"hunterke" <lsmforum@emailias-dot-com.no-spam.invalid> wrote in message
news:x_6dnXi3DLek0BTbnZ2dnUVZ_hadnZ2d@giganews.com ...
> Hi there!
>
> I just got a pretty old Compaq Deskpro config, really nothing special,
> approxx 1,3 GHz, 128 RAM, everything else integrated, and with a small
> HDD.
" the box wasn't opened, so the computer was untouched for five years."
Does this mean that it was a NEW PC that was never plugged in prior to you
doing so ? Or might it mean someone blew it up 5 yrs ago and put it in a
box meaning to call Compaq - but didn't. You came along recently and found
the box - in the closet at work maybe ?
The usual way I diagnose computer problems is by substituting known working
parts for what may or may not be working. To do this, you need to have some
extra parts lying around. If the Deskpro motherboard and power supply are
standard sized, then you can substitute parts easily.
At this point, the system may not be powering up because any one of the power
supply, motherboard, processor, or memory could have failed. Memory failures
are generally pretty rare. Processor failures are even more rare, especially if
nothing else has failed.
If you can find a friendly and inexpensive computer repair place, that may be
the quickest way to a working computer, as long as Compaq spare parts are
available. But I would not spend more than $50 on the computer, and someone
else may even consider that to be too much... Ben Myers
>Hi there!
>
>I just got a pretty old Compaq Deskpro config, really nothing special,
>approxx 1,3 GHz, 128 RAM, everything else integrated, and with a small
>HDD.
>
>the box wasn'tg opened, so the computer was untouched for like five
>years.
>
>i tried to turn it on, but nothing happened...
>the led on the mainbord is on, so the power supply is OK (I tried
>another one too...)
>
>the cables leading to the turn on button seem to be OK too, cuz i
>tried to connect the jumpers manually, and still nothing happened.
>
>i don't know what the problem is, the PC is too old for a complaint;
>and I really dont know what know.
>
>i mean can i fix it somehow? probably not, but i'm courious, maybe i
>didn't try everything...
> hunterke wrote:
> Hi there!
>
> I just got a pretty old Compaq Deskpro config, really nothing
special, approxx 1,3 GHz, 128 RAM, everything else integrated, and
with a small HDD.
>
> the box wasn'tg opened, so the computer was untouched for like five
years.
>
> i tried to turn it on, but nothing happened...
> the led on the mainbord is on, so the power supply is OK (I tried
another one too...)
>
> the cables leading to the turn on button seem to be OK too, cuz i
tried to connect the jumpers manually, and still nothing happened.
>
> i don't know what the problem is, the PC is too old for a
complaint; and I really dont know what know.
>
> i mean can i fix it somehow? probably not, but i'm courious, maybe
i didn't try everything...
It was untouched until now. No
dust, nothing. It was in the box the whole time. I'm 100% sure.
I've tried to change the power supply/memory, mouse+kbd (that
shouldn't be a problem though), but nothing...
Thanks for the tips, I'm thinking the same thing; it has no reason to
"invest" in it's repair, because it's too old for now...
I just thought it might have some jumper protection for lame users, or
whatever; that should prevent unwanted people from first usage.
But it seems nothing like this exists...
"hunterke" <lsmforum@emailias-dot-com.no-spam.invalid> wrote in message
news:x_6dnXi3DLek0BTbnZ2dnUVZ_hadnZ2d@giganews.com ...
> Hi there!
>
> I just got a pretty old Compaq Deskpro, really nothing special,
> approx 1,3 GHz, 128 RAM, everything else integrated, and with a small
> HDD.
>
> the box wasn't opened, so the computer was untouched for like five
> years.
>
> I tried to turn it on, but nothing happened...
> the led on the mainboard is on, so the power supply is OK (I tried
> another one too...)
Does the fan on the ps turn at all when you hit the ON button ?
Don't get upset -
just asking in case the replacement PS was with the original shipment:
On each power supply was the 110/220V slide switch in the correct position
?
( Half the correct voltage might be enough to turn on an LED but nothing
else. )
I can tell you that a friend has a PC that was dead and wouldn't turn on
its fan AND the LED on the mainboard was lit. It's happened twice. Each
time it was a bad power supply.
If nothing else, go to www.Compaq.com and search for your model number.
Then " go to " manuals - Setup, Service for specifics before tossing it.
Good luck.
> hunterke wrote:
> Hi there!
>
> I just got a pretty old Compaq Deskpro config, really nothing
special, approxx 1,3 GHz, 128 RAM, everything else integrated, and
with a small HDD.
>
> the box wasn'tg opened, so the computer was untouched for like five
years.
>
> i tried to turn it on, but nothing happened...
> the led on the mainbord is on, so the power supply is OK (I tried
another one too...)
>
> the cables leading to the turn on button seem to be OK too, cuz i
tried to connect the jumpers manually, and still nothing happened.
>
> i don't know what the problem is, the PC is too old for a
complaint; and I really dont know what know.
>
> i mean can i fix it somehow? probably not, but i'm courious, maybe
i didn't try everything...
well, I had these things in mind
too.
pushing the button has NO effect on any component of the mainboard, or
anything (the led is on when I connect the PS) -the other supply is
100% OK, because I'm using in the other PC on a daily basis.
The slide is OK as well (I've put it in the other position, and back
again, but nothing. /it wasn't connecten then of course/)
If the system unit is really new and untouched after all these years, you
might look at the clock battery on the motherboard. It will most likely be a
round, shiny and reflective silver button cell battery. This battery is most
likely a CR2032.
It is a long shot, but this battery could well be dead. Some computers won't
power up with a missing/dead battery. You can buy one (buy a name brand
battery!) for $2-$3 if you're in the US and probably for a similar amount
elsewhere.
"William R. Walsh" <newsgroups1@idontwantjunqueemail.walshcomptech.co m>
wrote in message news:1WQii.194435$_c5.18423@attbi_s22...
> Hi!
>
> If the system unit is really new and untouched after all these years,
> you
> might look at the clock battery on the motherboard. It will most likely
> be a
> round, shiny and reflective silver button cell battery. This battery is
> most
> likely a CR2032.
>
> It is a long shot, but this battery could well be dead. Some computers
> won't
> power up with a missing/dead battery. You can buy one (buy a name brand
> battery!) for $2-$3 if you're in the US and probably for a similar
> amount
> elsewhere.
>
> William
>
>
That's worth a shot! : maybe it is bad and pulling the voltage down - pop
it out and try to power up.
In the past, I've generally found without a battery ( or dead) it just
asks BIOS settings each time you turn it on. ( since it doesn't remember
the settings).
"hunterke" <lsmforum@emailias-dot-com.no-spam.invalid> wrote in message
news:TvqdnZPg3oeJNRbbnZ2dnUVZ_gKdnZ2d@giganews.com ...
>
> > hunterke wrote:
> > Hi there!
> >
> > I just got a pretty old Compaq Deskpro config, really nothing
> special, approxx 1,3 GHz, 128 RAM, everything else integrated, and
> with a small HDD.
> >
> > the box wasn'tg opened, so the computer was untouched for like five
> years.
> >
> > i tried to turn it on, but nothing happened...
> > the led on the mainbord is on, so the power supply is OK (I tried
> another one too...)
> >
> > the cables leading to the turn on button seem to be OK too, cuz i
> tried to connect the jumpers manually, and still nothing happened.
> >
> > i don't know what the problem is, the PC is too old for a
> complaint; and I really dont know what know.
> >
> > i mean can i fix it somehow? probably not, but i'm courious, maybe
> i didn't try everything...
>
> well, I had these things in mind
> too.
>
>
> pushing the button has NO effect on any component of the mainboard, or
> anything (the led is on when I connect the PS) -the other supply is
> 100% OK, because I'm using in the other PC on a daily basis.
>
> The slide is OK as well (I've put it in the other position, and back
> again, but nothing. /it wasn't connecten then of course/)
>
Are you replying to me ?
( you keep replying to your original question)
Why now you say 2 pc's ? And the other one is a Compaq Deskpro too ?
so you have TWO of these Compaq Deskpro's ? one works and one doesn't ?
If you don't have identical boxes, power supplies, then the fact that a ps
works in one and not the other doesn't mean that all parts of the PS are
good - just that the second might not need one voltage that the other does
need.
Again I'll cite experience with PC's I've worked on:
Symptom - DEAD. ( With PS "A" in there). The internal LED is on.
Try another PS ( not identical one "B" ) - same thing.
Put PS A in a second box - worked.
Put PS from B in second box - worked.
Replaced A with identical PS and it worked in the dead PC - so SOME part
of A's output IS used by the otherwise dead PC when it was not needed by
the second PC. This was especially true when 20/24 pin power supplies were
in transition. ( Maybe your vintage ?) On some, the 4 pin connector
plugged right into the motherboard - not as part of the 24 pin connector.
If so, then it needed that type. Using the 20 -24 pin adapter in the
second box worked fine because the motherboard in the second got its
voltages wired directly on the board ( maybe one etch goes to 4 pinouts
whereas on box A each needs a good output ??).
Unplug it and pop out the battery ( as Matthew recommended) with original
PS in there.
Good luck.
> hunterke wrote:
> Hi there!
>
> I just got a pretty old Compaq Deskpro config, really nothing
special, approxx 1,3 GHz, 128 RAM, everything else integrated, and
with a small HDD.
>
> the box wasn'tg opened, so the computer was untouched for like five
years.
>
> i tried to turn it on, but nothing happened...
> the led on the mainbord is on, so the power supply is OK (I tried
another one too...)
>
> the cables leading to the turn on button seem to be OK too, cuz i
tried to connect the jumpers manually, and still nothing happened.
>
> i don't know what the problem is, the PC is too old for a
complaint; and I really dont know what know.
>
> i mean can i fix it somehow? probably not, but i'm courious, maybe
i didn't try everything...
Thank you again, I already tried
the CMOS baterry change, but with no success...
The other computer, I was taking the parts from (battery, power
supply) is one of my working computers, so they're 100% good.
And no, that's a pentium also, but different socket, there's no
similarity.
I gave this Compaq away recently, so I don't really care about it
anymore, but thanks for everybody's advice. Too bad I couldn't figure
out what was wrong.
Maybe Bobb was right with the power supplys. I can't remember if i
tried my working computer with the compaq power supply...
Anyway, new computers are quite cheap nowadays, so i don't really care
about it.
Compaq Deskpro (probably Mainboard failure) 
Linear Mode
