[rmprudente]

I just got this Compaq Presario 5726 for free and I'm fixing it up for my kids. The hard drive was shot, from a virus so I replaced it with the 2 from my kids' old machine but I am still having problems. I keep getting an error message right after it starts booting, 400019C 53 201-Memory Error, and below that 164-Memory Size error. During the memory test it says there's 64mb but once the machine boots, system info says 160. It has a pentium3 500/100 processor, is running Win98 and says the sys ROM date is 6/22/99. I was told '99 was when the computer was bought and I get the impression it hasn't been updated since. Also, besides the memory error there is a pink tint to the screen I can't get rid of and sometimes the computer won't shut down, it'll freeze when there's a black screen and a blinking cursor and the power button does nothing. I am not exactly a huge geek, just a geek in training so I am not sure what all to do. Could it just need updates or is there a bigger problem? I did find updates for it on HP's site and here's the one that I think is needed the most. I just don't want to do anything till I know for sure, don't want to mess everything up and I'm not sure if that'll fix it all. Here's the info for the update:
Fixes
Corrected ReadMe file with installation instructions is not available until after installation Corrected problem where all NICs installed did not appear in Communication screen on some systems. Corrected problem where diagnostics detects non-ECC memory modules as ECC memory on some systems. Corrected problem where Proliant DL760 product name is incorrectly displayed as just ProLiant. Corrected problem where Proliant 8500 product name is incorrectly displayed as just ProLiant. Corrected problem where Proliant 6400R product name is incorrectly displayed as just ProLiant. Corrected problem where the diagnostics Control Panel icons are disappearing on Windows 2000 systems. Corrected problem where the Network Ping Test does not fail when multiple NICs are installed in a system. Corrected problem where the System has 128MB of RAM but diagnostics only shows 64 MB of RAM on some systems. Corrected problem where a generic Icon displayed for diagnostics in Add/Remove programs. Corrected problem where diagnostics blue screens and reboots when executed on some systems. Corrected problem where the product name is not right justified in the Overview for some systems. Corrected problem where there are garbage characters in Compaq Diagnostics Configuration Record on systems with languages unsupported by diagnostics. Corrected problem where after uninstalling diagnostics and restarting the computer, the system pops up an error message. Corrected the problem where installing diagnostics through the app. installer & restarting the system will cause the error: "Error Initializing DFW_UTIL.DLL ERROR_LOADING_CPQDIAG_SYS" Corrected problem where the S3 Graphics Inc. Twister K shows undetermined size (return VESA 239).

Enhancements

Replaced RunOnce registry entry to build Base.log on reboot with installation solution that will run diagnostics at the completion of installation. Created installation command line option -I- to disable running diagnostics to create Base.log at the completion of installation. Added check for Cpqdiag NT Drivers installed before launching Cpqdiag.exe. Modified diagnostics installation to indicate that it completed successfully. Added Drive Protection System (DPS) Test for NT/2000/XP. Added NIC Cable detection information.

Edited by rmprudente, 30 December 2005 - 07:38 PM.

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First off you might try changing the CMOS battery, it's shiny stainless steel, about the size of a nickel. You can substitute the one from the old computer if that was working. It may not be remembering its settings, which will cause it to have errors whenever it boots.

Also you can get a lot of information from the Compaq site, www.compaq.com, and if you can find the make and model of the motherboard, if it's standard, you can get more info.

Edited by Tyger, 01 November 2005 - 09:58 PM.

[Tyger]

First off you might try changing the CMOS battery, it's shiny stainless steel, about the size of a nickel. You can substitute the one from the old computer if that was working. It may not be remembering its settings, which will cause it to have errors whenever it boots.

Also you can get a lot of information from the Compaq site, www.compaq.com, and if you can find the make and model of the motherboard, if it's standard, you can get more info.

Edited by Tyger, 01 November 2005 - 09:58 PM.

[rmprudente]

Thank you much, I'll check it all in the morning and get back to you. It never even occured to me to check the battery, and the way this machine was taken care of previously it's probably never been checked.

[Doby]

Hi,

When you replaced the hardrive with the one from the other machine did you reinstall windows perferably with the original disks that came with the computer?

I don't think the machine will be fixed with a bios update witch is what you have listed.

Rick

[rmprudente]

Ok, I changed the battery and it didn't help. Stupid question, will reinstalling Windows affect any other files? I should know this but I can't remember and there's a bunch of the kids' games on there I'd prefer not to mess up. If I have to, so be it but I figured I'd ask.

[Tyger]

Ok, I changed the battery and it didn't help. Stupid question, will reinstalling Windows affect any other files? I should know this but I can't remember and there's a bunch of the kids' games on there I'd prefer not to mess up. If I have to, so be it but I figured I'd ask.

If you don't have them on the C: drive copy the win98 installation folder to that drive and run setup from the folder. It will keep your files, programs and settings if you run it from the folder on the C: drive and not from the cd. Make sure you have your product key. If there is any problem finding it we can help.

[rmprudente]

Ok, reinstalling win98 didn't help any. I'm downloading the update and a BIOS update to disk at the moment so after it's done I'll run those and see if they help any of it. I'll let ya know.

[Doby]

When you reinstalled 98 did you reformat and then reinstall?

Do you have the original disks for the computer?

The reason I am asking is because the hdd out of another computer unless it came from the exact brand and model will contain drivers and maybe some other things that just won't be compatible with the compaq and I ain't sure just overwriting windows will work without some bugs.

Rick

[rmprudente]

Ahh, ok. I have the home networking setup disk and a set of 2 Quick Restore disks. No windows disk so I'm assuming it was either preinstalled or the previous owner just didn't give it to me. I have a win98 disk from another computer though. The book says the quick restore is basicly system restore but you have the option to do a full factory default restore, typical restore or custom where you can select certain drivers or app's you want reinstalled without reformatting the drive. I also discovered the sound card is messed up or not installed right and the video card is not installed right. I'm wondering if the video card is the problem with the pink tinted screen. So I am going to be checking them out tomorrow to see what brands and all they are so I can find the right software and drivers.

[rmprudente]

Ok, I ended up pulling a memory card that didn't come with the machine and so far I haven't gotten any more memory error messages. I also replaced the graphics card and sound card, needed a working graphics card to run Compaq Diagnostics. I was able to run it but there were several errors, with the A drive, the cdrw drive so I'll figure that out later. The machine is still having problems shutting down and restarting. Sometimes it works, sometimes it freezes up and the power button doesn't work. Also, there's the tint problem. It's not the moniter, the drivers and display adapter are right and yet there's this red tint. Hardly any green at all. I can't figure it out. Makes it hard to see some of the kids games, what's supposed to be green is gray, there's too much black and other colors are just too red tinted.

[Doby]

Ok lets recap,

You have reinstalled the operating system using the quick restore cd's, correct?

You have installed a new graghics card and its drivers correct?

If the above is true then try running drivercleaner and remove any drivers relating to video. The quick restore cd could load compaq video drivers that are conflicting with the new video card.

[rmprudente]

I reinstalled using a Win98 disk on this hard drive. I had used the quick restore disks on the old hard drive that wouldn't work. I wasn't sure if I should use the disks on this hard drive, in case it wiped win98 without reinstalling it, not all too sure what's on the quick restore disks. Thinkin about it, would the Compaq graphics card work if I used the quick restore disks to get the origional Compaq info? Maybe that's why the sound card didn't work? Ok, I am feeling like a dummy, LOL. Of course they wouldn't work without the right drivers, and the win98 disk didn't have the right drivers. So, since the Compaq sound and graphics cards are newer and probably better, should I put em back in and try the using quick restore disks? Also, I have another quick question. I was going to install a port with 2 USB plugins and a mouse plugin but there doesn't seem to be anywhere to plug it into. The cable with it only seems to fit in one place on the motherboard and that;s where the power button is pluged into. Which doesn't seem to fit there right, the plugin on the motherboard is bigger but the other place it fits doesn't work, the place it's in works. I starting to really dislike Compaq's, homemade's and handme downs from my dad were so much easier to mess with, LOL.

[Doby]

Ok let me explain about compaq restore disks I should have done this before but did not realize that you did not understand what they were, sorry.

The restore disks contain the original operating system,drivers for all the original cards and onboard stuff, any software that came bundled with the computer. These disks will restore the computer to the original state as it left the factory and got to the original owner. What I wanted to do is restore the computer with all its original parts back to this state, then it will tell us if there are bad parts or it was software/driver related.

This is the route I would go to see if the problems correct themselfs if they don't then start swapping parts around.

Compaq's can be a pain to work especially if you use non compaq parts other than add on cards.

I don't think you will get the usb port to work unless its from compaq but if you need extra usb ports the get one of these

[rmprudente]

LOL, I should know a lot more than I do, basicly I'm learning as I go along. Till I moved I depended on my dad to be my personal geek, and now I have to remember how to do stuff myself. Someday I'll go back to school to be a real geek.
Ok, so I'll put the compaq parts back in, move anything important to the secondary hd and use the restore disks. Then see what's what from there. I'll get back to you tomorrow. And thanks for the usb port advice, didn't know their were ones that plugged in normal.

[rmprudente]

Sorry it took awhile to get back to ya, I've been sick. Anyway, I put the Compaq graphics card and sound card back in and tried the quick restore dicks. Well they partitioned the primary drive but that's it. After partitioning it restarts and starts all over again. Right before it restarts it flashes some info and I'm pretty sure it said no logical drive found. With the memory problem resolved should I try putting the origional hard drive back in and trying quick restore on it again?