Omnibook XE3 gc hibernation - FN+F12 = No function

[Lars_4]

Hi,

I started preparing for a linux install today and thus prepared a hibernation Partition. First I tried a tool called "PHdisk" that comes from the bios maker Phoenix. It works fine and has the advantage that it let's you create a hibernate-partition without killing all other parts. But with the partition it creates the "FN-F12" didn't work. So I decided to take my "Recovery-CD" and let the omnibook do that partitioning the way HP programmed it. That process worked fine, too, but killed all parts. Okay, no problem since I backed it all up. BUT:
Still with the "original hp installation" restored, FN-F12 doesn't do anything. I tried it from DOS, from Win98SE. Nothing. Any ideas why?
Some technical details:
Omnibook XE3-gc / P3M-700 / 64+128=192MB RAM / 200 to 256 MB Hibernation-Partition / Latest BIOS GC-M1.63 (<---- may this be the problem? Has the APM-Code for FN-F12 been ripped out???)

Any comments greatly appreciated

Regards, Lars

[Ron Kinner]

I think you need to use fdisk or some other partition program to remove all partitions and put it back the way it was. Then once you've done that do

fdisk /mdr

to clear the junk out of your master boot record.

I expect the restore program just looks to see if there is a partition there and if it's big enough. It won't play with the mbr or other partitions unless it's a brand new drive.

Ron

[Lars_4]

Hi Ron,

thanks for that idea, but doesn't help. The recovery-CD deletes all partitions and creates a 256 MB part for the hibernation. Since my RAM is only 192 MB and VideoRAM is 4 MB, there is enough space. And after the recovery CD has "recovered" the system, everything should be "the way it was". This seems to be a BIOS issue. I allready contacted the HP-Service-Hotline and they say they don't know. They had me do a "hard reset" (stick a pen in the reset-switch on the left of the XE3) and that completly crashed all partitions except the hibernation partition. The hotliner's comment was "ooops, hope you have a backup". I have. They promised to check the problem with their technicians and call me back. So I'll wait some days, maybe they program a new bios for me ;-))
Btw. What type of XE3 do you have? What's the exact modell number? I got a F2113W with BIOS GC-1.63. Did you update your BIOS?
Lars

[Lars_4]

Okay, it's working somehow. To all who encounter the same problems: After installing Linux (Suse 8.0), the key-combination suddenly did it. The XE3 goes into Susped2Disk, but it doesn't wake up properly when pressing Power-Button or Sleep-Button: When Bios asks for Password, nothing can be entered. Only after a Hardware-Reset (the small hidden button below the PCMCIA-Slots on the left side of the notebook) the password can be entered. Afterwards, the bios restores the memory from the Harddisk and linux is back. Seems okay so far. I'll try a kernel-recompile and maybe that will fix the wake-up-problem. I'll let you know.
So thanks to all who took time to read and reply.
Lars