Several Questions about an old Compaq...

[Deleted member 1898488]

Hello, I have several questions about a Compaq Presario 3550. There is next to nothing about this model on the internets.

1.Is there a bios update avalible? (soecifically one that adds int13h extensions support, but any version later than cs3str16 or something like that)

2. [strike]while the bios does not (currently) support int13h extensions, therefore limited to 8gb hard drives, after foramatting a second partition past this limit in another computer that does, the bios still thinks that it is 8gb, of course, windows 98 seems to be able to see and use the extra 32gb that i formatted. i haven't used data past 8 gb but i will fill it past that and see if there is corruption. Do you think there will be corruption?[/strike] Solved: yes just weird implementation of int13h

3. [strike]I have sucessfully have installed double the max ram in this rig. (512MB instead of 256mb) the chipset (810--not E) does support 512mb, so this isnt crazy. the bios and windows take the extra ram just fine but there seems to be a very small chance that one stick of ram (256mb) will not be sensed by the bios or windows until reboot. ( like 5% chance) What's going on?
[/strike] Solved: Loose Ram
4. ctechinfo.net/documentation/Presario/upgradepath.html states that i could upgrade from a 500 mhz celeron to a 533 mhz celeron. could i go further? ive heard that with this chipset people have gotten various PIII's and 1.4ghz tualatin celerons to work. (the tualatins with an adapter of course, its a coppermine socket)

5. i really should get a new, perhaps better psu, but this seems to be a proprietary design. any clue what form factor this is?

Thank you all!

If you need more info just ask.

 

[Susquehannock]

If memory serves, the board in that PC is based around the Intel 810 chipset. Use that as a search parameter for BIOS, chipset drivers, and info.

Could be the RAM has to be a specific type - single or double sided to run stable with 512mb. Also try to find out what board revision you have as later ones are more likely to be compatible with faster CPUs. Hope that helps.

 

[Deleted member 1898488]

Yes I t had to be double sided low density RAM.

I will find out what revision the board is.

 

[Deleted member 1898488]

i wasn't able to find much (seems to be a rare breed), but here's several pictures of chips and writing on the board.

https://goo.gl/photos/vFddufgLbFqZzsHPA

Also, what's that not-soldered-on WOLCONN connector in the picture with the RTC battery?
while i had it open i reseated the ram. that problem is solved.
The silly people at compaq seem to have only partially enabled int13h extensions. my presario 1260 laptop bios also only sees a 8455mb drive, but differently windows can see all of it. and yes the 3550 does at least have limited >8gb hard drive support, as i think it came with a 14gb disk.

 

[ex_bubblehead]

i wasn't able to find much (seems to be a rare breed), but here's several pictures of chips and writing on the board.

https://goo.gl/photos/vFddufgLbFqZzsHPA

Also, what's that not-soldered-on WOLCONN connector in the picture with the RTC battery?

WOL = Wake On LAN, which on this motherboard is obviously not implemented (note the missing components just to the right of where the connector pins would be).

The silly people at compaq seem to have only partially enabled int13h extensions. my presario 1260 laptop bios also only sees a 8455mb drive, but differently windows can see all of it. and yes the 3550 does at least have limited >8gb hard drive support, as i think it came with a 14gb disk.

Highly doubtful you'll ever find any sort of update for the BIOS on that dinosaur. Windows dispenses with the BIOS once the kernel initializes so don't worry about it. Just make sure that your boot partition fits entirely within the first 1024 cylinders.

 

[Deleted member 1898488]

yes boot partition is first 8gb, 1024 cylinders, some number of heads and so on. I have proved that i can have more than 8gb of data without corruption as well. It does seem to support wake on lan with my add in card. i have seen WOL devices that need that connector, though.

two questions solved, 3 to go. (probably not solving the first one)

Thank you all.