Dan,

There are a lot of things you have left out of the scenario here.  How much
RAM, what brand and speed of processor, what hard drive, etc.

In order to install the Compaq diagnostic partition you need to run Fdisk on
the drive but do not create any partitions (either primary or logical).  You
then run the setup on the Softpaq disks, then proceed to Fdisk into
partitions and install (being careful not to delete the non-dos partition
that Compaq so conveniently stuck on the front of your drive).

I would say the 16% issue might have something to do with drivers that are
trying to load.  I did a little poking around on the Compaq web site and
according to them you should do an upgrade to 98 from 95.  They don't say
anything about it not workingwhen you do a fresh install, but that may be a
possible solution.

Hope this helps.

Kyle Elmblade
Distinct Computer Solutions
[log in to unmask]

From: "Dan Davis (Computer Connection)" <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Thursday, March 15, 2001 11:23 AM
Subject: [PCBUILD] Win 98 Upgrade on Compaq Presario 4112


I'm a builder of PC's and therefore do not attempt many repairs on machines
other than my own.  However, a friend has lured me into trying to upgrade a
Compaq Presario 4112.

The machine has a Non-Dos partition on it.  I assume this is reserved for
Compaq's BIOS.  The other partition is the Primary Dos.

I have downloaded every SoftPaq and Driver from Compaq's web site for this
machine.

Scenario 1 - I reformatted the Primary Dos Partition and attempted the Win
98 install.  Everything went okay until I reached 16% remaining of the Win
98 install.  (This is after the windows driver database has initialized and
hardware is about to be detected and installed.)  The machine stops.
Re-booting doesn't help.  The machine continually freezes at 16% remaining
in the Win 98 install.

Scneario 2 - I booted up with a Win 98 start-up diskette.  Using the FDISK
command I deleted all partitions on the hard drive, rebooted, and (using the
FDISK command) created one Primary Dos partition.  The install went as
before - okay until it locked up with 16% remaining.

Scenario 3 - I substituted another hard drive that I know is good and
repeated the steps in Scenario 2.  The same thing happened.

Is this a Compaq issue or a hardware issue?

Please Advise!

Dan Davis

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