I have a prob with a puter that is actually my mom's and I've been tryin to fix it for her if it would ever boot up without problems.The puter is only 3-1/2yrs old now but started after 2yrs.(OS is XP) It started going straight into the power save mode when booted,unless the puter would sit around for a cpl weeks to maybe even a month,and then would boot right up no prob but then would all of the sudden freeze after maybe 20mins of being used.So I took it in my hands and told her that maybe there was too much activity going on in the background making it freeze,or even some spyware or virus'. I was able to disable some programs that were starting immed.at start up like messenger services,etc...unimportant things such as but then it froze again. So I have not been able to get back onto it long enough to run any tests because it freezes too quickly now.The prob has been persistent for over a yr now and getting worse and worse each time it is booted and I tend to wonder if any of it has to do with the fact that it has to be shut down manually all the time :?: Most of the time though it goes directly to the black screen...power save mode :sad: as stated... you have to wait a cpl weeks to a month for it to beable to boot up again normally but then it freezes. I have tried several optional tests that hp has suggested but nothing helped. Is there anyone at all who may have a clue on this one?? Any info would be greatly appreciated ;) thank you - Jody
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Jump to PostI think it could be a hardware fault. Moreover I think something inside your computer is overheating. I would check for that by opening up the case and switching the computer on.
Check for the following.1. That all the fans are spinning normally
2. without touching the components …
Jump to PostAt what point does it freeze? I you tried creating a bootlog... unless it freezes before it gets to that point? does it? Windows XP also has a recovery console on the original XP disk that might be able to restore the boot record.
Jump to PostThis sure sounds like a heating problem...
You need to check the cpu to heatsink contact...Your computer has a huge duct from the cpu to a fan mounted on the back of the case...
Is that fan spinning up...You need to go to HP and get …
Jump to PostI looked at one this morning for a friend of mine and I wasn't happy with what I saw (or in this case, didn't see). When I turned on the system, there was no response from the monitor, no beeping codes from the motherboard and the only sounds I heard …
Jump to Postdid i mention ,especially Athlon!lol
All 26 Replies
I think it could be a hardware fault. Moreover I think something inside your computer is overheating. I would check for that by opening up the case and switching the computer on.
Check for the following.
1. That all the fans are spinning normally
2. without touching the components directly & after its been running for a while check your hard drive for obvious signs of overheating.(I suggest wearing a surgical or rubber glove & check to make sure the drive isn't as warm as a freshly poured coffee cup.)
3. Can you smell anything overheating.(more difficult to describe I'm afraid)
4. Build up of dust on the components? Sometimes it helps clearing these by gently blasting them with the air from a bycycle pump.
5. Bugs....I have found old computers that have spiders & other insects.
I hope some of this helps. but anything that is overheating will most likely need replaced.
Thank you for your advice,but none of these things are the problems. I feel it is a little more than just dust and bugs (lol) I have checked these and I have been inside the computer several times trying different things... I removed the CMOS battery and even waited an hr b4 putting it back in, I tried booting from just the HD itself with nothing else connected, I have tried "de-charging" completely as hp calls it by holding the button in for 30secs. while battery is out and also everything unplugged internally, I have taken the RAM out and slid it in the 2nd port available or whatever, I have even used a can of air to blow the entire system out, etc... As I said, they have given me several options that I have tried and all have failed. It will not come out of the "power save mode" for almost a month of sitting without any use at all... and when it does... it freezes at boot-up,right when it shows on the screen to press F1 to enter set-up, so I cannot even get into set-up. Any other ideas please??
At what point does it freeze? I you tried creating a bootlog... unless it freezes before it gets to that point? does it? Windows XP also has a recovery console on the original XP disk that might be able to restore the boot record.
sorry I just read about the f1 part. So it goes into power save mode on Post. Have you got another ATX PSU you could try on it?
When resetting your CMOS have you try the jumper switch on the motherboard to clear the CMOS? what model of mboard,CPU have you got?
Well... I have hooked it up inside another computer to see if it would boot, but it says an error has occured to press F1 to retry, but only the same thing kept occuring. Other than this, I have not hooked it to anything else or even replaced anything yet. I tried to make a start-up disk from my puter and inserted it at start up on the hp, but it still would not come out of power save mode. I even tried re-installing windows from an origional disk, not just a restore, still nothing. I was reading about a compaq presario 700 which had "somewhat" similar probs, and ppl said that maybe it was the heat sink and the processor chip needing more or less re-bonded. Could this maybe be the same prob since considering the fact that all the internals of hp are made by compaq presario??
If the heatsink has an air gap of even the smallest amount then the CPU will overheat. I don't know if you have had a look already but it might be too late to recover the CPU if this is the case. If you can get into the BIOS or appropriate jumper settings then you could try and downclock your processor starting with the lowest clock speeds.
What you have said so far makes me think that u can rule out everything but.
either
1. the cpu.
2. Motherboard.
3. CMOS corruption.
4. ATX problems.
& possibly but unlikely the system memory. At this point I would also usually give up and get a new M/board+CPU.
If you keep at it then your a more patient man than me.
Good Luck m8.
First of all.. I have no idea even what the heatsink and cpu look like :o I've never been inside a puter b4 this one and I'm just learning as I go :D I at one time would've been able to get into the BIOS but as I stated.. it freezes up now when starting. Let me explain a bit more thoroughly from the beginnning:
My teen brother was always the one using the puter mostly,and after about a yr and a 1/2 it started freezing after being used for a cpl hrs. so he had to shut it down manually all the time. After doing this for a cpl months it would freeze within the hr of being used. Then all of the sudden the next time he went to use it, it was in the power save mode. My mom tried a cpl different times to turn it on and one day it booted right up after it sat around for a week to 2 weeks. So I told her to go into control panel to see what all my brother had installed for programs,and as she got there.. it froze again. So naturally she had to shut it down manually once again. So that is when I took it into my hands.I turned the computer on when she gave it to me,worked fine 1st time and booted to the main screen. I disabled several messenger services along with other programs my brother had downloaded that were starting up right at the startup screen. Things were going fine for about an 1/2 an hr,but then as I was trying to download an anti-virus software to run,well it hung up and froze. I waited and waited for about 20 mins-1/2 hr,but nothing could be done at all.. not with the mouse,not even the keyboard would work. So at this point I had to manually shut it down.. and of course.. it went into the power save mode. So now it stays in power save mode for almost about a month of sitting around without trying to be used at all... then when turned back on it will boot to the BIOS screen where it has the system info and states to press F1 to enter set-up... but it freezes right there on that screen.
So this is when I checked all the internals and pulled eevrything out of their slots and used the can of air to blow out all the dust,but I did not see where anything was corroded or even fried looking and nothing smells burned either. So here I am stuck trying to figure out what internal part went bad because I feel something must have :cry: although I did not feel it would be the motherboard since it will boot-up fine after sitting around for a cpl months,it just has the problem with freezing up too quickly to beable to do anything now.
(I have two computers of my own that I never have any problems with and keep very well maintained with virus and spyware software that I run all the time... I do not download any windows updates,for they seems to cause me more problems with the way my computer operates. So I did a clean install of windows XP and I just leave it at that) :cheesy:
I do not know much about all these internals nor what is a sign of what going bad... so what does anyone think it could be?? Possiblely the motherboard?? As for the ATX problem mentioned.. I have no idea what you're referring to here :o and btw... YES... I am very patient(but not a man,lol)along with being determined to fix this dang thing if possible... b4 she goes and spends all that money she does not have to buy a new one... unless I cannot fix it for her cheaper than that!! Thanks again!! ;)
The CPU is somewhere in the middle of you motherboard with a big fan & metalic heatsink clipped on top of it. If there is a gap of air between the metal heatsink & the tiny processor chip below then the processor(CPU) will not be getting cooled properly. With any device once it reaches a critical temperature it will most likey fry some part of the CPU, by the CPU's very nature it may work but be very tempremental. This could be causing some of what your suggesting.
(as I said I would have given up already and went a bought a shiny new kit but since I understand how determined a woman can be..I'll try and keep up :)
At this point I would have to say that Its most certainly not related to windows or any programs installed on your harddrive.
1. I would also try using another memory chip from another computer...if it still doesn't work then
2. Put your old memory back and look on the motherboard for any jumper switches that look like you can select clock speeds(for example 100mhz & 3.2v) and set them to the lowest combination of voltage and clock speeds & try that.
Try that and let me know. I recon a new motherboard & CPU would set you back around $50 depending on what you needed. see the images for what the jumper switches look like on other motherboards
<img src="http://www.asus.co.jp/mb/socket370/tusl2-c/jumper.gif">
<img src="http://members.aol.com/sentinel84/uas/cpu/bus2.gif">
and what the CPU looks like.
<img src="http://members.aol.com/don5408/cpu2.gif">
This sure sounds like a heating problem...
You need to check the cpu to heatsink contact...
Your computer has a huge duct from the cpu to a fan mounted on the back of the case...
Is that fan spinning up...
You need to go to HP and get the PDF on your system...
Remove the duct check your fan
Push down on the two tabs on top of the duct
Rotate it down until it disengages then remove it completely
Remove the heatsink from the CPU
You dont need to remove the CPU
Clean off the cpu and apply a new coating of heat transfer grease.. (Special stuff)
Replace the heatsink and fan shroud/duct BEFORE you turn it back on....
This is a very common problem
Thank you both,I will try all that I can do of these things mentioned over the next cpl of days (have to go buy some grease,lol) then I will post the results :) However,I did take a look inside earlier but could not find any kind of jumper switches...and as for the memory I cannot even interchange any out of either of my puters into this one,they are completely different :rolleyes: and the cheapest I could find cost $50.00. As for a motherboard,I checked on prices but don't know which one would be needed exactly,but even the cheapest one I could find was $129.00 itself and a CPU processor was $99.00,these are just the cheapest at new prices around here. Anyway,I will come back when I get finished and let you know what happens!! Thanks again!! ;)
In all honesty, that mobo is not worth upgrading...
(If that is the problem)
For about the same money you could do much better....
Even the cheapest AMD $50 mobo cpu at frys would dance circles around that HP700...
You can reuse the CDRom... On some it is propietary (sp)
as well as the floppy drive. again sometimes not...
You are better off using it as a door stop...
Please, please understand that I am not trying to knock your system...
But it has lived a long and happy life (In computer years)
There is a $199 PC at Wallmart that has Linspire Linux on it that is hard to beat for a pre-assembled unit.
Drop your copy of 98se onto it and away you go...
Or explore Linux.... It has come a long way.... Set up a dual boot....
The people here will always help and are more than friendly....
Less than a month ago I tossed a working HP700 after pulling the hard drive to recover the owners data...
I kept the ram to give to a neighbor...
The odds are... that a little elbow grease and Heat transfer grease will do the trick...
Good luck...
Well I am back and sadly to say...nothing worked at all yet...it is still in the power save mode when turned on. I was not going to re-place anything inside this PC because I know it is not worth upgrading... I am only trying to help my mother to see if I can get it up and running again b4 she goes out to buy a new one.
By the way....Walmart does NOT sell a PC that cheap where I live and neither does ANY electronic/computer stores even for a re-built one...but thanx.
I have contacted hp by email to see what kind of solutions they tell me this time :rolleyes: but I am open to anymore suggestions if anyone has any pleasssssse :cheesy: Thank you!!
Hello again... I guess noone has any more suggestions that I can try or know of anything else? HP keeps giving me the run around about getting into the BIOS to change the settings to stop it from going into power save mode...but gee... I cannot get there because it boots directly to the power save mode :eek: besides I already knew this much but can't get around the power save mode at all :cry: Anyway, how about the power supply? Does anyone know maybe if this could be causing these probs? Thanks so much again ;)
Did you remove and reapply the thermal compound? I would have guessed this was an overheating problem too. Most CPU's made by Intel will turn themselves off before overheating to the point of causing damage. Older AMD's didn't do this, not sure about the newer ones.
It is possible for this to be a power supply problem; it certainly shouldn't hurt anything to try it if you have another one.
When you're working inside the computer, are you using methods to prevent damage via static electricity? Like a wrist strap or frequently touching a metal part of the case?
If you decide to go for a new one...
Check out these at wal-mart.com:
http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.gsp?product_id=3380786
I haven't used that OS, but if you don't like it, you can replace it with Win98 as Thong_Insector said.
http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.gsp?product_id=3356855
This comes with Linspire OS (previously known as Lindows) which is an excellent OS, in my opinion, but again, if you don't like it, you can replace it.
And at Fry's (Outpost.com):
http://shop4.outpost.com/product/4199403?site=sr:SEARCH:MAIN_RSLT_PG
This one also has the Linspire OS
If you have either of these stores locally, you can save on shipping charges.
Dell also has good prices and sometimes have campaigns that offer free shipping.
Thank you for your reply!! :mrgreen:
When you mention "thermal compound" are you referring to the heat transfer grease that Thong_Inspector suggested? If so, this did not work either because I still cannot get it to come out of the power save mode for any means what so ever and is really frustrating :( I'm sure that if it is an overheating problem and if nothing was literally "fried" inside, by the time I'm done that should be solved, lol.
Anyway, I just learned recently about the static electricity and did not take any precautions as to a wrist strap, but of course common sense wise I knew not to touch any metal to metal except for the screwdriver to the screws so I'm hoping nothing went wrong :-| the computer is acting the same as it always has been for the past year, so I'm thinking it'll be alright (I hope). So I guess basically there is nothing I can do to bring this computer out of power save mode when it is being as stubborn as this and not even letting me in the BIOS? However, I am going to try the power supply since they are cheap enough and if that does not work... I will tell my mom about these ones you have posted.
I apologize; I maybe made Thong_Inspector sound like a liar but I was not meaning that at all. I called our local Walmart where I live in Pennsylvania and they told me that they do not sell any PC's individually... they are all sold in a package deal. So I am so sorry about that. I never even thought to look online :rolleyes:
As for the Linspire OS, I have never even heard of it so I have no clue to what it is! I have an ME and XP disk here I purchased recently that I can use, so it's no big deal on what the OS is :cheesy: I really appreciate all the posts recieved and suggestions given here and thank you! I will post again if anything good comes out of all of this and I get it working again! If anything else should happen to come to mind...please don't hesitate on posting because I am open for all options before buying another or upgrading the motherboard :cool:
When you mention "thermal compound" are you referring to the heat transfer grease that Thong_Inspector suggested?
Yes, I was wondering if you actually had replaced it.
Maybe the power supply will work, good luck and let us know.
(I don't think anyone thought you were calling anyone a liar:) )
Hello again, sorry it took so long to respond.. been too busy with work to even try anything else with this PC, lol. Anyway... I tried the thermal compound yes, but not replacing any parts/hardware if thats what you are referring to.
I am hoping that this is only a power supply problem, for it seems to be the cheapest thing to replace. I will deffinately get back to you on this when I get finished and post the results (within the next week or so) :cheesy: thanks again!!
Hello again... I guess noone has any more suggestions that I can try or know of anything else? HP keeps giving me the run around about getting into the BIOS to change the settings to stop it from going into power save mode...but gee... I cannot get there because it boots directly to the power save mode :eek: besides I already knew this much but can't get around the power save mode at all :cry: Anyway, how about the power supply? Does anyone know maybe if this could be causing these probs? Thanks so much again ;)
After you check the CPU and Heatsink.
Maybe as a last resort you could try using the system restore feature of your HP(if it has it). I had an HP 762n and it had a seperate partition on the hard drive that would restore XP to its original state. I'm not sure if yours has it since it's about a year older. If I remember correctly, pressing F10 on start-up will bring up the recovery options. Remember, depeding on your recovery selection, all of your files & settings would be erased.
Yes this PC has the system restore feature but I cannot get into any means of the BIOS what so ever as I have already mentioned a few times previously! It does not matter what I press on start-up, NOTHING HAPPENS, it just stays in the power save mode. But thank you very much for your suggestion ;)
Best fix(s) seem here: http://forums.viaarena.com/messageview.aspx?catid=43&threadid=54860&STARTPAGE=1&FTVAR_FORUMVIEWTMP=Linear
I worked on some of these for COMPAQ Repair agent and here in NZ we were installing a type of Plastic Spacer around the CPU - was not sure if it fixed it for good, but the above link seems to offer really good options that seem to work - most without having to open the laptop.
Cheers!
Hello again to all! I just wanted to come back and let you know what the problem was with this PC. It was not the motherboard as most people I talked with told me because I replaced it unfortunately, but it was in fact the graphics card instead! Now though, I have come across another problem :sad: When I turn on the PC it will finally boot just fine and not in this power save mode, but now it seems to be stuck on the logo screen. When powered up the screen just shows: HP Invent and stays there, nothing else and I cannot even do anything because the keyboard won't even seem to work. Any ideas on this one? Thanks!! :cheesy:
I read this long tale of woe with interest as I have today caused the same problem on my fairly new custom built machine. I say caused (which means that it is not a hardware problem) because I tweaked the following setting (don't ask why!) in the BIOS: Advanced, Ex Sata.....changed from ex Sata to PCI-E which, when I checked the motherboard manual said couldn't be done!! I was trying to solve another problem and changed this setting on the basis that I could change it back. But like our friend my computer (not this one) boots straight into power save and I am at a complete loss for a solution.
My point is that (unless the setting caused it) there is not a hardware problem, I just need to get into the BIOS to reverese the setting.
Any ideas would be most appreciated
I looked at one this morning for a friend of mine and I wasn't happy with what I saw (or in this case, didn't see). When I turned on the system, there was no response from the monitor, no beeping codes from the motherboard and the only sounds I heard were the fans gently whirring away.
1.) I swapped out the video card with one I knew was good, but nothing changed.
2.) I unplugged both the case fan & the CPU fan and listened carefully.....the only thing I heard was the hard drive, but still no repsonse.
Is this indicative of motherboard failure and should I advise them to replace the MB or buy a new system?
Was there something else I missed and should have done?
I looked at one this morning for a friend of mine and I wasn't happy with what I saw (or in this case, didn't see). When I turned on the system, there was no response from the monitor, no beeping codes from the motherboard and the only sounds I heard were the fans gently whirring away.
1.) I swapped out the video card with one I knew was good, but nothing changed.
2.) I unplugged both the case fan & the CPU fan and listened carefully.....the only thing I heard was the hard drive, but still no repsonse.
Is this indicative of motherboard failure and should I advise them to replace the MB or buy a new system?
Was there something else I missed and should have done?
hi, first you should tell us a little more about the spec of the computer ,and you should never run a computer with out the cpu fan plugged in . try another power supply
hi, first you should tell us a little more about the spec of the computer ,and you should never run a computer with out the cpu fan plugged in . try another power supply
I only ran it for about 30 seconds, just long enough to get a quick listen for the drive.
The system is an Athlon XP, ASUS A7N8X-LA MB with 256 MB PC2700 RAM, built in audio, video & LAN.
did i mention ,especially Athlon!lol
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