stupid compaq

[1010011010]

i've been trying to fix a friends compaq presario 6000 for a while now.
it was overheating and even burnt out the video card.
i've removed it and im using the onboard video instead.
now im trying to restore windows xp on it. the problem is that
it hangs halfway thru loading the cd. i've tried using the recovery CD
and even my xp install cd. at one point i even tried a suse live cd and it froze
on the desktop.
i've tried new ram, different dvd roms, scanned the hard drive and ran
billions of tests with the ultimate boot cd. i tried a different power supply.
tried with a new cpu fan, changed bios settings and nothing works...
would replacing the mother board work? i figured if it were the board, i'd get no
picture at all or maybe some beeping??
does anyone have any suggestions? any help is very much appreciated!

[Coleen]

I worked on my Pissario (nope, not a spelling error!) for 2 months - finally gave up on it & bought another one, but just because it came with a 19" monitor - that should tell you a lt about Compaq if they have to give away a big monitor with their computer - only paid $400 for the bunch - my advice, tell him sorry, you'll have to take it to a shop - they MIGHT be able to fix it. You gave it a he** of a go, though...

[dan_nc]

Does it seem to hang at the same point during installation? What point does it hang? During hardware detection?

[1010011010]

Does it seem to hang at the same point during installation? What point does it hang? During hardware detection?

yes.
when im using the factory recovery CD, there's the Compaq logo and a progress bar at
the bottom. it hangs halfway there.
when i use the XP install CD i have it has hung various places. during "formatting" the drive, both quick and full mode, and during copying files.
it seems that when the pc was stressed it hangs.


I worked on my Pissario (nope, not a spelling error!) for 2 months - finally gave up on it & bought another one, but just because it came with a 19" monitor - that should tell you a lt about Compaq if they have to give away a big monitor with their computer - only paid $400 for the bunch - my advice, tell him sorry, you'll have to take it to a shop - they MIGHT be able to fix it. You gave it a he** of a go, though...

i'm tempted to give up on it. it's been a headache to try to fix and my friends mom has been giving my friend much grief considering it's free tech support

[bob clark]

yes.
when im using the factory recovery CD, there's the Compaq logo and a progress bar at
the bottom. it hangs halfway there.
when i use the XP install CD i have it has hung various places. during "formatting" the drive, both quick and full mode, and during copying files.
it seems that when the pc was stressed it hangs.



i'm tempted to give up on it. it's been a headache to try to fix and my friends mom has been giving my friend much grief considering it's free tech support

Hi,

Have you tried running it using the Linux Knoppix Live CD (http://knopper.net/knoppix/index-en.html)? You don't need a Hard Drive installed to use Knoppix Live so that may help isolate your problem. The Knoppix Live on CD will work fine... I've had problems with the DVD version.

Even though you scanned the HD it could still have bad sectors on it. Do you have a spare HD lying around that you can try?

Have you tried working on it with the side panels off and a small house fan blowing in there? That may work-around any overheating problem you're having.

You've tried just about everything I can think of. Good for you... At this point I think you're trying to get it to install out of principle. Keep going... don't let it win!!!!

CapnGimp, CapnGimp... your amazing services are needed!!!! HELP Capn!

Good luck 666,

Bob.

[1010011010]

Hi,

Have you tried running it using the Linux Knoppix Live CD (http://knopper.net/knoppix/index-en.html)? You don't need a Hard Drive installed to use Knoppix Live so that may help isolate your problem. The Knoppix Live on CD will work fine... I've had problems with the DVD version.

Even though you scanned the HD it could still have bad sectors on it. Do you have a spare HD lying around that you can try?

Have you tried working on it with the side panels off and a small house fan blowing in there? That may work-around any overheating problem you're having.

You've tried just about everything I can think of. Good for you... At this point I think you're trying to get it to install out of principle. Keep going... don't let it win!!!!

CapnGimp, CapnGimp... your amazing services are needed!!!! HELP Capn!

Good luck 666,

Bob.

Ill download knoppix tonight. I have run it without the panel but havent tried a fan blowing in tho..i know i had a setup before that the house fan worked really well until i bought this
behemoth contraption with better ac than my house lol. I did however try a new hard drive [identical] first, as i originally thought the one it
had was bad. The most recent bios update for that model has an update having to do with
the cpu fan speed. Only its an executable that need to be run in win.

[1010011010]

post script i tried running the install CD's with the fan and still the same. grrrr

[dan_nc]

These mystery hangs could be any "flakey" active component, so it could be the mobo or any component in any of the slots etc.

To troubleshoot, you'd have to pull everything you dont need to boot the system up, then put stuff back one piece at a time. If it it stays up without the component, then add pieces back one at a time.

At some point (timewise), cost of doing it isn't worth the effort. New components are cheaper, etc.

[1010011010]

These mystery hangs could be any "flakey" active component, so it could be the mobo or any component in any of the slots etc.

To troubleshoot, you'd have to pull everything you dont need to boot the system up, then put stuff back one piece at a time. If it it stays up without the component, then add pieces back one at a time.

At some point (timewise), cost of doing it isn't worth the effort. New components are cheaper, etc.


is it possible for the mobo to go out yet still have picture and no beep codes?
the cpu and board are the only things i haven't tried yet

[KeyBored]

sounds like hardware issue to me. could be heat related. Installing OS is taxing to system. Halfway through and it overheats. maybe bad cpu fan? is it running? could also be bad ram.

[dan_nc]

It's great when BIOS power-on self test (POST) detects a problem and beeps (at least you know the computer thinks it has a problem) but just because it passes the self-tests doesn't mean that you don't have hardware problems. It just means that the tests didn't "catch" the problem.

[cripple4life]

that's way i switched to a mac and haven't had a problem for the two years i have had it.