ok guys i need help...

[XPerties]

Nope, setting them to cable select was not the answer. Like I said different drives are touchy in different ways. Cable select is not always the answer.

Regards, XPerties

[Guest LouCypher]

Cable select is some crap they came up that only ever worked in Compaqs, and even then only with the drives those pieces of sh*t came with.

[LS_Dragons]

Actually Lou, I have 3 Compaq systems in my house and all came equipped with IBM Deskstar drives standard (I consider IBM drives to be the best of the best). I have added additional drives to each system and based on the original equipment jumpers being set to cable-select, that is how I set the new drives. The new drives were a combination of western digital and seagate models. Cable select work perfectly with them. Of course - I replaced the original equipment ide cables with top of the line 2 connector cables - which may have been a help. I do think you mis-speak when you classify Compaq equipment as pieces of sh*t. I have been extremely satisfied with the combination Deskpro and Prosignia systems I own. I might agree with you regarding Compaq's consumer products - Presario. I find that they spend a lot less achieving quality on that line of equipment than on the commercial brand and it shows.

[XPerties]

Well I call anything a piece of s*** that doesnt let you change your way of computing. all those pre-built computers suck! You have no control over your bios never less come with crappy MB, and hard drives. Yes IBM are good but what are the models. If you were to check the models out you would see there low end models. There has not nor ever will be a compaq computer built with top high quilty hardware, This also applies to HP, SONYO, and anything you can buy at any computer electronic store. You want a computer that will blow your mind or allow you to really get in control. Spend a little time researching hardware and one day call up a computer store and read everything off from a list that you have. hahaha....Youll get a response like "we dont deal or carry stuff like that, but we have a good ata 66 drive"!:eek:

-XPerties

[Guest LouCypher]

Actually Lou, I have 3 Compaq systems in my house and all came equipped with IBM Deskstar drives standard (I consider IBM drives to be the best of the best). I have added additional drives to each system and based on the original equipment jumpers being set to cable-select, that is how I set the new drives. The new drives were a combination of western digital and seagate models. Cable select work perfectly with them. Of course - I replaced the original equipment ide cables with top of the line 2 connector cables - which may have been a help. I do think you mis-speak when you classify Compaq equipment as pieces of sh*t. I have been extremely satisfied with the combination Deskpro and Prosignia systems I own. I might agree with you regarding Compaq's consumer products - Presario. I find that they spend a lot less achieving quality on that line of equipment than on the commercial brand and it shows. [/quote:8da7c1fcba]

Speaking from the experience of having to repair and upgrade computers, I'd call a Compaq a piece of sh*t. I'd also put in that same category Packard Bell, Dell, eMachine, and Gateway.

My big beefs with Compaq:

1. They put the BIOS on the HD, which is just stupid because it forces your primary HD to be one that the M/B BIOS will recognize. If you want to add a larger HD you have to make it slave.

2. They use torx screws for everything instead of standard phillip's head screws.

3. They use rails in their system to secure the drives instead of just sliding them directly in the case and screwing them in.

4. Cable select doesn't work with everything, and most Compaqs *I* worked on all required the drives to be set for cable select and nothing else.

And my beef with all of them is the proprietary sh*t they put in their systems. Modem/sound card combos, non-ATX motherboards, ISA/PCI backplanes, motherboard graphics adapters, non standard power supplies, the elimination of "legacy" ports, etc., etc.

I would much rather build my own system ANY day than take a supposed equivalent Compaq, Dell, eMachine, Gateway, or Packard Bell. At least I know if *I* build my system then I can swap the motherboard/CPU in a year and run 4x faster, or if the power supply dies it's easy to find a replacement. You don't get that with any of those, they are computers designed to be LEASED and not BOUGHT, which is why the large corporations LEASE them so cheap, then when they start to become obsolete they send them back for refurbishing.

That all being said, LS_Dragons, I have two Compaqs of my own, an Armada 7800 laptop and a DeskPro 4000S workstation. Not bad for wht they were built for but they ain't sh*t for upgrading. My other system is homebuilt and I couldn't tell you how many times I've upgraded it.

[FthrJACK]

ive got a packard bell, and i agree with you Lou, ill never buy one again, ill always build from now on, after all, i can make myself a system thats faster and beter than anything in the shops, and it would only cost about half the price of most of the "top of the range" models in the local Staples or Currys store etc.

i cant install an AGP card in my AGP mobo :wail: its AGP, but theres no slot, so, until i finish building the new comp (which will be ages as xmas is soon here) im stuck using a crap on board card.

One of the main problems folks have with installing XP is that their obscure modems dont work, thats because companies like Compaq and packard bell almost always install some crappy AMR slot pile of s***e, first thing i pulled out of my machine was the AMR modem, and then turned the other half of it of in the BIOS.

Take a look at Aaron.. he bought his new Pc ready built and a few weeks later the NIC card fried itself... ill always build my own then i know for sure that whats in it is what i asked for and not cheap s*** or even ( as in my AGP slot case ) not even there when you asked for it...

[MrSin]

OK, I saw the problem, 2 disks (100G and 20G) and only one recognized. I see that the problem was resolved but I do not see what resolved it? Did I miss it??

OK - I just didn't read far enough into the thread, my bad :grump. It was the jumpers !

Thanks!

MrSin...[/color:9445199c9a]