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WebSite Information => Comments, Suggestions & Questions => Topic started by: Sabon on March 08, 2026, 12:57:32 am

Title: Is anyone else using an HP EliteDesk 800 G6 or something similar for Arca Noae?
Post by: Sabon on March 08, 2026, 12:57:32 am
Is anyone else using an year 2021 HP EliteDesk 800 G6 or something similar for Arca Noae that came from using an Apple computer OR just had issues installing an operating system on an HP EliteDesk 800 G6 Small Form Factor PC or anything similar (meaning HP EliteDesk something) that might have any answers or all the answers that I need?

I bought a used computer from surplus from the government organization that I used to work for. They wiped the W.2 SSD on it deleted all partitions.

The short version (you can read the long version if you want down below) is that I have NOT been able to create a USB memory card, a 3.5" "floppy drive" or CD-R or DVD-R disks that will boot on the HP EliteDesk computer. Every time when I try to boot up it says,

Bootdevice not found
Please install an operating system on your hard drive.
Hard disk (3F0)
F2 System Diagnostics
For more information, please visit: www.hp.com/go/techcenter/startup

Note that since the computer is out of warranty they would charge for any help that they give. I've asked them and me even asking that question they say that they should charge me for even that. So that stopped that conversation.

I have a bootable 3.5" "floppy" (FreeDOS 1.4) that DOES boot on a year 2000 Compaq Armada 500 computer so I KNOW the floppy is bootable, at least on that laptop.
I also have an eComStation Preview copy of OS/2 that I was able to install onto the laptop. So that IS a bootable CD (DVD?).

No matter what I haven't been a to boot anything from a USB drive with an ISO image on it, nor the eComStation Preview disk or a 3.5" floppy with FreeDOS 1.4 installed as bootable floppy drive.

Any ideas?

-----------

Long Story

I loved OS/2 in the '90s. It was my main operating system and I used it until the power supply on that computer died. Between when I started using that last PC and when IBM announced they were no longer going to update OS/2 I started looking for some other OS to use and ended up going with Apple. Now I'm trying to go back to using OS/2 (Arca Noae OS/2 of course) and I'm running into problems.

Arca Noae has instructions for creating a bootable DVD (MacOS X (10.3 and newer) but not as new as MacOS 15.7 which I have so I hit a wall there. Unfortunately I don't remember the password for my older iMac and haven't been able to find the install disks for it to try the instructions. Until I find them ...

I also have a Compaq Armada 500 from the year 2000 which I had completely forgotten about. I had BeOS 5.0 installed on it along with Gobe Productive, a native office suite for Be. Clever name. I tried to install FreeDOS 1.4 on that laptop but wasn't able to. The only thing I have that I could install was eComStation Preview which I was able to install and boot up and use. But I then installed FreeDOS 1.4 on it with the idea that it would be easier to install Arca Noae 5.1 with the computer having DOS on it.

I've tried setting everything on the HP EliteDesk back to system defaults and

but every time I boot up, it either (or both) comes up with the [______] menu OR it says:

"Bootdevice not found
Please install an operating system on your hard drive.
Hard disk (3F0)
F2 System Diagnostics
For more information, please visit: www.hp.com/go/techcenter/startup"

Note that since the computer is out of warranty they would charge for any help that they give. I've asked them and me even asking that question they say that they should charge me for even that. So that stopped that conversation.

I booted up the HP EliteDesk and hit the Esc key until the Startup Menu appeared. That's where I got the system information from.

HP EliteDesk 800 G6 Small Form Factor PC
Intel(R) Core(™) i7-10700 CPU @ 2.90 GHz
Memory Size 16384 MB
System BIOS
S01 Ver. 02.23.00 07/04/2025

Connected to the motherboard is a SK hynix Model: HFM256GDJTNI-82A0A BA NVM e 256 GB SSD
Component Test: Passed
It does show the BIOS to be 2.3.8.0

All of the tests came back with "Passed" so all the hardware is working.

So it DOES have a 256 GB SSD connected directly to the motherboard without cables and it passed the Hardware Diagnostic test

The Boot Menu (picked from the Start Menu after hitting F9 at boot up) shows:

"UEFI - hp HLDS DVDRW GUID1N
UEFI - SK hynix BC511 HFM256GDJTNI-82A0A-CS0BN41291500BB5W
Boot from file"

There isn't an option to boot from USB memory card.

BIOS Setup (hitting F10 at bootup)

ADVANCED System Information shows:

Product Name: HP EliteDesk 800 G6 Small Form Factor PC
Memory Size: 16384 MB
Storage Device: SK hynix BC511 HFM256GDJTNI-82A0A-CS0BN41291500BB5W (256 GB)
--------------
Processor: Intel(R) Core(™) i7-10700 CPU @ 2.90 GHz
Cache Size (L1/L2/L3): 512 KB / 2 MB / 16 MB
Processor Speed: 2900 MHz
Processor Cores: 8
MicroCode Revision: 100
Processor Stepping: 5
Memory Speed: 2933 MHz
DIMM1: 16 GB Samsung
DIMM2: empty
DIMM3: empty
DIMM4: empty

FIRMWARE------------
System BIOS: S01 Ver. 02.23.00 07/04/2025
ME Firmware Version: 14.1.7.2497
ME Firmware Mode: Enable
Audio Controller Realtek ALC3205
Video BIOS Version: Intel(R) GOP Drive [9.0.1113]
Reference Code Revision: 9.0.C0.20
Super I/O Firmware Version: 9.8.26
USB Type-C Controller(s) Firmware Version: Onboard PD Front1    1:7.1.0

Serial Number type information I'm not including

Feature Byte: 3E3Q3X476J6S6b7B7H7M7Q7T7W7maBap
                     aqaubhcAdUdpdqfPhKhZjhk8mEnp.5B

Build I.D.: 20WWF8BT601#SABA#DABA

I also tried to use the instructions from https://www.arcanoae.com/wiki/arcaos/obtaining-arcaos/ for MacOS to create a bootable Arca Noae boot DVD but my version of MacOS is too new so it doesn't give the right output at one point in the directions so I couldn't finish that. But I was able to burn what I THINK is a bootable Arca Noae 5.1
install DVD

I'm stumped. Anyone have any answers?
Title: Re: Is anyone else using an HP EliteDesk 800 G6 or something similar for Arca Noae?
Post by: David McKenna on March 08, 2026, 01:17:24 am
 The problem is almost certainly in the computer's BIOS. You need to look there for a 'Boot Order' section and make sure it is configured to boot from floppy or DVD or USB or whatever BEFORE the hard drive. It's impossible to tell you exactly where without seeing the BIOS screens themselves. Good luck!
Title: Re: Is anyone else using an HP EliteDesk 800 G6 or something similar for Arca Noae?
Post by: Dave Yeo on March 08, 2026, 01:48:36 am
Seems I read somewhere that HP computers aren't recommended for AOS, something about crappy BIOS. Might be mis-remembering.
As David said, the problem might be able to be fixed in the BIOS. If eCS boots on DVD, I'd think that AOS would too. I haven't burned an AOS DVD since USB sticks started working so not sure how they work given that they can install to BIOS or UEFI. The USB sticks have 2 partitions, UEFI and BIOS installs and which gets started depends on the BIOS settings. Something like legacy or/and CSM for BIOS and UEFI for UEFI. Perhaps in the boot order page in your BIOS. Don't forget to turn secure boot off.
Title: Re: Is anyone else using an HP EliteDesk 800 G6 or something similar for Arca Noae?
Post by: Neil Waldhauer on March 08, 2026, 04:17:38 pm
A lot of people here drive Tesla cars, and they've been putting stickers on them apologizing for Elon. I don't see the same for HP computers. Meg Whitman famously brought HP from the largest computer company in the world to one that was not even in the top 10. After than, she ran a very unsuccessful campaign for governor of California.

I don't want to demonize HP, but your headline go me thinking about computer history. I don't advocate politics -- OS/2 users from all political camps are welcome. But I do acknowledge that politics exist. When I did OS/2 consulting, I supported HP computers along with the rest. HP isn't going to help us much. Lenovo, my goto brand, isn't going to help much either.

It would be cool if we could align with one of the brands with open-source BIOS and non-proprietary hardware. They are obscure at this point, but I hope they will grow. The right to repair movement might help us get better long-term prospects for OS/2-compatible hardware.
Title: Re: Is anyone else using an HP EliteDesk 800 G6 or something similar for Arca Noae?
Post by: Sabon on March 08, 2026, 08:31:39 pm
Hopefully attached is a print screen of the Boot Order on the HP EliteDesk 800 G6 SFF. As you can see, it is setup to boot first from a CD and then the storage device (SDD) on attached directly to the motherboard.

A photo that I took of the boot order is now attached
Title: Re: Is anyone else using an HP EliteDesk 800 G6 or something similar for Arca Noae?
Post by: Sabon on March 08, 2026, 09:42:32 pm
Seems I read somewhere that HP computers aren't recommended for AOS, something about crappy BIOS. Might be mis-remembering.
As David said, the problem might be able to be fixed in the BIOS. If eCS boots on DVD, I'd think that AOS would too. I haven't burned an AOS DVD since USB sticks started working so not sure how they work given that they can install to BIOS or UEFI. The USB sticks have 2 partitions, UEFI and BIOS installs and which gets started depends on the BIOS settings. Something like legacy or/and CSM for BIOS and UEFI for UEFI. Perhaps in the boot order page in your BIOS. Don't forget to turn secure boot off.

It would be my luck that I buy a PC (my first since around 1998, actually probably my last PURCHASE of a PC might be closer to 1996 so literally about 30 years ago. Well, if Arca Noae OS/2 won't install on it, I've got Haiku, the open source version of BeOS to try. Hopefully I can get that installed but so far I can't get the computer to recognize ANY CD or USB memory card so that I can install ANY OS to it. I'm not going to install Windows (in case anyone suggests that), that is NEVER, EVER, EVER ("to infinity and beyond") going to happen.

If nothing else I'll use it as a door stop and will never buy another HP computer again. Not that they will probably care about one person not buying their product. But if anyone is thinking about it and sees this post, this will stop them and have them looking somewhere else.

I've got four computers (including the HP) lined up with seven monitors (including the laptop monitor) which is a lovely sight and a good START. lol
Title: Re: Is anyone else using an HP EliteDesk 800 G6 or something similar for Arca Noae?
Post by: Dave Yeo on March 08, 2026, 10:13:54 pm
I downloaded the BIOS documentation. Go to the Advanced Menu-->Boot Options. Make sure fast boot is turned off and USB Storage boot is turned on and it should be able to boot an USB stick. It is possible the Boot Order menu will only show USB if a USB device is plugged in.
So you have to get your AOS USB boot stick built and then try again. Might work.
I also don't see any sign of a CSM so you will have to do an UEFI install.
Title: Re: Is anyone else using an HP EliteDesk 800 G6 or something similar for Arca Noae?
Post by: Sabon on March 08, 2026, 10:29:58 pm
A lot of people here drive Tesla cars, and they've been putting stickers on them apologizing for Elon. I don't see the same for HP computers. Meg Whitman famously brought HP from the largest computer company in the world to one that was not even in the top 10. After than, she ran a very unsuccessful campaign for governor of California.

I don't want to demonize HP, but your headline go me thinking about computer history. I don't advocate politics -- OS/2 users from all political camps are welcome. But I do acknowledge that politics exist. When I did OS/2 consulting, I supported HP computers along with the rest. HP isn't going to help us much. Lenovo, my goto brand, isn't going to help much either.

I'm not trying to "demonize" HP but I DO want people to stop and think about whether or not they want to buy an HP computer. It could be that only after Meg bought HP that it stopped working well with OS/2 or maybe her time period had nothing to do with it. But she certainly was a failure running HP and thankfully, even though I don't live in California, she didn't win an election there.

I have never put a bumper sticker any car that I've ever owned. But this is the first one there I'm thinking about turning the Tesla Logo upside down AND adding a bumper stick that says something like, "I bought a Tesla before I knew he was a [with a picture of a donkey's rear end). In my book you are either helping as many as you can or you are hurting them. The knife is very sharp and he comes out on the bad side of it.

My views on politics is this. I'm standing in the middle of a road loading over two fences, one on each side of the road. Across the fences are fields of mud with people from the left and right throwing mud over the fences including over the road that I'm standing on but at each other. Meanwhile they can't see the road (to progress) but they only see their fence and think that the only think in the world is either their side of the fence or the other side. They don't realize there is a highway of people (like me) that don't care about politics. We only care about trying to do the best we can and for some of us, me included, I try to help people and not make anyone's lives worse than they are.

It would be cool if we could align with one of the brands with open-source BIOS and non-proprietary hardware. They are obscure at this point, but I hope they will grow. The right to repair movement might help us get better long-term prospects for OS/2-compatible hardware.

I agree. There WAS a company with packages with black and white that looked kind of like cows that worked closely at least with the bank I was working for to make better computers that were easier for both users and support people to use and maintain and they got them to work very well for us and we bought only from them. I don't remember what happened but suddenly they started having business problems and they ended up getting bought and we ended up HAVING to go with a company that had great sounding speeches but the products were not as good as the cow computer company. I'm not trying not to name them. I just don't remember their name.

I personally bought computers from them too and installed OS/2, multiple distros of Linux, BeOS, just to name a few with a program (don't remember the name) where you could have up to eight??? OSs to choose from at boot up. It wasn't easy installing that many OSs because some REQUIRED that they have a partition within the first 1024 of the hard drive which meant things were pretty chopped up on the multiple hard drives. Thankfully OS/2 could easily have multiple hard drives look like one partition on one hard drive. But that was back in the '90s and things have gotten better, in some ways MUCH better (wireless devices) and at the same sometimes MUCH worse. And I'm not meaning anything about the HP computer I bought.
Title: Re: Is anyone else using an HP EliteDesk 800 G6 or something similar for Arca Noae?
Post by: Sabon on March 08, 2026, 11:10:41 pm
I downloaded the BIOS documentation. Go to the Advanced Menu-->Boot Options. Make sure fast boot is turned off and USB Storage boot is turned on and it should be able to boot an USB stick. It is possible the Boot Order menu will only show USB if a USB device is plugged in.
So you have to get your AOS USB boot stick built and then try again. Might work.
I also don't see any sign of a CSM so you will have to do an UEFI install.

Thank you VERY much for downloading the BIOS documentation and letting me know what to do. However, what it said to do were things I had already done. But that doesn't mean that I don't VERY much appreciate you taking your time to try to help me.

* Fastboot was already unchecked
* CD-ROM Boot is already checked
* USB Storage boot is already checked

I have the ArcaOS-5.1.1-en.iso file copied to the USB drive. I have tried connecting it to each and every USB port on the front and the back, powering off the computer and powering it back on and ... it never sees the USB drive OR it doesn't recognize the file as an ISO file therefore it is not trying to install the contents of the file. Anything else I might be doing wrong?

By the way, this message board takes two to three minutes to update for me. Is it only me or is there something going on?
Title: Re: Is anyone else using an HP EliteDesk 800 G6 or something similar for Arca Noae?
Post by: Dave Yeo on March 08, 2026, 11:53:36 pm

I have the ArcaOS-5.1.1-en.iso file copied to the USB drive. I have tried connecting it to each and every USB port on the front and the back, powering off the computer and powering it back on and ... it never sees the USB drive OR it doesn't recognize the file as an ISO file therefore it is not trying to install the contents of the file. Anything else I might be doing wrong?

Sounds weird. Did you correctly set up the stick? OS/2 can't boot of an USB stick, it actually creates a ram disk, copies itself there and boots of the ram disk.
Your first partition on the stick should be similar to this,
Code: [Select]
The volume label in drive I is EFIBOOT.
The Volume Serial Number is 1909:0E31.
Directory of I:\

12-28-25  4:45p        16,047      0 a---  config.sys
12-28-25  4:45p     4,592,762      0 a---  boot1.bin
12-28-25  4:45p    12,213,555      0 a---  boot2.bin
12-28-25  4:45p       402,117      0 a---  boot3.bin
 3-01-26  5:32p         <DIR>      0 ----  efi
        5 file(s)  17,224,481 bytes used
                     55,274,496 bytes free

The efi partition is important along with the boot directory under it and boot containing,
Code: [Select]
8-28-25  9:58a       107,936      0 a---  bootx64.efi
12-28-25  4:45p       785,521      0 a---  os2ldr.bin
 9-01-24 12:18p            13      0 a---  os2ldr.cfg
 9-01-24 12:18p           831      0 a---  ANdb.cer
 9-01-24 12:18p         1,200      0 a---  ANdb.crt

Your system should try to boot bootx64.efi

Quote
By the way, this message board takes two to three minutes to update for me. Is it only me or is there something going on?

Bot attacks and attempts to stop them. It's a crappy situation, the site used to work much better. Martin is working on it.
Title: Re: Is anyone else using an HP EliteDesk 800 G6 or something similar for Arca Noae?
Post by: Sabon on March 09, 2026, 02:13:06 am
Sounds weird. Did you correctly set up the stick?

Obviously not. I hadn't seen anything that said anything about how to copy files to a USB drive. I've been away from OS/2 since about 2001 after IBM had broken my heart saying they weren't going to keep working on OS/2. I just got a PC for the first time since ... well I think the last one I bought was in 1996 and stopped using OS/2 when the power supply died and I felt, what the [bleep], why fix it. IBM has abandoned us and eComStation hadn't happened yet or I hadn't heard anything about it. I don't remember which.

Actually I did see it at one point and then forgot about it. Stupid me.

OS/2 can't boot of an USB stick, it actually creates a ram disk, copies itself there and boots of the ram disk.
Your first partition on the stick should be similar to this,
Code: [Select]
The volume label in drive I is EFIBOOT.
The Volume Serial Number is 1909:0E31.
Directory of I:\

12-28-25  4:45p        16,047      0 a---  config.sys
12-28-25  4:45p     4,592,762      0 a---  boot1.bin
12-28-25  4:45p    12,213,555      0 a---  boot2.bin
12-28-25  4:45p       402,117      0 a---  boot3.bin
 3-01-26  5:32p         <DIR>      0 ----  efi
        5 file(s)  17,224,481 bytes used
                     55,274,496 bytes free

The efi partition is important along with the boot directory under it and boot containing,
Code: [Select]
8-28-25  9:58a       107,936      0 a---  bootx64.efi
12-28-25  4:45p       785,521      0 a---  os2ldr.bin
 9-01-24 12:18p            13      0 a---  os2ldr.cfg
 9-01-24 12:18p           831      0 a---  ANdb.cer
 9-01-24 12:18p         1,200      0 a---  ANdb.crt

Your system should try to boot bootx64.efi

Thanks, I never thought to partition the USB drive. Now I have to see if I can do that with my Apple iMac because my eComStation isn't near a network jack. I'll let you know if I get it to work. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

Quote
By the way, this message board takes two to three minutes to update for me. Is it only me or is there something going on?

Bot attacks and attempts to stop them. It's a crappy situation, the site used to work much better. Martin is working on it.
[/quote]

Hopefully they figure it out soon.
Title: Re: Is anyone else using an HP EliteDesk 800 G6 or something similar for Arca Noae?
Post by: Sabon on March 09, 2026, 02:49:27 am

I have the ArcaOS-5.1.1-en.iso file copied to the USB drive. I have tried connecting it to each and every USB port on the front and the back, powering off the computer and powering it back on and ... it never sees the USB drive OR it doesn't recognize the file as an ISO file therefore it is not trying to install the contents of the file. Anything else I might be doing wrong?

Sounds weird. Did you correctly set up the stick? OS/2 can't boot of an USB stick, it actually creates a ram disk, copies itself there and boots of the ram disk.
Your first partition on the stick should be similar to this,
Code: [Select]
The volume label in drive I is EFIBOOT.
The Volume Serial Number is 1909:0E31.
Directory of I:\

12-28-25  4:45p        16,047      0 a---  config.sys
12-28-25  4:45p     4,592,762      0 a---  boot1.bin
12-28-25  4:45p    12,213,555      0 a---  boot2.bin
12-28-25  4:45p       402,117      0 a---  boot3.bin
 3-01-26  5:32p         <DIR>      0 ----  efi
        5 file(s)  17,224,481 bytes used
                     55,274,496 bytes free

The efi partition is important along with the boot directory under it and boot containing,
Code: [Select]
8-28-25  9:58a       107,936      0 a---  bootx64.efi
12-28-25  4:45p       785,521      0 a---  os2ldr.bin
 9-01-24 12:18p            13      0 a---  os2ldr.cfg
 9-01-24 12:18p           831      0 a---  ANdb.cer
 9-01-24 12:18p         1,200      0 a---  ANdb.crt

Your system should try to boot bootx64.efi



Here's part of the deal and I don't think it is a small one.

I have four computers with me right now.

1) A late 2019 27" Apple iMac which is my main computer which is too new for one of the main steps "If you are using a Mac" portion of the instructions so I got stuck there.
2) My circa 2002 iMac with MacOS 10.4 ... I changed my login password sometime between my current computer and that one. So that computer COULD have been good for the Mac instructions but I can't login to it.
3) A year 2000 Compaq Armada 500 laptop. I HAD FreeDOS 1.4 installed on it and then tried to install eComStation on it and now if I need an OS/2 computer I will need to get that up and running first before following the instructions at https://www.arcanoae.com/wiki/usb/preparing-usb-msd-disks/ .
4) And the HP EliteDesk which has nothing on it.

Anyway, that is where I am. Once I hopefully get eComStation installed on the laptop then maybe I can get the next steps.
Title: Re: Is anyone else using an HP EliteDesk 800 G6 or something similar for Arca Noae?
Post by: Dave Yeo on March 09, 2026, 04:38:32 am
The eCS system will work. You have to use the proper tools to set up the stick. On the ISO is the directory AOSBOOT containing aosboot.cmd, aosboot.text and the WORK directory. The version of AOSBOOT has to match your ISO.
Code: [Select]
D:\AOSBOOT>aosboot.cmd

  usage: aosboot <drive:> <path to .ISO file>

  example: aosboot Q: C:\downloads\ArcaOS-5.1.iso

  This script creates a bootable USB drive you can use
  to install ArcaOS. It supports booting both BIOS and
  UEFI-based systems. Any USB drive >= 2gb can be used
  as-is.  If the disk has more than one partition, you
  can enter any of the drive letters assigned to it.

  Warning! This process will repartition the USB drive
           and will DESTROY all of its current content.

  Since copying files to flash drives can be very slow
  this process may take 10-30 minutes.

  For additional details, please read "aosboot.txt"

  AosBoot v2 (c)2017,2019 RL Walsh, (c)2017,2019 Arca Noae

I can't remember if eCS came with a easy way to mount the ISO, on AOS oo.exe will do it, oo path\to\ISO. eCS might have had it.
Title: Re: Is anyone else using an HP EliteDesk 800 G6 or something similar for Arca Noae?
Post by: Sabon on March 09, 2026, 08:49:58 pm
Thanks. I will look but it won't be until tomorrow. My wife and I are going to the gym together in ten minutes and we are going to be with friends for dinner and so I will be too tired when we get back and I don't want to screw things up.

I really appreciate everyone's help. It's been close to 25 years since I've used a "PC" (non Mac) that wasn't running as a virtual machine. Installing OS/2 was simpler back in the '90s. Just insert #1 3.5" and reboot. Then change 3.5" floppies when told. Simple! Not FAST but simple. You didn't have to have another computer for anything back then to setup a USB disk or external hard drive or burn a CD or DVD or ... Things are both better and worse than they used to be.

Back when IBM started showing off the beta for OS/2 2.0 the world looked like it was going to be a much better place before Windows '95 and all the [censored] from Redmond, WA. If only IBM had made and shown an INTELLIGENT ad for OS/2 instead of nuns walking down an outside hallway speaking Italian and then saying something about OS/2 at the end. Even those of us that knew what OS/2 was were trying to figure out what the [bleep] they thought they were doing with that ad.

If everyone in the world had seen OS/2 BEFORE Windows '95, I wonder what they would have thought when M$ brought out '95. Or would they have had to make it look noticeably different so they didn't look like they were ripping off OS/2, which is what they were doing plus making it look "pretty" with those fun colors.

Look at the pretty colors and believe what Bill Gates says it better. Get suckered into using a much less capable, secure, and dependable OS. But just look at those pretty colors.