# Can it be salvaged?



## Willowynd (Mar 27, 2005)

Kind of like another recent thread but different. OK...my 7-8 yo computer has been having issues playing games for a while now. Finally did some digging after changing out graphics card, tweaking, etc. and after some more testing and have determined it is probably the processor going (24 hr stress test crashed it in under 5 mins) . I decided it is not worth it to me to replace one or the the other and just get another refurb. I found a sweet deal on a no OS dual core. Now, a couple questions...do I sell this old computer Athlon XP 2000, 1.66 Ghz, 512 ram, 128 mb graphics card, 120 GB HD and just be honest that processor probably needs replaced or has issues playing games....or do I just take out my HD and use it for back up and scrap the rest?


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## Jeanette (Jul 29, 2008)

Do you have Goodwill Stores where you are?
If so you can donate it to them and they will either refurbish it or use it for parts.
Just a thought.

Jeanette


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## Nevada (Sep 9, 2004)

This sounds more like an overheating problem than a degraded processor. Are you sure it's not the processor fan that's giving you trouble? The processors themselves are pretty rugged. 

If the fan isn't turning or the heat sink is matted with dust, the processor will definitely go flaky on you. I would check the fan & heatsink before doing anything. You may need to unscrew the fan from the heatsink to remove the matted dust.

But even if it is a bad processor, that generation of processor can be sourced for around $20. That's a still a good WinXP machine so it should be worth $20 to you.

If it turns out that you're going to replace the processor, you should probably get your mainboard model number and buy the fastest processor that your mainboard will take.


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## Willowynd (Mar 27, 2005)

I did check the heat sink, it was not matted with dust. All fans were operational and I did add another case fan about a year ago as my son had an extra. I suppose I can try opening the case and blowing a desk fan into the back diagonally (so air can flow through) and see what happens. If the repairs would be minor, then I could always fix it up and sell it.


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## Nevada (Sep 9, 2004)

Willowynd said:


> If the repairs would be minor, then I could always fix it up and sell it.


Swapping the processor is no big deal, and there will certainly be a market for a 2 GHz Athlon machine. Computer Geeks should have the processor you need at the price you want to pay.

http://www.geeks.com/products.asp?cat=CPU

As I said, you'll want to research your mainboard and get the fastest processor it can take.


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## Willowynd (Mar 27, 2005)

OK...how do I find that info? I used to be able to just got to the HP site and it would give me everything with a little active x I installed, but that no longer works.


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## Willowynd (Mar 27, 2005)

OK found this number for my MB on the HP site ...A7N8X-LA


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## aaronwesley94 (May 23, 2008)

Willowynd said:


> Kind of like another recent thread but different. OK...my 7-8 yo computer has been having issues playing games for a while now. Finally did some digging after changing out graphics card, tweaking, etc. and after some more testing and have determined it is probably the processor going (24 hr stress test crashed it in under 5 mins) . I decided it is not worth it to me to replace one or the the other and just get another refurb. I found a sweet deal on a no OS dual core. Now, a couple questions...do I sell this old computer Athlon XP 2000, 1.66 Ghz, 512 ram, 128 mb graphics card, 120 GB HD and just be honest that processor probably needs replaced or has issues playing games....or do I just take out my HD and use it for back up and scrap the rest?


Good grief. That is a *great* computer and will still be *great* for years to come. Processors are extremely cheap now, only 30 or 40 dollars....they're definitely not an arm and a leg! I would get a new processor if that's the culprit, and up the ram to 1GB....all for about 60 bucks and keep using the computer.


Jeanette said:


> Do you have Goodwill Stores where you are?
> If so you can donate it to them and they will either refurbish it or use it for parts.
> Just a thought.
> 
> Jeanette


You'd have to be loony to donate that computer to Goodwill!


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## Willowynd (Mar 27, 2005)

OK got the info from HP chat support. 
Max processor: AthlonXP3000+ 2.16GHz/333
Max mem 1024 (512 x 2)

184-pin DDR-DIMMs 
266 and 333 MHz DDR-SDRAM 
non-ECC (64-bit) DIMMS 
2.5 V memory only 
1.0 GB maximum memory


Now Geeks and tiger do not have socket A. Having trouble finding one!


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## Willowynd (Mar 27, 2005)

Tried blowing fan into open case- putting fan at an angle. Still crashed.


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## Nevada (Sep 9, 2004)

Willowynd said:


> Now Geeks and tiger do not have socket A. Having trouble finding one!


Geeks has one, but it's a little slower than your existing one.

http://www.geeks.com/details.asp?invtid=AXDA2200DKV3C-N&cat=CPU

It will work though.


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## Nevada (Sep 9, 2004)

Willowynd said:


> Tried blowing fan into open case- putting fan at an angle. Still crashed.


I'm still not convinced that it's a bad processor. It's acting like heat. Overheating other components will also halt the system (by they way, you aren't having a system crash, your having a system halt). Normally when a processor is fried it's fried, and the system won't even start. You're describing the classic symptoms of an overheating problem.

Verify that your power supply fan is ejecting heat from the back of the power supply. An overheated power supply can halt the system, as an overheated video adapter also can.


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## Willowynd (Mar 27, 2005)

OK...I have another PS here, but it will not fit into my case. You know, I think the time I started having issues was after I replaced my PS. You may be on to something. 
Video adpater...I tried replacing the video card and just using on board with same results.


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## Nevada (Sep 9, 2004)

Willowynd said:


> OK...I have another PS here, but it will not fit into my case. You know, I think the time I started having issues was after I replaced my PS. You may be on to something.


The most common thing to happen to power supplies is that the ventilation fan stops turning and the power supply overheats. That sends voltage swings. An overheated power supply can halt a system in a heartbeat.


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## Willowynd (Mar 27, 2005)

Is both PS fans supposed to spin all the time? Just looked and only one is spinning.

NM...figured that part out. Had to take out power supply and open it up...there was a wire stuck in the fan. Now this thing sounds really loud....so wondering if the bearing in that PS fan is worn out from trying to spin all that time. Good news is the heat sink was cool this time. Now Hoyle games won't start...so tried the stress test again and it gave me the BSOD at the Fibonnacci test. I can't find any info on what it means when it fails that test...anyone?

Tested my HD with sea tools...it passed all tests. Wish there was tests for each component!


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## Willowynd (Mar 27, 2005)

UPDATE! OK, switched out the PS......and it now passes the stress test (CPU stability tests) and I played hoyle games for an hour with no issues. It does not pass the prime95, but it did not crash it...so I am ok with that. Now, I did notice, the PS I put in it had another connector that the other one does not have...it is a 2 pin. I hooked it up. Do not know if that has something to do with it or not. My original PS also had a 2 pin. The one I took out was a replacement. I cannot continue using the one in it currently as first of all, does not fit my case (too small, only one screw hole lined up) and it is half the power of the original (even though it is another compaq PS). I tired finding another 400 PS but could not find any with a 2 pin connector included....suggestions?


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## MELOC (Sep 26, 2005)

you could get real freaky and actually wire up the old plug to the proper voltages from the power supply. you would need to know the voltage required and splice into the proper voltage wire from the power supply.


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## Willowynd (Mar 27, 2005)

hmmmm if I goofed I could fry my motherboard as that is where the 2 pin hooks to


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## MELOC (Sep 26, 2005)

yes you could.


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