I'm having a real problem figuring out what's wrong with my Compaq 2200 AMD computer. Computer was on, not being used, and evidently locked up over the weekend. Rebooted machine, but it wouldn't boot up past about 1/2-3/4 of the drivers. Tried safe boot-up, no go. Finally, took hard drive out and booted it up on another computer. . no problems with it. Compaq unit would only boot up on floppy, and you could access bios. . but no access to hard drives and cd drive seemed to hang.. . so assumed
that motherboard was bad, perhaps IDE section. Even brand new hard drive could not be formatted or loaded with Windows. Ordered exact replacement motherboard from HP, which came in sealed cardboard box but suprisingly, the static bag not only had seal broken and was open, but also looked like static bag had been used and reused with small holes pocked through it from pins. So, have nasty feeling they may have sent me a used motherboard, but here's what's wierd. Installed motherboard and when I turned power on, nothing happened. . .nothing. So , eventually installed old motherboard, which now would only turn the fans on for five seconds or so before shutting off! So, now I'm confused. Eventually, I've determined the following:
1. ram chips tested in other machines and one good chip installed in this maching
2. all drives removed and all cables removed
3. each fan checked and determined to be ok, unit with not staying running with no, either, or both fans connected
4. new power supply proved problem did not originate with old power supply
5. afraid to pull processor chip out of a Compaq 3000 AMD machine I have on site, for fear it is not compatable or possibly this action could damage a perfectly good processor chip and I'm only allowed to break one computer at a time
6. network card and wireless card removed so that all slots are empty, and moniter is plugged into onboard video port so issue is not with a card
7. only things plugged into board now are power supply main plug, main fan, processor chip, heat sink, and fan, on/off switch. . .
8. it's unlikely that both boards would need cmos reset?!?
when you hit on switch, fans come on for five seconds, then shut off
It is important to note that new board doesn't even power up, old board does the 5 second thing, but it didn't exhibit that problem originally. . only after we installed and removed the replacement circuit board. . and that takes me back to HP, would they have sent a NEW circuit board in an old, opened static pouch? Please. . someone save my butt! Thanks