Like most Compaq systems, the laptop's hard drive included a "hidden"
DOS system partition that contained a DOS-based BIOS configuration
utility for the laptop. Under normal circumstances you would only see
this partition if you were to hit the right key during boot which
would cause the BIOS to boot the setup partition rather than the main
DOS/Windows system.

Compaq systems, unlike most PCs, do not have a setup program in the
ROM BIOS to configure it by. This allows them to then make the BIOS
configuration nice and graphical, at the cost of not being able to
configure the BIOS if for any reason the hard drive dies or something
has happened to the hidden partition.

Also note the other downsides to this arrangement: One, it requires
proprietary code in the boot sector to respond to the BIOS's intent
to boot to setup, and two, if a boot virus were to infect the system
it would have a chance to do more potential damage even before you
could make it into setup. I'm sure Compaq thought they were being
clever here, but it's a real-life example of what could go wrong and
why you really should keep your BIOS setup menu in the ROM BIOS, not
on the disk.

For historical interest, or for those who have this same laptop but
have lost the hidden partition, the contents of that partition are
provided here.