Old Compaq Preserio always won't boot

[jojo]

I'm not terribly computer literate, so please forgive me.
I have cracked a case to replace hard drives or ram, but that's about it.

When I turn on the computer, It access the drives (I see the lights)
growls a couple of times, then nothing. it has power, but will not continue.
There is nothing I can do to access it at this point.

I have tried turning it off and back on with tithe switch on the back,
but that does not work. It turns off, but comes back to the same point and
stalls.

There is something that does work. If I actually unplug the cpu, wait 5
seconds and plug it back in
with the power switch on, 98% of the time it will boot (and work normally).
Simply turning the power strip off and on will not work. I have to unplug
the cpu
from the strip.

What's up with this?
I plan on pulling the HD and using it as an external with an HD case on
another computer, but want
to make sure first that this is not a HD problem.

Thanks for reading, I hope I have provided enough info.
jojo

 

[Phlexor]

There is something that does work. If I actually unplug the cpu, wait 5
seconds and plug it back in
with the power switch on, 98% of the time it will boot (and work
normally).
Simply turning the power strip off and on will not work. I have to unplug
the cpu
from the strip.

Why type of CPU is it? If its an old Slot-1, maybe the edge connector is
dirty from oxidization and needs cleaning. A good pencil erase that will fit
is great for cleaning such things.

 

[kony]

Why type of CPU is it? If its an old Slot-1, maybe the edge connector is
dirty from oxidization and needs cleaning. A good pencil erase that will fit
is great for cleaning such things.

The CPU edge is gold-plated. Using an eraser would tend to
rub off the gold and cause oxidation, not help alleviate it
except in the near/short term. Contact cleaner and a
non-abrasive cloth should be more than sufficient, though I
doubt the contacts are the problem unless the slot had been
sitting empty in a very bad environment, and even then it
might be alleviated by merely removing and reinstalling the
CPU 2 or 3 times.

I wonder if OP has tried clearing CMOS and if CPU fan has an
RPM lead- Compaqs are often among those systems which won't
start without a fan RPM signal.

 

[Phlexor]

The CPU edge is gold-plated. Using an eraser would tend to
rub off the gold and cause oxidation, not help alleviate it
except in the near/short term. Contact cleaner and a
non-abrasive cloth should be more than sufficient, though I
doubt the contacts are the problem unless the slot had been
sitting empty in a very bad environment, and even then it
might be alleviated by merely removing and reinstalling the
CPU 2 or 3 times.

Have you done this yourself? Have you seen how it doesn't remove the gold
plating?

And how is removing and reinstalling the CPU 2 or 3 times not going to
remove plating? Thats metal on metal.

I've done this countless times and it has rescued dead systems left and
right, and they contine to work. There is no problem.

Stop spreading rumours around.

I wonder if OP has tried clearing CMOS and if CPU fan has an
RPM lead- Compaqs are often among those systems which won't
start without a fan RPM signal.

Also Compaqs tend to fare better if you can find and update the bios using
the latest Rompaq.

 

[kony]

Have you done this yourself? Have you seen how it doesn't remove the gold
plating?

Yes it does.
Maybe one light swipe doesn't strip the entire plating off
but one should NOT use an abrasive to clean gold plated
contacts. This is common knowledge, they do not corrode.

And how is removing and reinstalling the CPU 2 or 3 times not going to
remove plating? Thats metal on metal.

I"m sorry that you feel your advise wasn't received well,
but what this does is to help clean the slot contacts, since
contact cleaner is more easily used on the removable (CPU)
part without making a nasty mess, and wiping off individual
contacts in a slot is not so easy to do. It is possible by
wapping a piece of paper around the CPU contact edge,
saturated with contact cleaner, but that's a fidgety way to
do it.

Further, there is no guarantee that the slot contacts are
gold plated. Ideally they would be but the CPU is a fixed
variable from only one supplier/designer so it is not
subject to variability.

I've done this countless times and it has rescued dead systems left and
right, and they contine to work. There is no problem.

Stop spreading rumours around.

It is not a rumor, it's a fact that gold does not corrode.
Cleaning gold contacts does not require abrasive wiping and
doing so degrades the contacts. It might be better than not
cleaning them at all but is worse than cleaning them
properly!

Also Compaqs tend to fare better if you can find and update the bios using
the latest Rompaq.

Agreed, but be careful if the bios isn't socketed,
misflashes then mean it's not cost-effective to recover the
bios.

 

[Phlexor]

Yes it does.
Maybe one light swipe doesn't strip the entire plating off
but one should NOT use an abrasive to clean gold plated
contacts. This is common knowledge, they do not corrode.

Are you sure you aren't confused as to what I was refering to? Are you
mixing up a PEN eraser with a soft pencil eraser?
You do know how soft pencil eraser work dont you? These erasers Im using
arent abrasive, they are less damaging than metal on metal

Agreed, but be careful if the bios isn't socketed,
misflashes then mean it's not cost-effective to recover the
bios.

Agreed, I should have given the warning with the advice to do a bios
upgrade.

I assumed ppl would know this, bad move, I know. Hopefully ppl fully read
the instructions and warnings given with downloading and flashing a new
bios.

(I haven't killed one bios upgrade yet, fingers crossed!)

Peace

 

[kony]

Are you sure you aren't confused as to what I was refering to? Are you
mixing up a PEN eraser with a soft pencil eraser?
You do know how soft pencil eraser work dont you? These erasers Im using
arent abrasive, they are less damaging than metal on metal

I can't see the specific eraser you use. It is possible
that it's gentler than metal-metal, but also likely that it
isn't, because the metal-metal force is spread out over
broad wiping if socket contacts are properly designed.

It's a bit like AMD's thermal paste suggestion- to use the
known safe route instead of a variable one can't
control/known taken by another. Since Gold contacts should
never corrode they should never need any kind of abrasion at
all to wear though an outer metal coating, since the same
eraser that would be able to clean a tin contact does so by
removing some tin, that should be avoided on a gold
contact. You had not specified if same eraser is too
slippery to clean tin.

Agreed, I should have given the warning with the advice to do a bios
upgrade.

I assumed ppl would know this, bad move, I know. Hopefully ppl fully read
the instructions and warnings given with downloading and flashing a new
bios.

(I haven't killed one bios upgrade yet, fingers crossed!)

It's a shame they omit a cheap socket, but then OEMs might
do so many little things it's hard to notice them all until
they become problematic.

 

[Phlexor]

I can't see the specific eraser you use. It is possible
that it's gentler than metal-metal, but also likely that it
isn't, because the metal-metal force is spread out over
broad wiping if socket contacts are properly designed.

I guess you need to see it for yourself.

Find and old ISA card or whatnot that you may have lying around.

Grab a soft pencil eraser and clean the edge connector of the card with it
and see what happens.

Then judge for yourself and get back to me with your findings, see if we can
work this out. You might be able to tell me something that I haven't been
able to see.


Peace.

 

[kony]

I guess you need to see it for yourself.

Find and old ISA card or whatnot that you may have lying around.

Grab a soft pencil eraser and clean the edge connector of the card with it
and see what happens.

Then judge for yourself and get back to me with your findings, see if we can
work this out. You might be able to tell me something that I haven't been
able to see.


Peace.

I've been there, done that.
Sure, it will clean off a contact, but it also wears away
the smooth gold surface if/when the eraser is the typical
type that is even minimally abrasive enough to clean tin
contacts. The difference is that tin itself has to be
removed in the cleaning process, while the gold doesn't
since the whole point of the gold was that it's relatively
inert.

I suppose it can depend on how often the part needs cleaned
whether that's significant. On the other hand, WHY do
something even minimally destructive when it's not
necessary? There are solvents to clean off anything
reasonably likely to get on a contact without doing so by
lifting off the outer microns of metal contact surface... or
at least as minimally as possible. The argument should
never be "it's ok to use eraser because inserting card wears
the contacts too". If anything that's even MORE of a reason
to minimize the wear as much as possible outside of
necessary wear to use the card.

 

[Phlexor]

I've been there, done that.
Sure, it will clean off a contact, but it also wears away
the smooth gold surface if/when the eraser is the typical
type that is even minimally abrasive enough to clean tin
contacts. The difference is that tin itself has to be
removed in the cleaning process, while the gold doesn't
since the whole point of the gold was that it's relatively
inert.

I suppose it can depend on how often the part needs cleaned
whether that's significant. On the other hand, WHY do
something even minimally destructive when it's not
necessary? There are solvents to clean off anything
reasonably likely to get on a contact without doing so by
lifting off the outer microns of metal contact surface... or
at least as minimally as possible. The argument should
never be "it's ok to use eraser because inserting card wears
the contacts too". If anything that's even MORE of a reason
to minimize the wear as much as possible outside of
necessary wear to use the card.

Okay then, why then if I have done this for years with my own stuff, that
not one problem has crapped up because of it. I run a lot of older hardware
at home and when it comes intoth house dirty, I clean it with the above
method (usually this hardware came here because the original owner upgraded
after the old hardware stopped working for them). After cleaning, the
hardware works like new, no crashing, and continues to work.

If it was so bad, you'd think I'd see some bad results, but no, hasn't
happened. So once again theory fails and real words results shows the truth.

So tell me again of all the horror stories, and please leave out all the
unproven theory.

 

[kony]

Okay then, why then if I have done this for years with my own stuff, that
not one problem has crapped up because of it.

So you've been doing it wrong for years, but simply haven't
cleaned them often enough that you completely wore through
the contact.

Did it ever occur to you that if you hadn't been cleaning
them wrong, they might not cleaned so often again?
If the smooth gold contact is left alone it should be fine
for many years with NO cleaning. What you are doing is
INCREASING the need to continually re-clean the contacts
because you're degrading them.

I run a lot of older hardware
at home and when it comes intoth house dirty, I clean it with the above
method (usually this hardware came here because the original owner upgraded
after the old hardware stopped working for them). After cleaning, the
hardware works like new, no crashing, and continues to work.

On a larger scale, if you spilled tomato sauce on your
countertop, you could clean that off with sandpaper or soapy
water. Either will get the sauce off, and either way the
countertop can be used, continues to work. Which do you
use?

If it was so bad, you'd think I'd see some bad results, but no, hasn't
happened. So once again theory fails and real words results shows the truth.

Sadly you still can grasp the basic truth that doing
something poorly and achieving passable results is not a
reason to continue doing it the wrong way.

So tell me again of all the horror stories, and please leave out all the
unproven theory.

Anyone with reasonably good eyesight can look closely at a
gold contact and see if it's in original state or has
abrasions on it. The abrasions reduce the actual contact
area when card is installed, increase resistance of contact.
They also put more wear on the mating contact. They
eventually wear through the very thin gold layer to expose
copper that DOES corrode and require more frequent cleaning.
They actually gather dirt FASTER because of the irregular
surface contact with the contacts. Does it matter?
"Usually" not, particularly the first few times, but
eventually it may, after enough cycles it most definitely,
inescapably, will matter.

Most people don't ever need to clean gold contacts in a
"PC". If you've done it enough that you now "think" it
works OK, I suggest that the way you're cleaning them is in
itself causing you to need to clean them more often.

Bottom line is that using an _abrasive_ eraser on contacts
is simply an inferior method of cleaning that has no benefit
over industry accepted practices, only detriment. If you
are getting good results, that's great, but it is not a
reason to suggest an inferior and potentially problematic
cleaning method when there is an easy, better alternative.

 

[Phlexor]

So you've been doing it wrong for years, but simply haven't
cleaned them often enough that you completely wore through
the contact.

It being wrong is just your opinion safety boy.

Did it ever occur to you that if you hadn't been cleaning
them wrong, they might not cleaned so often again?
If the smooth gold contact is left alone it should be fine
for many years with NO cleaning. What you are doing is
INCREASING the need to continually re-clean the contacts
because you're degrading them.

Did it occur to you to read my my post so that you would have understood
that I never said that I was cleaning them often, in actual fact it only has
to be done once with old hardware to get /another/ 10 years out of them.

On a larger scale, if you spilled tomato sauce on your
countertop, you could clean that off with sandpaper or soapy
water. Either will get the sauce off, and either way the
countertop can be used, continues to work. Which do you
use?

You're just a ****wit arent you? Just use an extream example that bear no
relation to the subject at hand, that should work.

Sadly you still can grasp the basic truth that doing
something poorly and achieving passable results is not a
reason to continue doing it the wrong way.

Only in your opinion are the results passable and the method wrong.

Anyone with reasonably good eyesight can look closely at a
gold contact and see if it's in original state or has
abrasions on it. The abrasions reduce the actual contact
area when card is installed, increase resistance of contact.
They also put more wear on the mating contact. They
eventually wear through the very thin gold layer to expose
copper that DOES corrode and require more frequent cleaning.
They actually gather dirt FASTER because of the irregular
surface contact with the contacts. Does it matter?
"Usually" not, particularly the first few times, but
eventually it may, after enough cycles it most definitely,
inescapably, will matter.

Umm gee, I cant see any abrasions on the contacts, funny how you can see
them through your net connection. Go back to bed theory boy.

Most people don't ever need to clean gold contacts in a
"PC". If you've done it enough that you now "think" it
works OK, I suggest that the way you're cleaning them is in
itself causing you to need to clean them more often.

YOu dont know shit do you, and you cant read past your own bias. I pull
apart old unworking or crashing computer, clean the contacts and it works
like new again, no abrasions and I dont keep on doing it like you assume,
you are a waste of human flesh.

Bottom line is that using an _abrasive_ eraser on contacts
is simply an inferior method of cleaning that has no benefit
over industry accepted practices, only detriment. If you
are getting good results, that's great, but it is not a
reason to suggest an inferior and potentially problematic
cleaning method when there is an easy, better alternative.

Well you are the one assuming that I'm using some nasty abrasive eraser,
even though I've said that I'm not.

If you are not going to bother to read my post correctly, then don't waste
my time and others by replying, you just look like an arrogant fool.

 

[kony]

It being wrong is just your opinion safety boy.

Actually no, you're simply ignorant of gold contact cleaning
methods and "wing it". It is well known engineering specs
that detail a thin gold coating is specifically not to be
cleaning by abrasive removal of the top microns as tin was.
Frankly, I don't care if you screw up contacts but I'd
advise anyone whose system you'd done that to, to be
encouraged to sue you if the gold had been worn through to
copper.

Did it occur to you to read my my post so that you would have understood
that I never said that I was cleaning them often, in actual fact it only has
to be done once with old hardware to get /another/ 10 years out of them.

You don't know that you will get another 10 years. You know
how long they lasted BEFORE you improperly cleaned the
contacts.

You're just a ****wit arent you? Just use an extream example that bear no
relation to the subject at hand, that should work.

It's not an extreme example, it is roughly to scale. If you
weren't so dense you'd note that on a good countertop, even
cleaning THAT with an eraser can leave a blemish on the
surface. Again I'm apathetic about it, not my parts.

Only in your opinion are the results passable and the method wrong.

NO, you just haven't pulled your head out of ass to look at
specs for cleaning gold contacts.

Umm gee, I cant see any abrasions on the contacts, funny how you can see
them through your net connection. Go back to bed theory boy.

Then you're half-blind. Unless the eraser had VERY low
abrasion characteristics, (in other words, picking up the
typical #2 lead pencil and using it's eraser) I can easily
see whether you'd used it on the contacts. Perhaps you
don't care- that's fine. Nobody asked you to care but it's
just stupidity to suggest as you did:

"dirty from oxidization"

because it's GOLD. You're just plain wrong and can't accept
it.

YOu dont know shit do you, and you cant read past your own bias. I pull
apart old unworking or crashing computer, clean the contacts and it works
like new again, no abrasions and I dont keep on doing it like you assume,
you are a waste of human flesh.

Why would I care about your opinion when you're too
egocentric to learn the proper way to do things? I can't
imagine what else you're screwing up if you wing-it on
everything you do and reject the truth. Sure, a filthy
contact can be made better by abrasively cleaning off the
dirt, but it is not a good idea to do so. Maybe in an
emergency but not if you have normal cleaning solvents
available.

Well you are the one assuming that I'm using some nasty abrasive eraser,
even though I've said that I'm not.

If you are not going to bother to read my post correctly, then don't waste
my time and others by replying, you just look like an arrogant fool.

I don't see what I missed?
You mentioned cleaning oxidation off of gold contacts, which
is wrong. You deny abrasion by an eraser, also wrong. I
stipulated that the eraser you had might be softer, I was
thinking of typical eraser that could clean tin, and you
still dont' get it.

You don't even grasp that the gold plating is quite thin do
you? If you can't see the abrasion yourself, you probably
can't see where you've rubbed through to othe copper either,
until the copper has oxidized. Again, I don't care if you
don't want to to it properly BUT it is useful for OTHERS to
know that gold contacts do NOT need abrasive removal of the
outer layer of metal like tin did, and that doing so removes
some of the very thin (unlike tin) layer, making the contact
worse than one properly cleaned.

 

[CBFalconer]

.... snip ...

I don't see what I missed?
You mentioned cleaning oxidation off of gold contacts, which
is wrong. You deny abrasion by an eraser, also wrong. I
stipulated that the eraser you had might be softer, I was
thinking of typical eraser that could clean tin, and you
still dont' get it.

You don't even grasp that the gold plating is quite thin do
you? If you can't see the abrasion yourself, you probably
can't see where you've rubbed through to othe copper either,
until the copper has oxidized. Again, I don't care if you
don't want to to it properly BUT it is useful for OTHERS to
know that gold contacts do NOT need abrasive removal of the
outer layer of metal like tin did, and that doing so removes
some of the very thin (unlike tin) layer, making the contact
worse than one properly cleaned.

I think you would make the point better to others if you snipped
the messages down to something that fits on a screen. Actually
there have been very soft erasers that can be gently used for the
purpose, but I haven't seen them for years, and they certainly
don't come on the end of a pencil. The idea is to remove
accumulated grime, not tarnish. You have to be careful that the
leavings from the erasers are not worse than the original.

 

[Phlexor]

If you dont' care as you seem to say, why reply?

If the gold plating was so flimsy, normal use would remove it in no time
thus invalidating your so-called reasons to not use (in your opinions) such
a "dangerous methind".

Instead of living your life out of a book in the land of theory, get out and
live a little and work things out for yourself. Don't believe everything you
hear, test it for yourself.

 

[kony]

If you dont' care as you seem to say, why reply?

If the gold plating was so flimsy, normal use would remove it in no time
thus invalidating your so-called reasons to not use (in your opinions) such
a "dangerous methind".

Instead of living your life out of a book in the land of theory, get out and
live a little and work things out for yourself. Don't believe everything you
hear, test it for yourself.

I never wrote "dangerous method".

I think you should do whatever makes you happy... you were
going to anyway so the outcome really doesn't matter as long
as you are left with an intact ego, right?

 

[Phlexor]

I never wrote "dangerous method".

I think you should do whatever makes you happy... you were
going to anyway so the outcome really doesn't matter as long
as you are left with an intact ego, right?

You're a real piece of work are't you. Do you usually blame everyone else
for your own problems?

As long as your universe is static and doesn't change, everything will be
alright. Take a prozac, take a nap, and when you wake up all the bad
internet users will be gone.

 

[kony]

You're a real piece of work are't you. Do you usually blame everyone else
for your own problems?

As long as your universe is static and doesn't change, everything will be
alright. Take a prozac, take a nap, and when you wake up all the bad
internet users will be gone.

;-)

Thank you, I needed a laugh.
Have a nice day.

 

[Phlexor]

;-)

Thank you, I needed a laugh.
Have a nice day.

I'd guess I'd need a laugh too if my life was as depressing and lonely as
yours.

 

[kony]

I'd guess I'd need a laugh too if my life was as depressing and lonely as
yours.

After you get done obsessing over this, do your self a
favor- Learn how to clean contacts without stripping the
gold off. What worked in a half-assed trial does not equate
to proof that today's faster bussed, hotter running, more
power hungry systems will fare as well.

Another tip- If you find thoughts of prozac, depression,
and loneliness entering your head, it's all a
self-projection. Just because _you_ think about these
things doesn't mean others do, and until you can manage to
be technically correct in a technical group, you're insults
will fly more like troll fodder than anything else.
However, since you do think about these things I pity you,
and still wish you a nice day.