[C] From: "Ulrich Hansen" 
Subject: Re: diagnostic partition utilities
Date: Sat, 8 Sep 2001 15:46:28 +0200

You once wrote, you don't have the pcmcia-floppy-drive. So dont bother
yourself with trying to install a diagnostics partition on your aero:
It is NOT POSSIBLE without a floppy.

This is because the Diagnostics-Setup (SP 2054)
recommends a clean, unformatted  harddisk to install itself onto. There
aren't ANY PARTITIONS allowed on it, otherwise you get the message "there 
is not enough space for the diagnostics partition".

The Aeros BIOS doesn't allow booting from any other device than floppy or
hdd so even a pcmcia-cd-drive won't work.

But with win 3.1 there is the compaq setup software for windows you may
install instead - with it you can change the setup settings from windows.
It's softpack SP 0891. Also the Win 3.1 Supplemental Software SP 1585 and 
SP 2041 may help. The 2041 was developped for the armada but worked fine 
on mine.

Greetings from Mainz, Germany
Uli

[C] From: Steve Taylor
Subject: Re: Aero Diagnostic/Setup Partition
Date: 11 Jun 2000 17:24:23 -0400

Its in one of the softpaqs - apparently SP2054. I suggest you
try the helpful site:-
http://www.stud.uni-karlsruhe.de/~ukgh/aero/aero.htm

Personally, I now prefer to keep the diagnostic stuff on a 
floppy.

Re-loading an O/S is much easier if you can first copy the 
source CD content onto the hard disk. Winlink is good for this
but another option is to format the HD in a desktop. You can
even go one step futher and install the O/S before you move the
drive. I did this to get W98SE on my Aero, transferring the HD
after first removing all the non-generic entries in Control 
Panel "System" e.g HD drivers specific to the desktop's
motherboard. Windows will find the required drivers when you
next start it up in the new systems (Aero).  I only did this so
that I could use the little Aero as a "server" to extend access
to my dial-up Internet connection to other PCs on my home LAN
which is a feature of W98SE. 33MHz is all you need.

Frankly, without a floppy I suspect you may be stuffed.

Steve

Paul Hill wrote:

> My Aero hard drive crashed and I need to install a new drive. Where can I
> get the diagnostic partition?  Also, need aero floppy drive - borrow, rent,
> purchase.
>
> Paul


[C] From: John David Steffes <steffes@web.cc.cst.cmich.edu>
Subject: Recreating the Aero Diagnostics Partition
Date: Tue, 17 Jun 1997 17:37:40 -0400

on June 17, 1997 Suha Senol <hsenol@netas.com.tr> wrote:
> I recently downloaded the SP2054 (Diagnostics and Setup for Aero).
> When I ask the utility to 'create diagnostics partition' it fails
> complaining about requiring 2Megs of space at the beginning of harddisk
> and some other stuff about partition. I know the faq says this creation
> process can only be done with removing windows partition and then
> replacing it but no clues to how to do it.

To install the diag partition you MUST fdisk the partition and remove
all previous partitions. NOT even partition magic works... JDS

[C] Date: Tue, 15 Apr 1997 20:01:55 +0200
From: Martin Ziessler <khafendo@aixterm1.urz.uni-heidelberg.de>
Subject: Diagnostics Partition Upgrade

I just upgraded the Diagnostics partition and thought that, since the
information in the FAQ is a little sparse, I'd let people know how it works.

1.  For Windows users, Compaq provides two kinds of diagnostics utilities.
One is Compaq Diagnostics for Windows.  The latest version I found is
version 1.12, revision D.  It can be obtained from the Compaq FTP server as
SP2640.  Installation is no problem.  In Win 95, a shortcut to Diagnostics
is placed in a directory/folder for Compaq Utilities.

The other kind of diagnostics runs at the OS level (more precisely, it
doesn't depend on a specific platform, because it brings its own MS DOS),
either from floppy disk or from the diagnostics partition on the harddisk.
This is what I just upgraded, and in the process, I ran into a problem or
two.  That's what the following is about.

2.  The Compaq web page (<http://compaq.emea.net/support/files/index.html>,
then select Portables, then Microsoft Windows 95, then Contura Aero, then
Contura Aero 4/33C) points in two different directions for the upgrade.
One is PC Diagnostics/Test, or SP2373, listed under ROMPaqs and System
Software.  The other is Computer Setup and Diagnostics for Portables, or
SP2054, listed under Utilities.

3.  The right one is SP2054.  Strangely, this is a more current release
(dated 11/6/96) than SP2373, which is dated 9/27/96).

SP2054 creates two floppies, one with the latest Computer Setup for
Portables, version 1.12 B, the other with the latest Personal Computer
Diagnostics, which includes the TEST, INSPECT, and RemotePAQ utilities, and
is version 10.11, revision C.  Both disks are needed to upgrade the
Diagnostics partition.

By contrast, SP2373 unfolds into only one disk, the Diagnostics disk, and
this is only revision B of version 10.11.  It doesn't make much sense to me
to download this, since the second disk, the Setup disk, is still needed,
but not included.

It took me a while to figure this out because one of the disk images I
created from SP2054 was corrupt and so I got confused by Compaq
instructions on the Diagnostics disks from SP2054 which can be read to
indicate that this Diagnostics disk from SP2054 wouldn't work with the
Aero.  But it does.

4.  The disks can be used for Setup or Diagnostics when booting from the
floppy.  That should come in handy after a harddisk crash, which I expect
to occur pretty soon on my Aero with the original 250 MB disk.  The disks
can be used to install the Diagnostics partition from scratch or to update
it.  Also, disks can be created from the Diagnostics partition.

Hope this is useful.

Cheers,
Martin

[C] From: John David Steffes <34lz5ap@cmuvm.csv.cmich.edu>
Subject: RE: Info for novices re Something old, something new...
Date: Sat, 7 Dec 1996 23:05:27 -0500

        The Portable Setup disc V1.11g and the Portable Diagnostic V10..11b
are the two setup disc's. If you wish to have them installed on your drive
you must first unfdisk all partitions and then install the diagnostic
partition then reinstall you old Win95/Win3.1/Linux/Free-BSD/Solaris ...
partitions and there you go. Other wise you can boot from the floppy's or 
install the Portable Supplement For Win3.1/Win95 (no Supplement for
DOS/Linux/Free-BSD/Solaris) which let you do the same except. I have
noticed the Portable Setup v1.11g talks to the bios about HD but once you
install your HD that should no longer be a problem. JDS

[C]

SP2054.EXE

SP2039.EXE  -- 1166 K -- (02 August 96)
     Portable Computer SETUP for Windows 3.1 ver:  3.10    Rev A. 
     (intended for the Armada)

SP2037.EXE  -- 1030 K -- (01 August 96)
     Computer SETUP for Portables  ver. 1.11  Rev. G

SP1363.EXE -- 704 K -- (11 October 95) 
     Compaq Personal Computer Diagnostics/SETUP, Version 10.06 Rev E P/N 
     196328-409 SUPERSEDES: SP1245 Use with:Deskpro/M Family, Deskpro/i 
     Family, Deskpro XE Family Deskpro XL Family, Presario Family, ProLinea 
     Family Contura, Contura Aero, and Contura 400 Families LTE Lite, LTE 
     Elite, and LTE 5000 Families, Portable 486/486c One (1) formatted 1.44 
     MB floppy is required to continue with the operation of this softpaq. 
     Please view the SP1363.DOC contained on the diskette built from this 
     softpaq for installation instructions.

SP1364.EXE -- 1262 K -- (11 October 95) 
     Compaq Personal Computer Diagnostics/TEST, Version 10.06 Rev E P/N 
     196327-409 SUPERSEDES: SP1244 Use with:Deskpro/M Family, Deskpro/i 
     Family, Deskpro XE Family Deskpro XL Family, Presario Family, ProLinea 
     Family Contura, Contura Aero, and Contura 400 Families LTE Lite, LTE 
     Elite, and LTE 5000 Families, Portable 486/486c One (1) formatted 1.44 
     MB floppy is required to continue with the operation of this softpaq. 
     Please view the SP1364.DOC contained on the diskette built from this 
     softpaq for installation instructions.

sp1150.exe -- 681 K -- (01 March 95)
     Compaq PC Diagnostics/SETUP Version P10.03 Rev A. P/n 196328-402 For Use
     with: Deskpro/M Family, Deskpro/i Family, Deskpro XE Family, Deskpro XL
     Family, Presario Family, ProLinea Family, Contura Family, Contura Aero
     Family, Contura 400 Family, LTE Lite Family, LTE Elite, Portable 486,
     Portable 486c

sp1149.exe -- 1252 K -- (01 March 95)
     Compaq PC Diagnostics Version P10.03 Rev A. P/n 196327-402 For Use with:
     Deskpro/M Family, Deskpro/i Family, Deskpro XE Family, Deskpro XL Family,
     Presario Family, ProLinea Family, Contura Family, Contura Aero Family,
     Contura 400 Family, LTE Lite Family, LTE Elite, Portable 486, Portable
     486c