Problems with 2.5" laptop drive

[Hupjack]

So I bought a fancy little USB 2.0 + Firewire case in which to put one of my
two 2.5" drives I've got lying around.

I wanted to format one of the drives and do a surface scan. Since this
drive was given to me by somebody who thought it was dead, I wanted to
verify that it was, in fact, all good.

I also have one of those 44 to 40 pin IDE adapters
http://www.cablesonline.net/25hdmounkitw.html
This time it was just as easy to use that IDE adapter than to use my
external case.. Plus I don't have any USB 2.0 ports, so I would have been
formatting a 12GB drive pretty slowly over USB 1.1. Would the formatting
end up identical whether done with the drive connected over USB or directly
through the IDE adapter?

After connecting up the laptop drive to an older Compaq deskpro with the IDE
adapter, not only did the computer not boot, but after disconnecting the
adapter and rebooting the Compaq, I now get "1782 disk controller failure".

I'm assuming I just killed the IDE controller on the Compaq system board,
the other possibility being that I toasted the SCSI adapter through which
the primary HD is connected in that computer. I get the error regardless of
whether there is something connected to the IDE bus or not. I connected
that drive and adapter with pin one properly oriented, but I get the feeling
the silk screening I'm following is just plain wrong. Or I'm plain dumb.

Is there any way of resurrecting this board with the "1782 disk controller
failure"? Is this board doomed even though my HD is connected through the
SCSI adapter?

I'm rather hesitant to try connecting this disk and adapter up directly to
any more IDE chains. Can anybody direct me so I don't fry anything this
time?

The drive is still good. At least My XP machine detects it and mounts it
beautifully when it's in the external case plugged into the USB 1.1 port.
One thing I noticed, which I didn't like, is that after stopping the HD for
safe removal in XP, it doesn't spin down the drive. When I plugged the
drive via firewire into our Apple G4, when you unmout the drive (which I
assume is the same idea as "safe removal" in XP) it actually spun down the
drive. In that case disconnecting the USB cable just kills the cases power
LED rather than spinning down the drive.

Advice and wisdom much appreciated
-Ethan

 

[Rod Speed]

So I bought a fancy little USB 2.0 + Firewire case in which
to put one of my two 2.5" drives I've got lying around.

I wanted to format one of the drives and do a surface scan.
Since this drive was given to me by somebody who thought
it was dead, I wanted to verify that it was, in fact, all good.

I also have one of those 44 to 40 pin IDE adapters
http://www.cablesonline.net/25hdmounkitw.html

This time it was just as easy to use that IDE adapter than to use
my external case.. Plus I don't have any USB 2.0 ports, so I would
have been formatting a 12GB drive pretty slowly over USB 1.1.

The surface scan in spades.

Would the formatting end up identical whether done with the
drive connected over USB or directly through the IDE adapter?

Normally, yes. You can get a different result depending on what
is done about the drive type entry both in the PC and by the
bridge in the external case tho and what is used to format it.

That whole area is a considerable mess, particularly with the stuff
that trys playing silly buggers as part of the process of formatting.
Most of those wont even be able to see the external drive tho.

After connecting up the laptop drive to an older Compaq
deskpro with the IDE adapter, not only did the computer
not boot, but after disconnecting the adapter and rebooting
the Compaq, I now get "1782 disk controller failure".

I'm assuming I just killed the IDE controller on the Compaq system board,
Unlikely.

the other possibility being that I toasted the SCSI adapter
through which the primary HD is connected in that computer.

You'd have to be a considerable butcher to have toasted anything.

I get the error regardless of whether there is
something connected to the IDE bus or not.

What happens if you remove the SCSI HA too ?

I connected that drive and adapter with pin one
properly oriented, but I get the feeling the silk
screening I'm following is just plain wrong.

You should be able to check that using
the drive manufacture's manual.

Or I'm plain dumb.

Is there any way of resurrecting this board
with the "1782 disk controller failure"?

Which specific Compaq ? Their manuals are pretty good on
what FRUs are what have failed for specific error messages.

Is this board doomed even though my HD
is connected through the SCSI adapter?

See above.

I'm rather hesitant to try connecting this disk
and adapter up directly to any more IDE chains.

Have you ever used it successfully ?

Can anybody direct me so I don't fry anything this time?

Are you capable of using a multimeter and checking the adapter
with it ? The pinout on either side of it is readily available.

 

[Psi-Tau Paladin]

adapter and rebooting the Compaq, I now get "1782 disk controller failure".

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;232819

 

[Hupjack]

The Compaq I'm dealing with is a Deskpro 6000, it's a Pentium pro 200 MHz.
I think this http://www.jumpers.150m.com/m/txt/34383.txt is accurate.
after yanking the SCSI card the system still posted the controller failure

The closest I could find on Compaq's website was this deskpro manual and it
really doesn't appear to apply to my system board.
ftp://ftp.compaq.com/pub/supportinformation/techpubs/user_reference_guides/122838-002.pdf

I wanted to try clearing cmos, but as best I can tell, the CMOS Battery is
spot welded to it's contacts. Which seams utterly preposterous. The pdf
makes reference to some jumpers for clearing CMOS, but it also mentions some
button to push for 5 seconds to clear CMOS, and neither of those are on this
board.

Any more thoughts? How the F do I clear CMOS on this beast.
I know it has a weird scheme where instead of a flash bios there is a
partition at the begining of the primary HD.

 

[Hupjack]

adapter and rebooting the Compaq, I now get "1782 disk controller
failure".

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;232819

thanks for the info, but this system is running win 98 and it posts this
error from a cold boot.

 

[Frank le Spikkin]

The Compaq I'm dealing with is a Deskpro 6000, it's a Pentium
pro 200 MHz. I think this
http://www.jumpers.150m.com/m/txt/34383.txt is accurate. after
yanking the SCSI card the system still posted the controller
failure

The closest I could find on Compaq's website was this deskpro
manual and it really doesn't appear to apply to my system board.
ftp://ftp.compaq.com/pub/supportinformation/techpubs/user_referen
ce_guides/122838-002.pdf

I wanted to try clearing cmos, but as best I can tell, the CMOS
Battery is spot welded to it's contacts. Which seams utterly
preposterous. The pdf makes reference to some jumpers for
clearing CMOS, but it also mentions some button to push for 5
seconds to clear CMOS, and neither of those are on this board.

Any more thoughts? How the F do I clear CMOS on this beast.
I know it has a weird scheme where instead of a flash bios there
is a partition at the begining of the primary HD.

On the HP web site I found these manuals that may apply:
http://tinyurl.com/3e8ah

 

[Rod Speed]

The Compaq I'm dealing with is a Deskpro 6000, it's a Pentium pro 200 MHz.
I think this http://www.jumpers.150m.com/m/txt/34383.txt is accurate.
after yanking the SCSI card the system still posted the controller failure

The closest I could find on Compaq's website was this deskpro
manual and it really doesn't appear to apply to my system board.
ftp://ftp.compaq.com/pub/supportinformation/techpubs/user_reference_guides/122838-002.pdf

Yeah, thats rather too generic Compaq
This looks better http://tinyurl.com/2ryd9 for the jumpers


For that error message best is http://tinyurl.com/3359w which says
POST Error Messages Continued

Screen Message Beeps* Probable Cause Recommended Action

1782-Disk Controller Failure None Hard drive circuitry error.

1. Run Computer Setup (F10 Setup).

2. Clear CMOS.

3. Check cable seating /jumper settings.

4. Run hard drive diagnostics.

5. Disconnect additional drives.

6. Run the Drive Protection System test if available.

7. Check www.compaq.com\suport\techpubs\customer_advisories

for possible changes when using Windows NT4.0 Service Pack 4.

8. Replace the hard drive.

9. Replace the system board.


Looks likely you just scrambled the cmos
somehow and clearing that should fix it.

I wanted to try clearing cmos, but as best I can tell, the CMOS Battery
is spot welded to it's contacts. Which seams utterly preposterous.

Its more likely that those spot welded contacts are soldered
onto the motherboard with a motherboard of that vintage.

The pdf makes reference to some jumpers for clearing CMOS,
but it also mentions some button to push for 5 seconds to clear
CMOS, and neither of those are on this board.

Any more thoughts? How the F do I clear CMOS on this beast.

Does http://tinyurl.com/2ryd9 match the physical motherboard ?

I know it has a weird scheme where instead of a flash bios
there is a partition at the begining of the primary HD.

Yeah, thats pretty common with Compaqs of that era.

 

[Eric Gisin]

So I bought a fancy little USB 2.0 + Firewire case in which to put one of my
two 2.5" drives I've got lying around.

I wanted to format one of the drives and do a surface scan. Since this
drive was given to me by somebody who thought it was dead, I wanted to
verify that it was, in fact, all good.

I also have one of those 44 to 40 pin IDE adapters
http://www.cablesonline.net/25hdmounkitw.html
This time it was just as easy to use that IDE adapter than to use my
external case.. Plus I don't have any USB 2.0 ports, so I would have been
formatting a 12GB drive pretty slowly over USB 1.1. Would the formatting
end up identical whether done with the drive connected over USB or directly
through the IDE adapter?

Different geometry would affect bootability, or readability under DOS.

There is no data transfer during most of a format, it is simply the verify
sectors command.

After connecting up the laptop drive to an older Compaq deskpro with the IDE
adapter, not only did the computer not boot, but after disconnecting the
adapter and rebooting the Compaq, I now get "1782 disk controller failure".

I'm assuming I just killed the IDE controller on the Compaq system board,
the other possibility being that I toasted the SCSI adapter through which
the primary HD is connected in that computer. I get the error regardless of
whether there is something connected to the IDE bus or not. I connected
that drive and adapter with pin one properly oriented, but I get the feeling
the silk screening I'm following is just plain wrong. Or I'm plain dumb.

Is there any way of resurrecting this board with the "1782 disk controller
failure"? Is this board doomed even though my HD is connected through the
SCSI adapter?

Just disable the IDE channel that broke. Could be impossible on Compaqs.

 

[Hupjack]

Your link was right on.. That was a physical match for the board.

I cleared CMOS and the cleared the out the problem.

THANKS a lot for your help..
By the way.. How did you find that document on the Deskpro?
I had searched their site and ran into a lot of "Compaq website is
transitioning and please excuse our crappy website."

 

[Rod Speed]

Your link was right on.. That was a physical match for the board.

I cleared CMOS and the cleared the out the problem.

THANKS a lot for your help..

No problem, thats what these technical groups are for.

By the way.. How did you find that document on the Deskpro?

Basically by drilling down from
http://www.hp.com/country/us/en/support.html
thru the desktop PC links, via http://tinyurl.com/2wrov
down to the specific DeskPro 6000 etc

I had searched their site and ran into a lot of "Compaq website
is transitioning and please excuse our crappy website."

Didnt get any of those, but then I have run various
compaq docs etc to ground quite a bit in the past.