Motherboard Search 1

[Termn8tr2002]

Greetings:

I have a Compaq Presario S3100NX that contained a FIC AM37 motherboard (Socket 462 -- Socket A).

My question is: How am I able to locate another motherboard (NOT another AM37), but one that is compatible with this system.

I've searched various sites in hope of finding one that will fit the case, but the screw-holes are somewhat mismatched.

Any suggestions are greatly appreciated...or if you have further questions, please hollar!

T

 

[edfair]

The usual solution is to replace the case and power supply.
I know that isn't the answer you want, but knowing the real problems you are facing, it is probably the most realistic.
You're faced with finding something that has to match the board drilling and the I/O plate openings. The machine has been around long enough that the industry has probably moved on from the time that one was built.

Ed Fair
Give the wrong symptoms, get the wrong solutions.

 

[garebo]

I believe this question is related, so here goes.
Edfair, you mentioned replacing the power supply and the case instead of just the case. Does that mean Compaq has proprietary power supplies like Dell?
The answer to this applies to Termn8tr2002 for sure!


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[Eguy]

Termn8tr2002,

Compaq MOBO's are proprietary and do not accept "off the shelf" replacements. Go with edfair's suggestion and just get a new case and power supply. A minimal expense given the headaches you will have following any other upgrade path.

Ed


Please let me know if the suggestion(s) I provide are helpful to you.
Sometimes you're the windshield... Sometimes you're the bug.

 

[garebo]

Your choices are to get another of the same mobo, and that will get you up and running for the least amount of money.
You probably cant get another one new, except if you pay way too much buying it from Compaq or something like that.
But you COULD join a forum thats buys and sells, and i guarantee i could fine a good, used one for you for like $20.

Another choice would be to get another case, power supply and mobo, with the mobo being able to handle your socket A, AMD cpu. You might likely be able to sell the old case and power supply on a forum. More money than the first method, maybe around $100 or so, up to $150.

Another choice would be to get a new case, power supply, mobo, and cpu. Now there you could go from $200 to the limit, say perhaps $600 or so, course you could easily go higher as well.

Those are your choices. That is the simple version as we havent mentioned your os and if the extra pci and\or agp cards you have will port over to another os, if you are moving to win xp from another os. My guess is you will likely be ok with your extras but i dont know that for sure.




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[paparazi]

Termn8tr2002
Firstly I'm not disagreeing with the others, it's just I think this compaq is a standard layout.
Certainly the FIC AM37 appears to be a very standard Via KM266 integrated chipset motherboard and not a proprietory motherboard (with differant wiring) that is sometimes used.
What that means is, if this is true? you could use another brand of this "very common type" of mainboard.

The link I provide is for the Asus KM400A chipset (A7V-400-mx) which is just a later chipset version of essentially the same motherboard (but Asus of course) although Abit, Asrock, MSI all do similar.

You would be able to re-use CPU/heatsink and memory.
Infact the chipsets are so similar it might even boot and run (although I would always recommend a clean re-install)

So it depends on if you are prepared to take a gamble? as a percentage choice and looking at all the facts I would give it a high chance of sucess but it's down to you.

My reservations would be about the possibility of a single multiplug for front panel header? you need to have a close look.

See this recommendation below:

http://usa.asus.com/products/mb/socketa/a7v400-mx/overview.htm#

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Participate and help others.

 

[garebo]

If that is possibly true then he needs to contact compaq and find out from the source, that way there will be no guessing.
I always figure if a person posts in here with something definitive like this, then they have researched this and its not a guess. Eguy, in this case, said they were proprietary so i took his word for it.
I know pretty well all the older Dells are proprietary and some of the new ones, but i have also heard that some of the new Dells are no longer proprietary, but i know nothing about Compaq in that area but i wouldnt be at all surprised if they were proprietary. Rotten shame that, far as i am concerned they should tell people about this fact, it should be spelled out plainly before a purchase is made.



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[paparazi]

It's a difficult call and I maybe wrong but with this motherboard being a mainstream retail product, I doubt it's proprietory, unless they produced a different variant for Compaq? and that surely would have been rebadged or have a label covering the screen print numbers?


If Eguy knows for sure! that this board is wired differently then thats fine, or was his an assumption based on his own experiences with Compaq and with other models?

Martin

We like members to GIVE and not just TAKE.
Participate and help others.

 

[Eguy]

Eguy, in this case, said they were proprietary so i took his word for it.

I will stick to my guns:

http://www.softwaretipsandtricks.com/forum/archive/index.php/t-6074.html

Ed

Please let me know if the suggestion(s) I provide are helpful to you.
Sometimes you're the windshield... Sometimes you're the bug.

 

[garebo]

Well, at one time Dells mobos were made by, i believe, Asus, then they switched to another mobo mfgr.
And this can be said for other companies like Gateway, HP, and others.

I believe its a matter of a company like Dell ordering a gazillion mobos from the same place on the condition that the wiring is done the way they want. Same with the power supplys.
A lot of people, if not most people feel this is just a way for Dell and the others to force you into buying vastly overpriced mobos and power supplies from them instead of a reasonable price from, say, newegg.


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[paparazi]

Eguy
With respect, have you worked on this particular Compaq before? and know that this motherboard has been made for Compaq with proprietory specifications?

I've taken a close look at this board and it looks like a standard retail mainboard but others have there doubts.

http://www.fica.com/site/html/products/mb/detail.asp?cat_id=240000049&C_ID=240000484

Compare the Asus board:

http://usa.asus.com/products/mb/socketa/a7v400-mx/overview.htm#

We like members to GIVE and not just TAKE.
Participate and help others.

 

[garebo]

In some ways these mobos are the same, in other ways they arent exactly, although i do believe the basics are the same.
However, i think it would simply be wise to ask Compaq, or even FIC. Its worth an email for sure.

The thing is that 2 mobos can look very much the same but if the pinouts are different it spells trouble. Thats exactly what Dell does.

I believe what you are saying, paparazi, is that if the mobo is made for retail its not used as oem, or oem proprietary. I dont know enough to answer that but i would be willing to bet that these companies probably make some retail and then make some of the same mobos for people like Dell and change the pinouts and the power supplies are rigged the same. After all, its all about sales for them, and sales from the same technology is better than sales based on building complete new boards with totally different schematics as opposed to a few pinout changes.
Hard to say unless we get someone who can say they know for a fact, i cant say that. I can only say that Dell has been known to do that but i dont even know for sure if you can get the same mobo that Dell uses but with the regular pinout. And i think thats the crux of your argument, paparazi?


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[paparazi]

I guess our discussion is enough to have planted the seeds of doubt and have put off Termn8tr2002 from buying a motherboard.
Just too risky?? I guess.
My point was simply that I believe that there is still a good chance this Asus or any other similar KM400 based mini ATX motherboard would work in this Compaq.

But I agree there is no place to go with this argument,unless you can get confirmation from Compaq that the FIC AM37 board they use in this rig is a standard mainboard and conforms to international ATX form factor requirements.
If confirmed then the Asus or similar could be a viable replacement.
Martin

We like members to GIVE and not just TAKE.
Participate and help others.

 

[garebo]

I believe i lean too far in believing what i read here sometimes and should lean more toward making certain.
In this case, the only way would be to either hear from Compaq or another member here who has worked with this particular mobo and can state from their own experience.

Im sure Termn8tr2002 realizes he can't really make an informed decision until he knows all the facts for certain.
It's our job to make sure he knows all the facts and that the facts are indeed true!

So, Termn8tr2002, shoot an email to Compaq and also you might consider calling a computer shop or 2, speak to the repair section and see if anyone there has hands-on info to give you. Only then can you make up your mind.
After that, i have already posted your main options.


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[pintail]

garebo, you mentioned a forum that buys/sells. What were you referring to, examples?

 

[garebo]

Well, i am well known at anandtech and tech imo. All you have to do is register on those forums. Once there you can get a mobo and also simply ask and you will get the names of a dozen more places where you can buy a used mobo.
However, a word of caution. Most of the people there are very honest but there are trolls (thieves) there also.
So best to ask for help. I can meet you there if you want.
Best to email me at kingbee (at) cogeco (dot) ca for more info. I havent been on the forums there for a while but the older folks all know me so i will give you my forum name there, its not the same as this one here.



Good advice + great people = tek-tips

 

[Termn8tr2002]

Greetings & Tnx for the responses...

The system has a MicroATX form Factor board and I have found one that is quite similiar. It's listed here on Newegg: GIGABYTE "GA-7VM333M-RZ" VIA KM266 Pro Chipset Motherboard for AMD Socket A CPU

The original mobo is 9.6 x 9.2 and the one listed above is 9.6 x 9.6.

If I am unable to find a decent replacement, I'll give this board a shot...

T

 

[garebo]

Here's another place, its fairly new though.

http://groups.msn.com/COMPUTERSWAPPERS/general.msnw

Good advice + great people = tek-tips

 

[Halfcan]

Buy a new MB and case. Personally, I would never buy a compaq in the first place. They are too proprietary, and in general just suck.

HC

 

[garebo]

To Halfcan

Again, you can ONLY make that statement IF Compaq is not proprietary. If it IS proprietary then he or she would also have to get a new power supply as well.
IF you have a proprietary mobo you may very well, and likely do, have a proprietary power supply.
So we have to be careful when giving advice when it comes to at least some Compaq, some Dell, and i dont know, there could be others, HP i believe.

I ran into another thing a month ago. This guys cdrom was toast but he still had the Acer-built computer under warranty. But get this, his computer is RIVETED shut, no screws to take the case apart, rivets instead of screws. You can take off one side, but not the top or the other side. All riveted! No wonder we build our own computers,lol.



Good advice + great people = tek-tips