Mandriva on Compaq Deskpro EN

[skyhawk]

I recently purchased a mint condition Compaq Deskpro EN from a second-hand dealer on eBay. It does not have an OS on the HDD. I would like to install Mandriva 2007 Free (i586, four disc set on order from http://www.linuxcd.org) on this machine as the sole OS. I definitely do not want to purchase another Windows OS.

 

I already have Mandrake Linux 10.0 Discovery (x86), purchased as a boxed set, including the printed Quick Startup Guide. I have not tried to install this distribution; I prefer Mandriva 2007 Free. One sentence in the Guide states that the user should look for the BIOS entry PNP OS, and select NO to enable Mandrake Linux to detect all hardware. My Compaq Configuration Setup (BIOS) does not have such an entry, nor anything similar. I would like to know if Mandriva 2007 Free has a similar requirement.

 

I do have the option of disabling the APIC (Advanced Programmable Interrupt Controller) function, which would force the processor into legacy IRQ mode (interrupts 0-15 only). Should I do this before installing Mandriva 2007 Free?

 

My only previous experience is with legacy hardware, and this will be my first Linux installation. I already know that I will need a Linux driver for my Conexant modem, and I know where it can be downloaded (http://www.linuxant.com). It also looks probable that I will need a Linux driver for the NVIDIA TNT2 Pro AGP card, and I have read in these forums that one is available. The AGP card has been ordered, but has not yet arrived.

 

The installation will be done with an Envision 15-inch CRT monitor connected, but it will soon be replaced with a 17-inch LCD monitor, when I have finalized my decision on what model I want to buy. Sometime in the future I would like to replace the CD-ROM drive with a CD-R.

 

Details on my Compaq Deskpro EN follow below. I have a copy of the complete Compaq specifications for the EN line of computers, which can be e-mailed if necessary. I would also appreciate hearing from anyone who has done a similar installation on a similar machine; responses of a general nature, not specific to the Compaq Deskpro EN, would be helpful. Thanks in advance!

 

MODEL NUMBER NAMING

ENC/P933/20E/6/256CV US

S/N U125DYSZC575

203599-005 (ON BACK PANEL --> PROBABLY SKU NUMBER)

 

DESKPRO EN CONVERTIBLE MINITOWER

PENTIUM 933 MHZ

HDD 20 GB

815E CHIPSET

WIN2000 + WIN NT 4.0 OS (ONLY ONE OS SELECTABLE BY END USER)

256 MB RAM

CD-ROM DRIVE INSTALLED

NVIDIA GRAPHICS (NO CARD IN AGP SLOT)

 

CHIP ON CONEXANT RD01-D270 MODEM (PCI)

HSF

CX11252-15

E335055.1

0308 MEXICO

 

Audio --> Integrated Intel Audio with Premium Internal Speaker

Graphics --> NVIDIA TNT2 Pro AGP with 16-MB SGRAM

Optical Storage --> 48X CD-ROM Drive, Compaq CRD-8484B (ACP6)

V.90 56K PCI Modem --> Conexant RD01-D270 HSF Chipset (PCI)

[tyme]

Don't worry about not having an option for PNP Aware OS, it's likely this won't cause too many issues (I rarely change it from the default myself).

 

I would leave APIC on, and attempt to install. If there are issues with the install, then try turning it off.

 

For the nvidia card, this will initially work, but if you want 3d support you might find it useful to grab the official nvidia driver - for the TNT2 you will want the legacy driver, available here.

 

The installation will be done with an Envision 15-inch CRT monitor connected, but it will soon be replaced with a 17-inch LCD monitor, when I have finalized my decision on what model I want to buy. Sometime in the future I would like to replace the CD-ROM drive with a CD-R.

That won't be a problem. Mandriva will pick up the CD-R drive, and as far as the monitor you likely will only need to make a few changes to your video/graphics configuration after plugging it in to get the best performance.

 

If you have any other questions or need any other advice feel free to ask, and welcome to the board :)

[skyhawk]

The Compaq Deskpro EN P933 that I purchased recently should be fully up-and-running very soon with Mandriva Free 2007 (distribution 2007.0, 9/20/06, kernel 2.6.17-5mdv) as its only OS. The first and second test installations of the OS went very smoothly ... better than many Microsoft Windows installations that I have done in the past. My initial impression of Mandriva Free 2007 is that it is a beautiful piece of work. I very much like its modular design, much different from the fault-prone integration of Microsoft Windows versions.

 

The Compaq's BIOS settings were left at the factory default values. To install Mandriva Free 2007, I first had to choose the "Installation--ACPI Disabled" option, otherwise the installation halted with a "kernel panic" message. Copying the full contents of the CD's to the HDD proved to be the best way to do the install. The Mandriva Free 2007 discs, by the way, are available from several sources for about $11, including shipping. Mine originated from a supplier in France, and they arrived in fine shape.

 

I initially connected a 15-inch CRT monitor to the system unit. I bought it second-hand from a local seller who led me to believe that it is an Envision En-510e, and who also provided a user's guide for the Envision En-710e model (17-inch CRT), although the back panel nameplate reads, "RIC Model No. 555," indicating that it was manufactured by Royal Information Electronics Co., Ltd., perhaps under contract for Envision Display. In any case, configuring the resolution to "Generic 1024x768 @ 60 Hz" seems to work with no problems. I will be replacing the present monitor with an LCD monitor, a Compaq/HP L1720, as soon as possible. This particular monitor was selected because it is one that is included in the vendor list for Mandriva Free 2007. My final OS installation, as far as I am concerned, will be when all Linux-compatible hardware has been installed, and when I have a better idea of what packages I want to install in custom mode.

 

The Conexant modem presently inside the system unit is a winmodem, and is not supported by native Linux drivers. A Linux driver is available, however, from http://www.linuxant.com for a "modest" price. US Robotics/3Com modems are, perhaps, best supported by native Linux drivers. I will be removing the winmodem, and it will be replaced by a real modem with full hardware from US Robotics/3Com.

 

AGP cards for Compaq Deskpro EN's are readily available at very low prices. I have already tried installing an Nvidia TNT2 Pro 16MB AGP card, purchased from a seller on eBay, but it is probably defective. With the AGP card installed and the monitor connected to the card's port, I see only an aqua-colored screen with orange vertical lines moving slowly across it when I go into BIOS setup. The Deskpro's on-board video (Intel 815 chipset), is working perfectly, however. I plan to install another identical AGP card to see if I get better results. I am aiming for full 3D graphics.

 

Once I have settled these hardware issues, the Compaq Deskpro EN should make a very reliable Linux workstation. Buyers of similar used units will want to do one very important thing, however. They should carefully examine the cooling fan and heat sink, with its associated cooling fins (radiator), mounted above the processor chip; the cooling fan and cooling fins should be removed and thoroughly cleaned, if necessary. My system unit arrived relatively clean, except for the parts I have mentioned. The cooling fan makes the heat sink and its cooling fins prime collection points for dust and lint; they were almost completely clogged in my unit. The cleaning process, and reassembly, are very delicate operations, but it is something that must be done to assure cool operating temperatures. Use rubber bands to hold the heat sink radiator (cooling fins) in place until the cooling fan has been remounted to hold it in place.

 

I hope this information will be helpful to others in resolving any initial technical issues involved with Mandriva Free 2007 on Compaq Deskpro EN units. I think the use of Linux as the sole OS is the answer to salvaging these units for additional years of productive service.

 

For those who are not at all familiar with the Linux command-line interface, excellent tutorial pages are available at:

 

http://www.tuxfiles.org

 

Those pages, written by Nana Långstedt, have provided me with all the basics I need to know. I can now get underway reading my way through MAN pages as I go. It is likely that I will post an update when I have finished my final installation.