New Question for Computer Gurus?

[TopCatGr58]

Okay fellow geeks,

Helping a coworker with old Compaq Presario 5000, model #5BW160, with Pent III 700Mhz, 100FSB cpu, Socket 370; 128 MB Ram, MoBo=??? proprietary crap!

She thought she had a virus, wouldn't run. Brought home, turned on, would come up to loading windows 98SE screen, freezes!

Ran boot disk, Scandisked, checked mobo BIOS, up to date ver 686C3 and keeping correct date/time so battery OK! Changed from quickpost to full check display.

Sometimes would just hang on POST and Compaq flash screen! Other times would hang on memory ram check at 110 when using 128MB chip, swapped chip for 2 64MB PC100 chips, would again hang at 110, or sometimes 70 out of 128!!

Pulled cover off, and CPU and heatsink/fan assembly was choked with DUST,, and heatsink was very hot to touch! Pulled heatsink/fan off, cpu transfer paste was baked solid! Cleaned HS/Fan, scraped paste, put on fresh paste, reassembled. Also removed memory, cleaned slot, put in just 1 64MB chip.

Rebooted and able to get thru POST Ram check to 63, wiped HD with FORMAT /S, and then loaded Win98 Setup, sometimes would hang during loading/copying files to HD at various percentages, then repeated and finished, would REBOOT, but then would NOT finish loading Win98 First Time Reboot, etc.!

Checked CPU HS/FAN and was very cool NOW! But it will not let me reload windows98SE(was OEM for computer), and wondering IF previous HS/FAN problem could have caused it to burn/damage CPU, or is the MoBo suspect?? I don't have a spare computer that can use the 370 CPU so I can't test, Ram is known good chips!!!

Also, anybody got a spare CPU like above to sell? Also, can't find any specs on MoBo, to tell whether it can take an upgrade CPU to 1Ghz at 100FSB speed, same core volt?? There are several On Ebay cheap IF I can use them vs. the 700Mhz one I have!?

THANKS IN ADVANCE!
T.C.

[Pat Kelly]

Change back from synthetic oil to dino juice.
Clean all connections and re-connect using dilectric grease.
Adjust clutch as per manual.
Triple-clean the carbs.
Make sure the lip on the pod filters aren't blocking the air passages.
Under-cut the dogs on 2nd/5th gear.
Swap the final drive with a 750.

This should have the computer back to snuff in no time

[John]

Maybe you need to upload the SWMBO 2.0 program. I have found that it runs really well, and often in the cold weather, like what we are experiencing today...21 degrees at 7 am this morning. When it's too cold to ride outside, we ride inside. All of the exhaust fumes inside kinda sucks tho...

[TADracer]

The fix is very simple. Hit control, alt and delete.....then go take a ride!

[Snow]

lol, I agree with the above posts. Yes, it sounds like either the CPU or mobo got fried. You should be able to pick one up pretty cheap on eBay or look at pricewatch.com. Ebay would prolly be cheaper though.

I'd bet on the CPU just being toast though.

[Snow]

From what I can find, it looks like you just need a socket370 pentium III up to 700mhz-1ghz.

I think this would do the trick, I stress I *think*:

http://cgi.ebay.com/Pentium-III-1Ghz...QQcmdZViewItem

Just make sure to clean the contact area between the cpu and heatsink off with alcohol (grain works well, or rubbing), let it dry, then apply high quality arctic silver or other quality thermal grease to the cpu (not too much, a little goes a long way.

[xswilly]

check your power supply, for dust and see if the fan is turning fast enough in the power supply

[EZMoney]

T.C.
You said that you couldn't get 98 to load?
Does it come up to the point that it will look at the loading disk?
If so I think the CPU is ok.
128 ram may be bad though and possibly 1 of the 64. Windows takes a lot of RAM it love using bits, I am not completely sure but I think 98 needs more that 64 to boot. I would try to get my hads on a new 128 or a 256.
They shouldn't be very expensive and if you go to a computer repair shop they might have an old mother board sitting in the back somewhere that has that style of ram in it.
I am runnig an older computer PIII 500 and had trouble with ram on several occasions over the last few years.
Just my thoughts.
EZ

[mro]

bad ram?

win98, won't load if a ram error happens in the first 16K.
In set up, check that "stop on all errors" is set to like "stop on keyboard error only" so if ram problem above the 16K should not stop it from booting.


mro

[EZMoney]

win98, won't load if a ram error happens in the first 16K.

mro,

T.C. said that windows wouldn't load and if he gets to the point that it will even start to load chances are the CPU is ok.
I just thought it would be a cheap way to be sure, I had the same type of problem and fixed it by replacing 1 of my 256 chips.
once again just my thoughts.
EZ

[jimboreeno]

Hey T.C.
Sounds like you have covered the bases and the MB is the issue. With all the dust the connections and circuts can get fried around the processer mount.
Before you spend a dime though be sure ALL cards are unplugged, ie, modem, sound, etc. (except video) and retry. I replaced a processer and then a MB before realizing the modem was fried and creating the sys hang issue I was trying to fix!

Good luck

[webbcraft2150]

I have a headache now, I'm going for a ride!!!!

[Cyrock]

First word of advice is to have her buy a new computer. But if your set on fixing this one, get a book on the mother board and check to make sure all the dip switches are set right. Older mother boards had a dip switch for everything including RAM types.

You have already changed out the RAM so I would change out your power supply next. It could cause all the problems you have described. Another thing to think about is that all these crashes may have corrupted the operating system. So you may need to reload the OS before it will work again.

[81xsproject]

My brother had one of those. I have the absolute best advise of all. Take that peice to the recycle center and leave it there! Sorry to be so neg, I did way too much work on my bros.

Even better advise,

don't help techno inept friends/family with their comps. Five days after you legitimately fixed it, when they screw it up again (due to tech ineptness mentioned earlier) YOU BROKE IT!!!!

have had it happen enough times that I no longer help them.

[DiverRay]

TC,
www.dell.com , go to the dell store, and check out the "scratch, dent, and return" section. You can get a computer that works, with a 1 year warranty, for about $259. How much is your time worth?
Ray