Compaq BIOS Flash gone bad

[Crashman85]

Hi,

New here. Thank you in advance.

Since I got no answers to the linked thread in MajorGeeks "Software" (http://forums.majorgeeks.com/showthread.php?t=180673), I'd like to try here.

I've pretty much given up trying everything to revive this board. My question now is, will the following board.... (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...orce 7050m-m)

....work in place of the original board?
(http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/d...roduct=3577836)

Same RAM, CPU, etc? Or, suggest a comparable-priced, compatible board that may be better?

Assuming my hard drive is still OK, it'll have programs that want to see stuff off the HP Asus board. What can I expect? Nothing but problems? OK, if I have the new MB disk to load stuff? Will the "Recovery Disk" even work if I have to reinstall Vista?

Please help? I need a working computer, cheap. A year out of work (except for temp stuff), and I need the thing to search for work.

Thank you,

Crashman85

 

[fmw]

I don't know but I would be skeptical. HP is very much into engineering proprietary elements into their systems. Their cases often have slide-out main board mounts that only fit their boards. In other words, you may be able to salvage all of the system except for the board and case. You'd be better off with a vanilla case anyway so that won't encounter this kind of thing in the future.

Fred
http://www.computerhq.us

 

[Crashman85]

I don't know but I would be skeptical. Their cases often have slide-out main board mounts that only fit their boards.
Fred
http://www.computerhq.us

No, it's a regular configuration for a uATX screw-in board. Apparently that board I suggested is sketchy, so I'll forget that.

How about this ASUS board M2N68-AM: http://usa.asus.com/products.aspx?l1=3&l2=149&l3=642&l4=0&model=2474&modelmenu=1

I have the original AMD Sempron 3600+ CPU, and 2x512MB Samsung 666MHZ DDR2 SDRAM.

Again, compare to original:

Model specs: http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/document?docname=c01174518&cc=us&lc=en&dlc=en&product=3577836

Mainboard specs: http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/document?docname=c01237548&cc=us&lc=en&dlc=en&product=3577836

I just want to get this running, inexpensively. I'm not worried about blazing performance. It's only for Internet and Office-type stuff to search for work.

Thank you,

Crashman85

 

[fmw]

No, it's a regular configuration for a uATX screw-in board. Apparently that board I suggested is sketchy, so I'll forget that.

How about this ASUS board M2N68-AM: http://usa.asus.com/products.aspx?l1=3&l2=149&l3=642&l4=0&model=2474&modelmenu=1

I have the original AMD Sempron 3600+ CPU, and 2x512MB Samsung 666MHZ DDR2 SDRAM.

Again, compare to original:

Model specs: http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/document?docname=c01174518&cc=us&lc=en&dlc=en&product=3577836

Mainboard specs: http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/document?docname=c01237548&cc=us&lc=en&dlc=en&product=3577836

I just want to get this running, inexpensively. I'm not worried about blazing performance. It's only for Internet and Office-type stuff to search for work.

Thank you,

Crashman85

The board and processor will be fine together. I still don't know if you can put it in the HP case.

 

[Crashman85]

The board and processor will be fine together. I still don't know if you can put it in the HP case.

Thanks. It should fit. It's just screwed to the chassis, as any normal computer...no goofy slide-out stuff.

I was fairly certain the hardware would work OK, but what concerns me is what happens when I connect the existing hard-drive and Vista sees different stuff (soundcard, video, etc)? I realize the new board will come with a disk of its own necessary drivers, etc., and hopefully Vista will just say..."Hey where did THAT go? Give me what I NEED!" And, hopefully, it'll just let me load.

Then, obviously, I guess I should make a new recovery disk.

That was my main concern. What might I expect in that regard?

Thanks,

Crashman85