Presario 5000 won't start - Stuck on Compaq logo

[JAKAFUTZ]

I'm working on a Presario 5000. It won't move past the Compaq logo screen. F10 won't take me into BIOS..Recovery CD and QuickRecovery CD don't work. No beeps and no logo when I pull the RAM. Unplugged and reseated all connections..replaced the MB battery. Since BIOS won't even respond I'm not concerned about the hard drive at this point. CTRL/ALT/DEL will restart, but still just the Compaq screen.

Bad MB? Any other suggestions before I throw this one into the trash?

 

[garebo]

Ok, im back.
Couple questions, in addition to needing info as above.

You can get into the bios. Is there a "default" setting?
If so try that. I also think there is a setting where you can disable the logo and you might get some info out of the first screen that way too!

Try all that and one more thing. Is there any way you can try that hard drive as even a slave on another system, win98 winme or win xp?
I am wondering if your bios can see the full drive, but you havent given us info on the h drive?
Could be you have to update the bios to see the drive properly.
This CAN be fixed, for sure.





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[garebo]

Sorry, i didnt see your post.
Right off the bat, its possible you may have to install the newer bios to be able to properly read and format a 20 gig h drive. I could be wrong on this, i dont know for sure.
Could solve your probs though.
Still i would really like to take a time-out and test this h drive on another machine! If it wont fdisk on a newer bios on a newer machine it could be that the h drive is kaput (fubar, or dead).



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[garebo]

Not only that, but if the bios is only a few months old, its a good bet there is a hard drive update in it!


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[JAKAFUTZ]

I lied...I've been doing a bit of research on the HD. Please look at this site...

http://maxtor.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/maxtor.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=1327

Do you think the Maxblast3 utility might work to help reformat this thing? I do have the latest BIOS...so I could try that. I could certainly try the HD in another PC...God knows I've got enough. I did select the default setting in the BIOS and I don't see where I could turn off the logo screen.

OK...now I'm off for the night...

 

[garebo]

I stay away from all hard drive software because all the mgrs overlay software is no good, they ALWAYS cause probs down the road! I couldnt say that any stronger.
And with fdisk around, who needs anything else?
Probably maxblast would be ok to format the hard drive, but since you want it to play nice with the bios why not use fdisk, since fdisk and the bios have to work together. Just my thinking. just dont use the overlay software! As they say, dont even think about it.

Just the word fdisk is so cool, the way it looks, the way it sounds. I am getting overtired, time for bed.

I would take the time to see if you can try the hard drive on another computer, we will be here waiting, lol.
And also install the new bios, guess they just package it all together now. Its been a long time.

One more thing. Now i am gonna catch hell for this but i dont care.You are depending on me, at least at this point, for advice, so im gonna give it as i see it. The point is the ide cable. Make double sure you are supposed to have an ide 66 cable. I could do it for you, but you can do it, just go to where you are there for your hard drive and see if its ultra 66 or ultra 100. It likely is. Disregarding all those who will jump on me for this, even if its ultra 66 or 100, try an ide 33 cable first off.

So like this:
different mchine, h drive as master all alone, with ultra 66 cable on the very end.
same as above but with h drive set at cable select.
If no good, then same as above but with ultra 33 cable as master.
If all that fails, install new bios to your compaq and start above process all over.
If they all fail, then start all over but use maxblast instead of fdisk, start at beginning, different machine, then your compaq.

Its gotta work at some point or the disk is simply broken.
good nite!







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[JAKAFUTZ]

I think I've got a bad HD. All of the equipment in the PC is original...HD, cables, etc...so everything worked at one time. I moved the HD to another PC and had the same issue...couldn't find the HD. New BIOS didn't help. MaxBlast couldn't find the HD...so it looks like a new HD may be in order. Of course I don't have a spare laying around so I'll have to scrounge one up.

Unless you have any other thoughts...I really do appreciate your time and effort here (and responsiveness)!

 

[pcdoc4christ]

JAKUFUTZ:

Sounds like you may be correct.

You may try this: When you boot the computer, does the drive begin to hum? If you can hear it spinning normally, & the cable & jumpering is OK, but the BIOS & FDISK do not recognize the drive, then my guess is that it is a failed logic board.

In that case, your only recourse may be to replace the hard drive. But, hey, after rebates you may be able to get one twice the size for half the money!

Doc

 

[garebo]

One last try, i dont give up easy, lol.
What about your jumpers?
Did you check out the jumper situation at maxtor for that drive you have?
If i recall correctly, that model is not the same as the standard maxtor. The standard maxtor for master is a jumper up and down on the first set of pins, then a jumper across the top after that, so you have made an "f", or a T with the top left end missing.
but i think this drive is different. Did you look up the jumpers on that drive?
If you make a jumper change and try it out, then try with both ide33 and ide 66\100 cables, i have seen one work and not the other! If ide 66\100 - 80 pin thin wires, then you have to put the drive on the black connnector and the blue on the mobo.




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[pcdoc4christ]

Good thinking, Garebo. Perhaps this pic will help:

http://www.maxtor.com/_files/maxtor/en_us/documentation/jumper_settings/style_a1.htm

Also, i just thought of something (& this may just be a shot in the dark): It may be a cable select.

JAKA:

Does the cable have a hole through one of the wires? If so, you may want to try to set the jumper on the hard drive to cable select.

Doc

 

[garebo]

Yup, i was rite on that one, not the standard t formation for the standard maxtor drive.
Life is so darn complicated.


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[JAKAFUTZ]

I did check out the Maxtor web site (below)and they do call for a ide66 cable. The type drive that I have is "style C" and the jumper is set for "cable select" already (shipped that way from Compaq and is the only setting it's ever had). When I installed it in my other PC, I used the ide66 cable that was in that machine vs. moving the other one over, so I think I've eliminated the cable as an issue. Keep the ideas coming if you have them. Thanks.

http://www.maxtor.com/portal/site/M...t/ATA Hard Drives/Desktop/DiamondMax D540X-4K

 

[pcdoc4christ]

Well, if you were being charged for a PC repair guy's time, he would have told you to replace the hard drive long before now!

Sorry to have to say this, but my thinking is that the hard drive is shot. But that's just my opinion.

Anyone else have another idea?



======================================

"Freely you have received, freely give." --Jesus

pcdoc4christ@yahoo.com

 

[garebo]

The only thing i can suggest at this point is to try the master setting, and even try an ide 33 cable. This is a last resort, after that, i too am out of ideas.
Seems to me you might have already changed the cable right?
Have you tried the drive in another computer at all?
So many entries here i am too lazy to check, lol.

WE dont often fail here, but sometimes you just cant win, and hard drives are notorious for failing. I am looking at a western dig 60 gigger of mine that died in a firewire enclosure, click of death, even the refridgerator trick didnt help, but i had the data backed up for a change, lol.
Also looking at a dead 20 gig samsung h drive.



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[pcdoc4christ]

JAK:

I'm exhausting all ideas at this point, so please forgive me if this has already been considered.

You mentioned: "When I installed it in my other PC, I used the ide66 cable that was in that machine vs. moving the other one over, so I think I've eliminated the cable as an issue." Are you sure the other cable was cable select cable? or that you changed the jumper to master if it was not? I know, stupid question! but i've overlooked more obvious things before.

Also, did you check the CMOS settings? I'm not sure if you are still able to access the COMPAQ Computer Corporation Setup Utility. If you are, check the "IDE Option" under the Storage. The "IDE Drive Translation" should be set to Enable. I know, setting CMOS to the defaults should have taken care of this, but it's a long shot.

If, for some odd reason, it is set to Disable, use the arrow key to change it to Enable, press F10, then navigate to File, scroll down to "Save Changes and Exit."

When the PC reboots, keep pressing F10 till the word Setup appears, then navigate to Storage & scroll down to "IDE Devices" where it should show, for Primary Drive 0, at lease the size of the drive. If it states, "Not Installed," then i'm out of ideas & you may have to make funeral arrangements for the HDD.

Good luck!
Doc


======================================

"Freely you have received, freely give." --Jesus

pcdoc4christ@yahoo.com

 

[JAKAFUTZ]

OK guys...wanted to close this one out. I broke down and bought a new hard drive (80 GB for $29.99...what a bargain). Put it in and installed the QuickRestore CD...and everything is great. As I said be fore...I REALLY appreciate all of your suggestions and sticking in there with me. I guess I knew all along it was a bad disk drive, but what the hey...might as well try!

 

[garebo]

Where did you get that deal?


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[JAKAFUTZ]

COMPUSA...Western Digital 80GB IDE...$99 less tons of rebates for a net price of $29.99. It's a 5-day only sale that started yesterday...

 

[garebo]

thanks!

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