Re: [SLE] Dell/Compaq Hidden Partitions

From: Ted Harding (Ted.Harding_at_nessie.mcc.ac.uk)
Date: 10/03/04

  • Next message: Maura Edelweiss Monville: "Re: [SLE] spyware" 
    Date: Sun, 03 Oct 2004 10:43:43 +0100 (BST)
To: suse-linux-e@suse.com

    On 02-Oct-04 Fred Miller wrote:
    > On Saturday October 2 2004 4:50 pm, Donald D Henson wrote:
    >> I'm not sure if this is the right place to ask this but I
    >> don't seem to be able to get a clear answer from the other
    >> lists I have tried, lists to remain nameless.
    >>
    >> I want to repartition a hard drive to make room for Linux
    >> partitions in a dual-boot configuration. I tried using
    >> Partition Magic but it reports a non-standard partition and
    >> exits without making any changes. I have discovered that both
    >> Dell and Compaq create non-standard hidden partitions on their
    >> hard drives, the reason apparently open to debate.
    >> Does anyone know how to get around this non-standard partition?
    >> I'd appreciate any assistance here.
    >
    > Those partitians are used for data to "restore" your MickySoft
    > system to exactly what it was when the box was shipped. This,
    > PROVIDING you haven't changed the config. of that drive. IF you've
    > changed the original config. of the drive, then it won't restore.
    > OEMS do this because they only furnish a LIMITED OS from MickySoft -
    > NOT the full copy. It's best to just blow away all MickySoft,
    > replace with SUSE and be done with it.
    >
    > Fred

    What Fred says may be true in itself (I don't know), but it may not
    be the full story.

    I bought a Compaq Armada secondhand (from a re-seller who had wiped
    the original corprate owner's stuff clean off the disk and installed
    Windows), and lacking the printed manual I downloaded one from the web.

    It appears that Compaq at least (I don't know about Dell) have a
    hidden partition on the drive on which is stored their proprietary
    BIOS setup and diagnostic software. This can be accessed during
    the BIOS phase of boot-up by pressing F10 "when the blinking cursor
    appears in the upper-right corner of the screen" according to the
    reference manual.

    On the machine I had purchased, this didn't work and it seemed that
    there was no such partition. Fortunately there was also a ZIP file
    of the BIOS setup/diagnostics setup software downloadable from the
    Conmpaq site. Once unzipped, this fits onto a bootable floppy from
    which you can run it. You also have the option to re-install it from
    the floppy onto the hard drive (which I declined since I already
    had Linux up and running by now).

    So that's my theory about hidden partitions on Conpaq drives. There
    should certainly be one for Compaq's BIOS software, though you can
    manage without it. There might also be one for restoring Windows
    as Fred describes, but I'd advise people with Donald Henson's
    query in mind not to assume that it's the only one, and "blow it
    away" -- you may deprive yourself of the BIOS setup stuff.

    If you have an Armada 1750, I don't know if it's still possible to
    download the ZIP file any more. Maybe if someone is stuck for this
    they could drop me a private email and I could send it as an
    attachment if you're desperate:
    it's a 1664924 byte file and it includes compaq-bios.img which
    is a 1474560-byte floppy image.

    Best wishes to all,
    Ted.

    --------------------------------------------------------------------
    E-Mail: (Ted Harding) <Ted.Harding@nessie.mcc.ac.uk>
    Fax-to-email: +44 (0)870 094 0861 [NB: New number!]
    Date: 03-Oct-04 Time: 10:43:43
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