Thanks for suggestions. I had in fact installed W2K on that HD in my e-Machine. I recall someone's idea of booting into SAFE on the Dell and nuking the whole hardware setup folder - for redetection of Dell's h/ware.

Perhaps I should have tried that; if I'd suspected an intentional ploy on Dell's part re desire for a s/ware monopoly too: I would have. (It's unclear though - if this is a clever enough BIOS flag? - that that ploy would have had any more success ??) I went with the popular concept that - all M$ stuff loves to see/make a blank repartitioned disk, for best luck.

Besides - having moved entire i386 folder to HD: this was an install from HD, most recently. It cannot be a DVD, CD firmware question - only something endemic to Dell firmware - which I presume is the oNLY affecting source, once POST has passed a boot process onto the OS. (Remember - the LNX-BBC booted from either reader OK - prolly no Dell auto-kill-Linux flag installed. Yet.)

Mobo: This assembly is a combo of actually fairly convenient tool-less access + cheesy plastic parts, plus: a mobo with a rivetted L-panel on back - which fits into a hole in the case back. Onboard this L are the useful diags. LEDs (which worked, led to possible bad connection in the mem. chips initially. Fixed with Tweak.)

I can't imagine a generic mobo fitting sanely - for another thing, the mobo has affixed a metal slider which is the one point bottom support via a stud in case bottom [+ a big grounding screw] as only physical attachment points. Clever discriminatory design: use Dell parts or die.

I / we'll have to ponder the vicissitudes of court action - non-performance on her extended On-site service contract, never honored, VS a need for her to get some specific s/ware running. So unless someone has troubled to out-fox Dell for the sheer Goodness of such a project - this devolves to a political problem as much as technical = how best for her to move on: maybe to Apple, which can also run her prof.-needed s/ware.

Of course too, maybe even 98SE install will run into same problem; no doubt her Rescue-98 for the laptop is model-coded similarly. Will try a generic 98SE install, of course too. MErde is not an option for her pro software (accounting, graphics) needs. Even the s/ware mfg. folks say That. (Besides - they didn't provide her with the Key code for her 'facory installed' MErde/disk => YAN call to get That from Dell) No point in asking a droid about crippled BIOS now, is there?

Heh.. she cooks well. And I wouldn't go through all this crap (and with another friend who Likes screwing with M$-crapware! Poor guy.) for anything less than love. I take this to be a microcosm of just how shitty has been the fallout, for millions? of M$-Intel-Dell predators who make these toy machines with 0 concern for end-users. But then - you guys knew that.

This lady gave clear info on all her calls, exhibited monumental patience (she is well informed about biz-psych and about transparent ploys intended to stall). She documented the conversations and has phone-extension 2nd party admissible evidence of the methods employed. (I wasn't involved until recently).

We both want to take this to court - only question next to be answered is: prob. of collecting - even with a Judgment on her behalf. Dell has no shame and likely would defy via all possible means. As in this [link|http://www.summitlake.com/COMPUTERS_NET/DELL_20020209.html| letter].

Hey.. she recently talked to an old acquaintance who had similar problems with a Dimension - and after One Thousand phone calls over a couple years [This one is the def'n of Persistent] - that person finally got a new machine recently, but with XP and.. she has New Problems and ... {sigh}

Anyway, thanks for the ideas. I think thus far - she's screwed if 98 also won't load. And she will buy Nothing next from Dell, even if it might 'run' for a time. Let them whistle for return of the 'old' mobo/HD for at least as long a time as she has been ignored.


Regards,

Ashton.

Yes, I think BIOS version is earlier than that - so this is next obvious change to make. That was on list to ask a Dell tech, if we could find a way to phrase the question w/o triggering a Dell s/ware purchase-only impasse.

I'll try signing in with her S/N later (they won't let in random browse, I note). Certainly we have to confirm with latest BIOS Rev - whether her court claim would be based on nondelivery of On-Site Service or.. something also more sinister concerning the 'merchantability' of the machine.

I note that the problems at your eXpertsXchange link seems ~ in her build time-frame, so maybe it is all about unintended BIOS glitches

There'll be a lawsuit in any event though, unless Dell reverses all previous behaviour and pays a claim for at least refund of the unfulfilled Service Agreement (etc). We'll ask a pro for some legal hints.

Thanks again, Scott for the germane suggestions. It may come to a bare-bones machine, though with enough moxie to run her GeForce2 Ultra, etc. In fact, with the new HD loaded with ME, peddling it may be next best relief.

re eBay: I noted long ago that they do whatever M$ 'suggests', concerning sales of even unopened legit. sealed s/ware. I stopped following the debate over their M$ policies, as the management is intentionally fully insulated from "The Community\ufffd" -- and has been for a couple years. As they become a virtual monopoly of web auctions - they emulate the Leader more and more. Of course.

Anyway, I'll have to see this through - maybe even via Presario or a sl. more fancy e-Machine than my own. Like most of us (I suppose) - I'll hekp until it becomes 'expected'.. the start of that familiar slope \\.


Ashton