Parameters Actually Stored In PRAM in The PB500 Series?

[Paralel]

Does anyone know what parameters are actually stored in the PRAM in the Powerbook 500 Series?

Since my PRAM battery is dead (actually, missing, I just took it out once I knew it was dead) I figure I might run into trouble with it remembering where the boot drive is located in the PCMCIA slot if that parameter is stored in the PRAM area and the system isn't left plugged in.

Edit: Looks like I answered my own question, without PRAM it can't boot off of PCMCIA, it just stares at me asking for an operating system... This is an annoying situation I didn't foresee...

 

[Paralel]

Does this happen in other PB series that can boot from PCMCIA if the PRAM dies (such as the 190?)

 

[Elfen]

No, it doesn't. It searches the machine for what is available (IDE or PCMCIA) and the first thing with a boot record, it boots it.

If the PCMCIA is not there and the hard drive is dead, bad boot records, or not on the IDE BUS, it puts up the flashing "?" inside the floppy disk. While the "?" is flashing, when you put in the PCMCIA, it takes a second to find it, and then it boots.

I think it has something to do with that separate CPU in the 5X0 series PCMCIA, and it needing the PRAM for the PB to see it.

 

[Paralel]

Agreed. The PCMCIA is essentially just a PDS module in the 5xx series, no different from any other. I would imagine the ROM is not programmed by default to search PDS modules for bootable partitions.

With the PCMCIA being an integrated part of every subsequent PB (until PCMCIA became irrelevant), it makes sense the ROM would be smart enough to search for a bootable partition on the PCMCIA bus.

 

[Elfen]

It is just as crazy in the PC World. Some laptops with PCMCIA can boot off it, some cant. Don't let me get started with Dell Hell!!! At least older ThinkPads are more forgiving.