? about my compaq(i know..) motherboard

[Grimace]

i am really new at working on my comp. but i took it completely apart tonight to put on a new hsf. ok from the left to right the goes the cpu, the ram, then to the right of the ram are the 2 connectors, one on the left that my dvd/cdrw drives plug into, then the righthand one is where my hard drive plugs in. directly above where the dvd/cdrw drives plug in (it says secondary next to it) there is a very small blue cap. it is only as wide as the connector itself. the cap can either be on the right 2 pins, or the left 2 pins of this 3 pin thing sticking up. the left 2 say "100 mhz" if it is on the right 2 it says "133 mhz". what is this and what does it do? any help is greatly appreciated, and please excuse my n00bness to this stuff.

 

[KGB1]

Woah... A propietory motherboard .. sounds like fun.
First can you tell a few things about your system? I mean specification wise. Pentium 2? Pentium 3? Athlon?
Include the Compaq Presario Model number.

Q]the cap can either be on the right 2 pins, or the left 2 pins of this 3 pin thing sticking up. the left 2 say "100 mhz" if it is on the right 2 it says "133 mhz[/i] >>



To me this sounds like you have an Intel processor.
Those two pins could be Jumper pins to set the front side bus of the system and processor. Placing the pins over 1-2 the motherboard will function with a fsb (front side bus) at 100MHZ (thats just an example, I mean 2-3 could be 100mhz too, but that depends on your motherboard) While placing the jumpers covering the 2-3 will make the system bus (same as fsb) at 133 MHZ. Theoreticallly 133 is faster on paper..



<< ok from the left to right the goes the cpu, >>


Since your motherboard is Comapq propietory (i have seen some on other motherboards by compaq) Your motherboard is Slot 1 type. Is it long and the color brown? Then it should be Slot 1, if it is SQUARE and white it is totally different (which is Okay also)



<< then to the right of the ram are the 2 connectors >>


Those should be DIMM modules, where you add Synchronous Dynamic Random Access Memory (SDRAM) after those are the 2 modules of 40 pin EIDE (Enhanced integrated device eletronics) where the motherboard "talks" to the devices (ie hard drive, dvd, etc....) Usually the PRIMARY is where you plug in the Hard Drive and ZIP drives and often you plug DVD, CDRW into the Secondary IDE module. it is important to keep the HARD DRive on the Primary IDE module

BTW...welcome to anandtech

 

[AA0]

man I was working on a compaq just yesterday, what a pain. Nothing is what it should. They won't even allow HDs bigger than 8 gigs on them, what a pos.

 

[Grimace]

thanks for the help, it is a presario 7000, 512 pc100/133 ram, amd 1 gig athlon. so if that cap can change the fsb setting to 133 then i could oc it? it is at 100 now with a multiplier of 5.

 

[AkumaBao]

Welcome to AT!

I hate compaq's. I wouldn't switch your jumper to 133FSB! You'll end up ordering another CPU. You won't be able to do much tweaking on it like you think you can. It is a disposible motherboard. You can't even really put a more recent CPU in than what you already have. If you want to do this type of stuff, buy parts to build your own. Parts are cheaper, you'll be able to upgrade you CPU extremely, and you'll be able to overclock. ( Changing the FSB jumper to 133FSB would be considered a OC'ing task ) You can post messages to us via your Compaq to get help on building your system. You're not going to be able to add any real noticable performance.

Don't take it the wrong way, I just don't want to see you fry your processor.

 

[KGB1]

<< man I was working on a compaq just yesterday, what a pain. Nothing is what it should. They won't even allow HDs bigger than 8 gigs on them, what a pos >>



Hey hey now... My first experience with computers was with my trusty compaq deskpro P2 333. Sure they limit the processor you can upgrade to, usually are hard to determine what parts are used in the PC, but int he "good" old days they were a pretty good company. I mean what can you expect from an OEM that wants you to buy their product again in a couple of years. And what motherboard can possible only support 8 GB HDD... besides it being my ECS APT-BE hehe..

Grimace (sorry i said Intel.. I should have known better that Compaq still used the Slot A 1 GHZ Athlon )
For you to put the Jumper pins over onto the the 133 fsb will theoretically make it go faster than the 100FSB, but you will NOT be overclocking the processor, due to the fact that a company like Comapq will NOT give optiosn to overclock, but it is there primarily to also determine the SDRAM you are using, if you have PC133 RAM place the jumper's on it and let the good times roll. Since the multiplyer is 5, you might need to lower it to 3.5 since you will go at 133fsb, but usually the motherboard can do it by it self. Like i said before, overclocking a OEM configured system is not such a good idea, usually they are made to aonly operate at the specified speed they come in, putting any pressure on a preconfigured system and your looking for trouble. If you are a new guy to PC hardware, I'd recommend you buy

A+ Guide to Managing and Maintaining Your PC 3th or 4th Edition by JEAN ANDREWS Greta book if you like to learn about computers. If you are new to this PC scene... buy the following and TEST AWAY!

Abit BE6-II Slot 1 Motherboard
A relatively cheap Celeron or Pentium 2 (preferablly 300-400 MHZ)
A GOOD quality PC100 SDRAM
nVidia Riva TnT2 Ultra Video Card
A lot of Case fans and good heatsinks, all these combine into a load of fun and overclocking pleasure

(but I have to admit it... addictive )

 

[KGB1]

Really AkumaBao???

it would FRY his BOARD!!! Uh OHH.. GRIMACE.. NOOOOOO dont touch it then, I figured it wouldnt do much damage... better keept it safe.. leave it at 100.. since the speed is THEORETICAL..in real world benchmarks it makes NO difference

 

[Grimace]

thanks again for the replies. so switching it to 133 would fry the cpu because of the hsf, or because the motherboard is crap? also this system is less then a year old, and i thought it was a socket a cpu?

 

[KGB1]

<< so switching it to 133 would fry the cpu because of the hsf >>



Not really the HSF should be sufficient, what worries me is the Motherboard. Compaq usually makes board just barely passing requirement tests. Overclocking would get you in a pile of heap, and warrantyless computer which wont function.



<< also this system is less then a year old, and i thought it was a socket a cpu? >>


Unfortunately it SHOULD have been, but Compaq went for the Cheaper option and older technology, wow I would have never guessed... then again I'd buy your CPU SLOT A from ya if you dont need it.

 

[Grimace]

i guess ill just have to wait for a few months till i can afford to put toghether something that is better, and that i can mess around with. i wish i would have known a year ago what i know now about building computers instead of buying a compaq from best buy..... thanks alot for all the help.

 

[ScrapSilicon]

<< thanks again for the replies. so switching it to 133 would fry the cpu because of the hsf, or because the motherboard is crap? also this system is less then a year old, and i thought it was a socket a cpu? >>

uhm...most likely not more likely won't boot at all...go here to help determine a little about your system. 1 GHZ Athlon processor on a Compaq is it a long cartridge type processor or a socket flat chip type? Flat chip socket type is a Socket A processor most likely a "B" series (200FSB ...100 doubled) a "C" series is 266FSB(133 doubled) go here and check out this book

 

[AkumaBao]

<< i guess ill just have to wait for a few months till i can afford to put toghether something that is better, and that i can mess around with. i wish i would have known a year ago what i know now about building computers instead of buying a compaq from best buy..... thanks alot for all the help. >>



Hey, everybody makes that mistake with thier first computer. You get it super cheap, and get stuck with a Internet Provider for 2 or 3 years. At least you came to right place for your help. When you decide to build one, I think you could build a starter Socket A system for about $500. All depends if you want to OC or not. Then you have to buy a better motherboard, but that's not too much more. Good thing is with a Socket A, is that you could starts with a 1.2GHz Athlon T-bird, (266FSB, actually set at 133. ) and just upgrade the CPU as money flows through your hands. That is the best thing about building your own PC, or buying a custom built. You can always change the components to your liking. I doubt your Compaq has a AGP slot, since it would have built-in video. I think yours would be a Socket A. If it's 1, 1.1, 1.2, 1.3GHz, it's a Socket A. Someone help my out here. What was the last Slot A made last year? 1GHz? Oh well. Doesn't matter awyways. I think my 1.33GHz PC cost me about $600 to build, and you can check the stats on my link below. Of course that doesn't include the monitor.

 

[KGB1]

<< I doubt your Compaq has a AGP slot, since it would have built-in video. I think yours would be a Socket A. If it's 1, 1.1, 1.2, 1.3GHz, it's a Socket A. Someone help my out here. What was the last Slot A made last year? 1GHz? >>



Well dont count Compaq out just yet, I still remember the days when they were good... wow.. Am I that old already? I'm pretty certain it has the AMD 751 "Irongate" chipset or the VIA KX133, it could be either. I was saddened to find out 2 days after I Purchased the Aopen AK72 Slot A motherboard that AMD will go to SOCKET A!! Man was a furious...Yeah man your right, that was the FIRST!!! 1 GHZ micro processor in SLOT A form... ever try unlocking the L1 bridges to overclock a Slot A processor... Phew good luck!! (well exception of SUN's Alpha cpu..hehe)
Ohh well... ooooh well time to overclock my ATI radeon... damn I need more thermal paste!

 

[Grimace]

it wouldnt let me download that cpu id program, i have an older version of it though. the computer does have an agp slot, i bought the upgraded 32mb vid card with the comp when we ordered it. i just replaced it with a ti200 geforce3 last week though. my compaq works fine for everything i need it to do right now, playing cs, mohaa, and rtcw etc... you just end up getting way less for your money when you buy from a big company like compaq, dell, gateway etc.. instead of building it on your own. thanks again for the help. i learn alot from these forums.