Ricoh MP9120A & Compaq Problems

[Guest]

This concerns a Ricoh MP9120A and a new Compaq DPEN:
Placed this drive into system as master to a zip drive. BIOS would not recognize Ricoh drive. But the OS, Windows ME, Windows 98SE, Windows 2000 WILL see the drive (have tried them all now), even a DOS boot disk with generic drivers WILL initialize the drive. Mind you, the BIOS doesn't see the RICOH, but does the other drive. However, my HDD activity on my system stays on and Windows is VERY slow...system hard drive is basically dead. I have tried two other known good CDROM drives and I get the same result. With the Ricoh drive stand alone, system still does not recognize drive. BIOS is generic, I cannot manually configure my IDE devices. Long story short - I have tried EVERY POSSIBLE CONFIGURATION, slave, master, stand alone, both IDE channels, tried 5 different cables, have covered EVERYTHING, I always get the same result. Here is two more kickers...The Ricoh drive is fine in two other systems, one is my old system with a VIA MVP3 chipset, and another with SIS630 chipset. BIOS recognizes the drive, system acts fine, can burn, rewrite, and watch DVDs. Secondly, I work for a VAR so I took the drive into work and placed it into an identical system...no luck, placed it into another system with the same motherboard, no luck. The chipsets of these boards is Intel 815E. I have narrowed it down to either the chipset or the motherboard itself...an incompatibility problem. Problem is I cant get ahold of another board with an Intel 815E chipset, so I can't narrow it down any further. If anyone can help me solve this problem it would be great. I have been talking to both Compaq and Ricoh, after they got the message that I new what I was doing, they have been more helpful, but still can't tackle this for me. If anyone has any suggestions let me know please, or if you have this Ricoh drive and an 815E board would be great info also. Thanks!

 

[Guest]

My suggestion is. Stay away from Compaq. Regardless its not a problem with the chipset. Its who wrote the BIOS and the motherboard manufactor. If compaq will tell you who manufactors there motherboards for them you'll have better luck speaking with them. Compaq doesn't make anything. That just have the manufactor make a couple cosmetic changes. Slap there name on it, and throw it in a case and call it a computer made by compaq.

 

[hippo]

Try to get hold of a bios upgrade from www3.compaq.com/support/files/
If they don't have one, I guess you'll be out of look. Scrap the Motherboard or sell the Ricoh

 

[Raistlin]

my advice call 1-800 compaq and bitch like heck till someone tells you something besides quickrestore it
they want you off phone in under 5min so if you hang on phone they will eventually do almost anything to help you.
also i will predict them telling you to quickrestore the system and call them back after about 6.5min

Bored Certified Tech

 

[Guest]

Update to my original post:
I did get ahold of some other 815E motherboards, an HP, IBM, and a Dell. All in new boxes. Didn't have a problem. Ricoh informed me finally that thier drives do have problems with Compaq BIOS'es but have been fixed in the past with BIOS updates from Compaq. My system is up to date BTW. Talked to Compaq again last week, they escalated the case to "Customer Relations". Since then two things have happened: 1- I went out and bought a promise IDE controller card and attached only the Ricoh drive...since then, the drive has worked superbly! DVD - great, CDR and CDRW - flawless. The Justlink technology works wonders when paired with an app that supports it (Nero). The second thing - Compaq called me back today and asked me to send them the Ricoh drive so they can work on the problem....hmmm. I don't have a prob right now other than I am out 40 bucks for the IDE card, and I can order another Ricoh drive through work for Compaq to use...so I am going to do just that. Maybe they can resolve it before 30 days is up and I can get my $40 back for the IDE card. I am going to complain a little about having to give them "my" drive for them to play around with though. I would figure that they could cough up $300 to buy a drive to fix one of what seems to be thier problems.
So for now, all is well, will keep this message updated for those whom may want to hear the final outcome.
THX for the past replies!