Heeelllp! bad processor?bad motherboard? How do I tell? Heeeelp!

[christyhicks]

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

[Vigo]

They would have likely sent a refurbished board.

Have you tried booting the original rig with nothing but graphics card, memory and cpu plugged in? Make sure the cpu fan is plugged into the motherboard, that might be why the board powers down after a few seconds.

Placing the AMD 3000 in the board won't damage the cpu unless you do something "wrong". The bios on your old board may not support the cpu so you probably wouldn't be able to get very far. It might still be a good idea to test the amd 3000 in the board to see if your old cpu is the culprit (if your board won't stay powered it could be the cpu itself).

You can also throw your current cpu into the amd 3000 rig. To see if the cpu itself still works.

As for the new board... does the board led light up? If it doesnt even do that I wouldn't waste another second of my time. If the led lights up but you get nothing with the graphics card, memory, and cpu intsalled- I'd still check the cpu first. If the cpu checks out than thats where Id stop wasting my time and call HP. I wouldn't be very warm and pleasant either. I recently had to RMA a replacement board. AMD sempron/gigabyte combo. Once, ok. Twice, I drop the seller/manufacturer from my list.

Have you tried using HP's tech support?

[christyhicks]

Thanks for your response. . I began to dispair that no one would answer me

The computer is not under warranty, so the board I purchased was supposed to be a new one, but when board didn't show up after a few days, I called them and griped them out for not notifying me that the new board was not in stock. Two days later, this board shows up, and since they said they were out of new boards. . I'm thinking they may have substituted a refurb or returned one.

I tried to boot unit with only a ram chip (which was tested and showed to be good), fans (yes plugged into board) and cpu installed, even with a new power supply, and when you apply power, the fans come on for 5 seconds and then everything shuts off, this is with the old board. . with the new board they don't even come on. Nothing happens, not even any lights.

My problem is I don't know if they sent me a good board or not, since it came in the opened and worn static bag. . just doesn't seem professional. . .seems like that would be the shape of a static bag a customer may have laying around the house for quite a while. I've never received a part in anything but a new, sealed static bag.

Here's the big question, if I set the 3000 chip into the 2200 machine.. . .can I damage the 3000 chip? I mean, of course, by just setting it in there and starting the computer. . .it only goes in one way and I know to use heat transfer compound and the heat sink. Someone told me that if the problem were in the board, I could burn up a perfectly good processor. . which are a bit pricey. I also could set the processor into the 3000 board, but again, I didn't want to damage a board if that could happen. If I don't change any jumpers (I only saw two jumpers on the board and don't have info on board to know what they are for), how far would computer attemp to go, assuming that my problem had been cpu. The boards in the two machines are extremely similar, but not identical. How often to cpu's go bad and how can you tell. This one has not external evidence of problems. . fans still run. . .it's prob about a 2 yr old computer.

So, I guess the big question is: will I screw up another computer by swapping a bad processor chip into it to test the processor. . .or will I screw up a good cpu by setting into a bad motherboard to test the motherboard?

[MaxRat]

I would suggest pulling everything out of the case....lay it all on something...plug it all together and short the two power terminals with a screw driver for a split second ..... that will let you know if there is a problem with the power/reset switch or a grounding short some where....

[christyhicks]

sorry, should have been more specific. . did short the two terminals together to bypass the start switch thinking maybe switch was bad. . .I'm just really stumped and down to two courses of action. . .find someone who can test processor and board for me. . .take my chances by putting 3000 processor from working computer into non-working computer and see if that fixes it. . .but am just to scared to try it yet. . .need to wait at least until my receptionist/scheduling/inventory girl leaves for the day, because if I break her computer. . she may whup me! Along with my office manager, the two of them outnumber me and they can take me for sure!
Any advice is appreciated! Um, I mean advice on troubleshooting, not defending myself.

[MaxRat]

I think after they all leave I would put the cpu from the busted pc into the good one...head for bios...adjust accordingly and boot it?

Just between you and me..if by some weird chance you bust the good pc, which you won't, just put it back together like it was before you touched it and play dumb?

I really should have not said that!

[christyhicks]

OK, FYI, I talked to a local computer guru to get his advice and to see if he wanted to try to test my motherboard and/or processor. His suggestion was to take the older processor out of the broken computer and insert it into the newer one, as the old board would not be likely to support the newer processor, plus, it would be unlikely the processor could ruin the board but more likely the board could ruin the processor. So, that's what I did and the computer booted right up, so that pretty much seals the deal that HP sent me a bad board. He said that Compaq (before they were part of HP) specifically told him that any time someone sent them a board that was "supposed to be bad", they would send it out to another customer, and if that customer also returned the board, then they would assume that the board was indeed bad and would send it in to be refurbished. This repair shop actually marked a board and received their own marked board back as a "new one" even though Compaq had not touched the board, which lead to that conversation with Compaq. He assured me that it was very likely that HP indeed sent me a bad board to start with, as I had indicated to him the state of the packing in which the board arrived. So, I will keep you updated on HP's response to my phone call, if they ever open back up. Called them today, Monday, and got a message that they were closed for the holidays.

[Cricket]

Originally Posted by christyhicks He said that Compaq (before they were part of HP) specifically told him that any time someone sent them a board that was "supposed to be bad", they would send it out to another customer, and if that customer also returned the board, then they would assume that the board was indeed bad and would send it in to be refurbished. This repair shop actually marked a board and received their own marked board back as a "new one" even though Compaq had not touched the board.

Geez, why am I not surprised?

Hope you get a working motherboard next time around.

Cricket

[Panama Red]

That is, without a doubt, the poorest example of customer service and warranty exchange I have ever heard!! So HP assumes the person id'ing the mobo as the problem is an idiot and sends a second defective board just to validate their assumption? Amazing!