Troubleshooting a bad CPU

Eddie Haskell · 02-07-2005, 10:08 PM

Is there a simple way to determine if the CPU is bad as opposed to the numerous other things that could be wrong?
I have a Compaq computer (got it free) model 5000 with an Intel P4 1.7 cpu, it will boot from the cd drive but not the hard drive. I tell windows to repair existing install and it will go through the motions as if it will accomplish something until it gets to the "Windows is restarting in 10,9,8,7,etc but when it restarts it doesn't continue to repair, it says "to boot from CD press any key...." and it just sits there. If you press any key the process starts over.
If I start it without the CD in the drive it gets past the start up screen and it has just a blinking cursor up in the left corner.
The person that gave me this said it was diagnosed with a bad CPU but they were going to charge X amount to fix it and she wasn't willing to pay that as it was up there.

I don't know how reputable the repair shop is so I'm starting from scratch with that knowledge as a building block.
When I first got it it would do nothing when you pushed the power button so I re-seated all the cards and ram (128) and removed and re-seated the CPU. When I hit the power button it lit up and seemed to have OS issues so I re-installed windows and did the hours of updates and it was working fine until the first time I turned it off that's when all this started. I checked the voltage on the MB battery and it appears to still be good, 3.03 vdc.
If it's a bad CPU, great I'll get a new one. I hate to get one and have it not be the problem, it gets expensive throwing money at something when your not really sure where the problem lies, especially when the thing is free. Any help would be greatly appreciated

Bobo · 02-08-2005, 12:29 AM

Try a new hdd first, jic

Eddie Haskell · 02-08-2005, 06:08 AM

I swapped the HD from another computer that was given to me (gotta love free computers, especially when I plan on builing my own soon and if these fry, who cares

plus it is a great learning experience) and it seems to be working but I won't concede the HD as the problem until it runs for a few days and survives a few re-boots. Thanks for the advice Bobo, I really didn't expect it to boot! Live and learn

**Praetor** · 02-08-2005, 06:23 PM

The odds of the CPU being bad (without blatent physical damage) is damn near bloody nil.

Quote:

If I start it without the CD in the drive it gets past the start up screen and it has just a blinking cursor up in the left corner.

Enough to show the CPU is functional

Quote:

The person that gave me this said it was diagnosed with a bad CPU

Said person is either an idiot or a genius.

Quote:

but they were going to charge X amount to fix it

Unless they have a fab facility, "fix" = "replace"

Bobo · 02-08-2005, 08:33 PM

I ran an old system without a cpu, and it did nothing, duh. I would imagine that a broken cpu would do the same.....

PC Technology INC. · 02-08-2005, 10:24 PM

Go in the BIOS menu and put the first boot to HDD

Leopold Porkstacker · 02-09-2005, 05:57 PM

Well, gee Wally - Eddie says he's got issues with his Computer.

Aw schucks Beav! It's gotta be his hard drive.

Sorry, I couldn't resist being ultra-cheesy.

Eddie Haskell · 02-10-2005, 01:40 PM

Had to come up with a "stage name" and I always liked Eddie Haskell so there it is, by the way you folks are looking very nice today.
I had it booting from the Hdd and it did nothing, I also posted a question about the "boot sector" of a Hdd and 25 people looked at it before I finally got my first reply so I guess it wasn't such a stupid question

. I got 3 free computers from this person and I ended up with a working Compaq Presario with a "bad" Pentium 4 1.7 CPU with 2-20 GB Hdd, one I stole from computer #2 which it boots from just fine and the second one is the Hdd that this computer won't boot from. So far it seems to be working fine, it only has 128 of ram and it is pretty slow considering it has a 1.7 CPU. I'm beginning to think that second Hdd may be messing with the system and bogging it down,(PSU?) it seemed faster with only 1 Hdd. It's slow working with only the C: drive , even though I'm doing nothing with Hdd #2. I know more ram would probably help. I just wanted something to play with and see if I could make it work. When somebody says that thier computer died I'm always going to be the first one in line to "take it off thier hands"

**Praetor** · 02-11-2005, 02:39 PM

Quote:

I'm beginning to think that second Hdd may be messing with the system and bogging it down,(PSU?) it seemed faster with only 1 Hdd.

1. Seemed?
2. Check for damaged drive?

02-07-2005, 10:08 PM	#1 (permalink)
Eddie Haskell Bronze Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 90	Troubleshooting a bad CPU Is there a simple way to determine if the CPU is bad as opposed to the numerous other things that could be wrong? I have a Compaq computer (got it free) model 5000 with an Intel P4 1.7 cpu, it will boot from the cd drive but not the hard drive. I tell windows to repair existing install and it will go through the motions as if it will accomplish something until it gets to the "Windows is restarting in 10,9,8,7,etc but when it restarts it doesn't continue to repair, it says "to boot from CD press any key...." and it just sits there. If you press any key the process starts over. If I start it without the CD in the drive it gets past the start up screen and it has just a blinking cursor up in the left corner. The person that gave me this said it was diagnosed with a bad CPU but they were going to charge X amount to fix it and she wasn't willing to pay that as it was up there. I don't know how reputable the repair shop is so I'm starting from scratch with that knowledge as a building block. When I first got it it would do nothing when you pushed the power button so I re-seated all the cards and ram (128) and removed and re-seated the CPU. When I hit the power button it lit up and seemed to have OS issues so I re-installed windows and did the hours of updates and it was working fine until the first time I turned it off that's when all this started. I checked the voltage on the MB battery and it appears to still be good, 3.03 vdc. If it's a bad CPU, great I'll get a new one. I hate to get one and have it not be the problem, it gets expensive throwing money at something when your not really sure where the problem lies, especially when the thing is free. Any help would be greatly appreciated __________________ "Never Initiate...Retaliate!" Bobby Allison

02-08-2005, 06:08 AM	#3 (permalink)
Eddie Haskell Bronze Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 90	I swapped the HD from another computer that was given to me (gotta love free computers, especially when I plan on builing my own soon and if these fry, who cares plus it is a great learning experience) and it seems to be working but I won't concede the HD as the problem until it runs for a few days and survives a few re-boots. Thanks for the advice Bobo, I really didn't expect it to boot! Live and learn __________________ "Never Initiate...Retaliate!" Bobby Allison

02-09-2005, 05:57 PM	#7 (permalink)
Leopold Porkstacker Bronze Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: San Jose, CA(lifornia) Age: 38 Posts: 35	Well, gee Wally - Eddie says he's got issues with his Computer. Aw schucks Beav! It's gotta be his hard drive. Sorry, I couldn't resist being ultra-cheesy. __________________ -he who stacks pork www.xlr8yourmac.com

02-10-2005, 01:40 PM	#8 (permalink)
Eddie Haskell Bronze Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 90	Had to come up with a "stage name" and I always liked Eddie Haskell so there it is, by the way you folks are looking very nice today. I had it booting from the Hdd and it did nothing, I also posted a question about the "boot sector" of a Hdd and 25 people looked at it before I finally got my first reply so I guess it wasn't such a stupid question. I got 3 free computers from this person and I ended up with a working Compaq Presario with a "bad" Pentium 4 1.7 CPU with 2-20 GB Hdd, one I stole from computer #2 which it boots from just fine and the second one is the Hdd that this computer won't boot from. So far it seems to be working fine, it only has 128 of ram and it is pretty slow considering it has a 1.7 CPU. I'm beginning to think that second Hdd may be messing with the system and bogging it down,(PSU?) it seemed faster with only 1 Hdd. It's slow working with only the C: drive , even though I'm doing nothing with Hdd #2. I know more ram would probably help. I just wanted something to play with and see if I could make it work. When somebody says that thier computer died I'm always going to be the first one in line to "take it off thier hands" __________________ "Never Initiate...Retaliate!" Bobby Allison

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode

02-08-2005, 12:29 AM	#2 (permalink)
Bobo banned Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Pittsburgh Age: 16 Posts: 6,623	Try a new hdd first, jic

02-08-2005, 08:33 PM	#5 (permalink)
Bobo banned Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Pittsburgh Age: 16 Posts: 6,623	I ran an old system without a cpu, and it did nothing, duh. I would imagine that a broken cpu would do the same.....

02-08-2005, 10:24 PM	#6 (permalink)
PC Technology INC. banned Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Montreal, Quebec Age: 19 Posts: 281	Go in the BIOS menu and put the first boot to HDD