Compaq New Hard Drive Install

Appreciate some assistance.

Trying to help someone install a new hard drive on a Compaq Presario 5240. This will be the only drive on the PC.

The old hard drive had two partitions: C:\ and D:\.
D:\ was the Compaq partition from which quick restores could be done with a Quick Restore CD, etc.

If a new hard drive is installed, there will be no Compaq 'D' partition with an image of 'C', and a W98SE boot disk would be used to partition and format the drive. Also, the Quick Restore CD would be rendered useless.

Do these types of computers require quick restore / recovery disks containing special drivers that are not found on a generic windows boot disk, or can a new hard drive be installed like in any other computer?

 

The quick restore CD contains all drivers and software that came with the computer when it was new. Short of that, you might have to open the machine and read the chipset names on things like the modem, video, sound, etc. and go find the drivers for them yourself.

Some things might set up during your Windows Setup process, if the drivers are built into Windows, so wait until after installation to see for sure what you need.

 

You can get all the drivers you need directly from the Compaq website. And, you shouldn't have a problem setting up this machine with a new hard drive. Run something like Belarc before you pull the old drive and get a list of devices, so you are sure of exactly what you are going to need.

 

Download and run a Freeware utility called AIDA32 Enterprise Edition from

Aida32

This will provide a much more detailed report on the hardware and software on your computer.

 

Thanks for the info, and the useful links.

Will give them a whirl.

 

Ran into similar problem. Original Compaq restore disk lost. Compaq site redirects to HP Compaq site. No help there as the softpaqs for the model I was working on just didn't work. I needed modem, graphic, and sound drivers.
Found two drivers at ftp://ftp.compaq.com/pub/softpaq
There you will find all of Compaq Softpaqs listed. Type in a key word and search for what you need.
Looking at my motherboard (mfg. and model no. unknown) I read an Intel 810E on the chipset and found the proper driver for the graphic. The modem was a pci plug in and with the numbers on it I found the modem drivers.
Now I'm still working on identifying and finding the correct sound driver for the on board Alegro ESS chip.

 

Thanks for the info, boonski.

Good luck on getting your PC back in order.