Ubuntu 6.06 Live prevents access to Compaq ProLiant Diagnostic Partition using F10 key

[Enigma-TS]

Compaq ProLiant computers usually have a small Diagnostics Partition (About 50MB). This is accessed at the end of the POST.

The results of the POST are cleared from the screen, and a reminder message is displayed saying that to access the Diagnostic software, you should press F10 now. This message is normally displayed for a few seconds, then if the F10 key is NOT pressed, the operating system in the active partition is loaded.

Ubuntu 6.06 Live seems to intercept the F10 keypress, as controll is never passed to the Diagnostic software.

The machine exhibiting this problem is a Compaq ProLiant 1600 with the "P8" BIOS, that has been flashed to the 11/08/2000 (Nov/08/2000) version.

This issue PREVENTS access to the software used to perform Hardware Diagnostic testing. While the configuration software can be run from CD (The Compaq SmartStart CD), the Hardware Diagnostic testing can ONLY be run from the Diagnostics Partition.

As a result, the choice to use Ubuntu is NOT a choice while this issue exists - Ubuntu cannot be used if it prevents access to the Hardware Diagnostic software.

I have another Compaq ProLiant 1600, but this one has the "E34" BIOS dated 04/19/2000 (Apr/19/2000). I have not tried to install Ubuntu on this machine, but I could (By using additional SCSI drives for the Ubuntu software) if it was vital to the resolution of this issue.

Please let me know if you require any more information. It is my intention to remove Ubuntu if this issue cannot be resolved.

[Fabián Rodríguez (magicfab)]

It seems Compaq utilities are accessed from the MBR, which Ubuntu's install doesn't detect to provide an additional entry under the Grub menu.

Check this URL for possible workarounds (although most info relates to LILO):
http://www.cpqlinux.com/f10.html

Ideally, Grub/Ubuntu would detect this partition at install time and deal with it accordingly.

[Fabián Rodríguez (magicfab)]

Just added server team to this bug's subscribers.

[Philip Paquette (pcpaquette)]

Can you confirm this bug still happens in edgy/feisty?
Thanks.

[monfort (fb871286)]

606

[Ante Karamatić (ivoks)]

If this 'shortcut' is really in MBR, then installation of every operating system would erase it (Windows, any Linux...). Grub should detect all partitions when it is installed. Just as how it detects Windows partition, so it should detect this one.

Can you tell what's the type of partition? FAT?

[Enigma-TS (enigmats)]

Regardless of what you might think, Windows does NOT 'erase' the F10 'feature' of the Compaq system. Ubuntu is the only Operating system that I have experienced doing it.

Regards, Wesley.

---- "Ante Karamatić" <email address hidden> wrote:
> If this 'shortcut' is really in MBR, then installation of every
> operating system would erase it (Windows, any Linux...). Grub should
> detect all partitions when it is installed. Just as how it detects
> Windows partition, so it should detect this one.
>
> Can you tell what's the type of partition? FAT?
>
> ** Also affects: grub (Ubuntu)
> Importance: Undecided
> Status: Unconfirmed
>
> --
> Ubuntu 6.06 Live prevents access to Compaq ProLiant Diagnostic Partition using F10 key
> https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/55961
> You received this bug notification because you are a direct subscriber
> of the bug.

[Ante Karamatić (ivoks)]

Enigma-TS wrote:

> Regardless of what you might think, Windows does NOT 'erase' the F10
> 'feature' of the Compaq system.

Then it isn't in MBR or you where using modified Windows installation
(default Windows installation formats MBR of disk)?

Could you find out type of partition on which those tools are located?

[Enigma-TS (enigmats)]

I never said it was in the MBR.

This issue was reported a LONG time ago. I reported it, expecting more interest and a faster response, and offered my assistance to get it resolved.

Obviously, my expectations were not met, and I have abandoned any plans of using Ubuntu. So, please don't ask for my assistance again.

Wesley.
======

---- "Ante Karamatić" <email address hidden> wrote:
> Enigma-TS wrote:
>
> > Regardless of what you might think, Windows does NOT 'erase' the F10
> > 'feature' of the Compaq system.
>
> Then it isn't in MBR or you where using modified Windows installation
> (default Windows installation formats MBR of disk)?
>
> Could you find out type of partition on which those tools are located?
>
> --
> Ubuntu 6.06 Live prevents access to Compaq ProLiant Diagnostic Partition using F10 key
> https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/55961
> You received this bug notification because you are a direct subscriber
> of the bug.

[Ante Karamatić (ivoks)]

Enigma-TS wrote:

 > I never said it was in the MBR.
 > So, please don't ask for my assistance again.

OK. So, according to http://www.cpqlinux.com/f10.html, F10 shortcut is
really in MBR. Grub doesn't detect it and makes this partition unbootable.

If anyone has this type of hardware, it would be great if we could get
information about the type of partition. My guess is that its FAT.

Thanks.

[Vinson J. Hua (vhua)]

fdisk shows this:

Command (m for help): p

Disk /dev/ida/c0d0: 18.1 GB, 18194841600 bytes
255 heads, 32 sectors/track, 4355 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 8160 * 512 = 4177920 bytes

         Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/ida/c0d0p1 * 1 9 36704 12 Compaq diagnostics
/dev/ida/c0d0p2 * 10 138 526320 83 Linux

[Ante Karamatić (ivoks)]

Different partition type (not FAT/NTFS/ext3...) could be a reason this partition isn't detected.

[Martin Mai (mrkanister-deactivatedaccount-deactivatedaccount)]

 Thank you for taking the time to report this bug and helping to make Ubuntu better. You reported this bug a while ago and there hasn't been any activity in it recently. We were wondering if this is still an issue for you. Can you try with the latest Ubuntu release? Thanks in advance.

[xteejx (xteejx)]

We are closing this bug report because it lacks the information we need to investigate the problem, as described in the previous comments. Please reopen it if you can give us the missing information, and don't hesitate to submit bug reports in the future. To reopen the bug report you can click on the current status, under the Status column, and change the Status back to "New". Thanks again!