win98_22.cab

\Win98\Win98_23.cab

\Win98\Win98_24.cab

\Win98\Win98_25.cab

\Win98\Win98_26.cab

\Win98\Win98_27.cab

\Win98\Win98_28.cab

\Win98\Win98_29.cab

\Win98\Win98_30.cab

\Win98\Win98_31.cab

\Win98\Win98_32.cab

\Win98\Win98_33.cab

\Win98\Win98_34.cab

\Win98\Win98_35.cab

\Win98\Win98_36.cab

\Win98\Win98_37.cab

\Win98\Win98_38.cab

\Win98\Win98_39.cab

\Win98\Win98_40.cab

\Win98\Win98_41.cab

\Win98\Win98_42.cab

\Win98\Win98_43.cab

\Win98\Win98_44.cab

\Win98\Win98_45.cab

\Win98\Win98_46.cab

\Win98\Win98_47.cab

\Win98\Win98_48.cab

\Win98\Win98_49.cab

\Win98\Win98_50.cab

\Win98\Win98_51.cab

\Win98\Win98_52.cab

\Win98\Win98_53.cab

\Win98\Win98_54.cab

\Win98\Win98_55.cab

\Win98\Win98_56.cab

\Win98\Win98_57.cab

\Win98\Win98_58.cab

\Win98\Win98_59.cab

\Win98\Win98_60.cab

\Win98\Win98_61.cab

\Win98\Win98_62.cab

\Win98\Win98_63.cab

\Win98\Win98_64.cab

\Win98\Win98_65.cab

\Win98\Win98_66.cab

\Win98\Win98_67.cab

\Win98\Win98_68.cab

\Win98\Win98_69.cab

\Win98\Win98_70.cab

\Win98\Win98_71.cab

\Win98\Win98_72.cab

\Win98\Win98_73.cab

\Win98\Win98_74.cab

;------- these 7 extra files appear in almost every CAB only on Microsoft CDROM, causing the WINDIFF differences

Dibeng.dll

Gdi32.dll

Iosclass.dll

Krnl386.exe

Ntdll.dll

Systhunk.dll

Vfd.vxd

;------- additionally these 13 extra files appear in Win98_74.cab only on Microsoft CDROM, causing the WINDIFF differences

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;------- These are the different files of consequence needed for Compaq CDROM ...

1999-04-23 ... 17:22 ..... 168,096 ... Dossetup.bin

1999-04-23 ... 17:22 ... 1,351,645 ... Precopy2.cab

1999-04-23 ... 17:22 ...... 37,299 ... Setup.txt

;------- List of 22 different files in PRECOPY2.CAB on Compaq ...

1999-04-23 ... 17:21 ...... 54,959 ... copy.inf

1999-04-23 ... 17:21 ...... 56,353 ... copy1.inf

1999-04-23 ... 17:21 ...... 50,498 ... copy2.inf

1999-04-23 ... 17:24 ...... 76,410 ... default.sfc

1999-04-23 ... 17:21 ...... 45,747 ... del.inf

1999-04-23 ... 17:21 ...... 35,342 ... del1.inf

1999-04-23 ... 22:22 ...... 40,816 ... ieeula.chm

1999-04-23 ... 22:22 ...... 23,355 ... iesupp.chm

1999-04-23 ... 17:31 ...... 56,006 ... layout.inf

1999-04-23 ... 17:31 ...... 57,187 ... layout1.inf

1999-04-23 ... 17:31 ...... 55,036 ... layout2.inf

1999-04-23 ... 22:22 ...... 26,204 ... lic_help.txt

1999-04-23 ... 22:22 ...... 40,816 ... license.chm

1999-04-23 ... 22:22 ...... 26,204 ... license.txt

1999-04-23 ... 22:22 ...... 23,355 ... mtshelp.chm

1999-04-23 ... 22:22 ...... 23,361 ... setupc.inf

1999-04-23 ... 22:22 ...... 17,997 ... setuppp.inf

1999-04-23 ... 22:22 ..... 745,168 ... setupx.dll

1999-04-23 ... 16:35 ...... 61,528 ... subase.inf

1999-04-23 ... 22:22 ....... 8,116 ... support.txt

1999-04-23 ... 22:22 ...... 57,292 ... webhelp.chm

1999-04-23 ... 16:35 ...... 28,028 ... winver1.inf

; Most of those INFs have the references to those 7 extra Microsoft files edited out

;------- SUMMARY: drop these three files into \Win98 and overwrite originals and reburn disc

Dossetup.bin

Precopy2.cab

Setup.txt

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Details about that computer are at the HP website ...

Compaq Presario 1600-XL145 Notebook PC ( at HP website )

- Product Specifications

- Software & Driver Downloads

The Downloads are all still alive and direct ...

Presario Notebooks Via WDM Audio Driver for Windows 98/ME 2001-04-14 , Version:1.11, 8.77M

Presario Notebook PORTCLS.SYS Fix for Audio When PCMCIA Cards Inserted 2001-01-02 , Version:1.0, 329.13k

Presario Notebook WDMAUD.SYS Fix for Audio When PCMCIA Cards Inserted 2001-01-02 , Version:1.0, 293.48k

Presario Notebook Trident Cyberblade Cbi7 Graphic Drivers 2001-02-18 , Version:5495-19A, 14.3M

Presario Notebook Trident Cyberblade Cbi1 Driver for Windows 98/ME 2000-11-27 , Version:5495-72, 11.95M

Compaq Notebooks Synaptics Touchpad Driver 2002-08-28 , Version:570 A, 9.99M

Compaq Notebooks Synaptics Touchpad Driver 2001-04-17 , Version:5.4.0A, 8.5M

Compaq Notebooks Synaptics Touchpad Driver 2001-01-29 , Version:5.0.80 A, 20.79M

Compaq Notebooks Synaptics Touchpad Driver 2000-09-29 , Version:2.39, 1.23M

Presario Notebook Conexant HSF Modem Driver for Windows 98 SE 2001-06-19 , Version:2.14.20B, 3.78M

Presario Notebook USB Ethernet Driver for Port Replicator 2000-11-04 , Version:3.17.0.144, 289.35k

Presario Specific Notebook Models SMSC USB Ethernet Driver 2000-07-18 , Version:3.12.0, 273.58k

Presario Specific Notebook Models DVD Player Software 2001-04-26 , Version:5026.1, 14.65M

Presario 1200/1600/1700/1800/1900 Battery Controller/KBC Firmware Update 2000-08-09 , Version:1.11, 702.09k

Presario 1600 Specific Models System ROM Update 2000-05-05 , Version:F.10 (04/19/00), 368.66k

Presario eService Security Update #2 2001-04-27 , Version:1.0.0.7, 371.17k

Presario Fix for Sleep Timer for Windows 98 SE 2000-12-11 , Version:1.0, 572.4k

Presario Specific Models Windows Recovery Diskette 2000-09-21 , Version:N/A, 791.83k

Presario McAfee VirusScan for Windows 1999-10-01 , Version:4.0.3, 7.89M

Compaq Diagnostics for Windows 2001-09-15 , Version:3.10 A, 4.59M

Are any of those listed downloads the one that you have and require some Compaq branding?

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Seriously find it hard to believe that the Drivers are somehow "branded".

Would it be possible to give us a SPECIFIC "Error Message"?

unfort the compaq drivers check to see if its a windows 98 that came from compaq off their restore cd
Your initial post is really vague.
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Seriously find it hard to believe that the Drivers are somehow "branded".

That's what I thought too.

I downloaded the driver files ( see the direct links above ) and noticed that many of them cannot be easily extracted. They are using a custom installshield wrapper so I am guessing that the dependency is buried in there. They probably seek out a registry value or file location before they extract.

This is not normally the case in my experience. I like to grab all the drivers, extract them, build a folder tree with all the drivers and then copy that tree to a hard drive root before windows setup so that when the installer is looking for drivers I can just aim it at the tree and kind of pre-configure windows to have a set location for the required INFs and system files.

Compaq chose a terrible strategy, one that matches its reputation really. Its no wonder so many people complain about them.

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I have that same model and I don't recall ever having a problem installing from a straight 98se CD (i.e. non Compaq). I am thinking that I downloaded my drivers from Compaq (may of been before the merger). It has been a while since I have installed the OS on any of them (I have more than one, I like the sound system they have), but I don't recall any issues. I'm wondering if maybe the website is serving up the wrong drivers?

If you don't have some luck getting them to work, let me know and maybe we can figure a way to get you copies of my drivers. I will have to look to find them, but I know I have them around here and I'm to tired right now to take the time.

Let me know.

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WinRAR 4.20 can unpack the drivers, at least those I tested, then the Universal Extractor can take care of the cabs.

I guess maybe they added more installshield formats to WinRar 4.x because v3.9x doesn't understand it, nor does anything else like 7zip.

Try this one: Presario Notebook Trident Cyberblade Cbi7 Graphic Drivers 2001-02-18 , Version:5495-19A, 14.3M

If you use UniExtract can you let me know which application it uses to open it? I'm pretty sure I have all the utilities it uses.

Thanks.

P.S. Just getting the files out might still be the easy part. What I want to see are any dependency checks ( or pre-install and post-install actions ) are coded into the wrapper to find what Compaq branding it is looking for. Getting these out of Inno sometimes work ( Disasm.exe CompiledCode.bin ) but most of the others like installshield, NSIS, Indigo are lost in the extraction. This is one of the gripes I always had about setup programs, their native ability to process secretly with no real way to see the detailed script.

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That's what Murphy's Law is all about. I was able to unpack both installers I tried (just two of them)... But the one above resists the WinRAR 4.20 / UE strategy I used with those others. It seems you're right: it says it's a "Compaq Builder Generated Installation Executable", and seems to be a customized InstallShield. It'd be necessary to run them through a debugger to get them to brute-force unpack case-by-case... And that's more work than I can do right now. Sorry for raising unwarranted hopes. :blushing:

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