Compaq Presario replacement

Finally ordered and assembled our replacement computer for the old and dead Compaq Presario. The motherboard has a good selection of legacy ports that may be useful later on for some random FPGA projects. Got a 500 GB hard disk so that should last until the next motherboard melt down. Integrated graphics is working just fine with Vista Home Premium. Also an Intel Celeron E1400 (dual core) with 2 Gigs of RAM should be enough for internet surfing. Managed to hack in remote desktop so I can now administer it from my room! Monitor is the only thing that might need upgrading now. Scanner software is a bit old as well but the scanner itself still works fine.

Google Code, Compaq, Blog, Parallels

Made a few improvements to the Python repository for Open Flash Chart.  Added in a Wiki page showing a quick overview of how to make the data strings.  It gives a superficial comparison between the Python method and PHP method.

Pretty much finished doing maintenance work on the Compaq laptop and another desktop.  Frustrating how particular "users" complain of running out of disk space without thinking about where they're putting all their crap.  Perfectly fine partitions for "programs" and "documents" yet they're ignored.  It amazes me how people manage to screw things up.  Well I guess, not everyone's born as a computer user.  I wouldn't be surprised if the wireless adapter gets KO-ed within the next couple of weeks.

Finally decided to re-link the images I use for this blog.  The webhost I've been using has lately been very unreliable.  Hopefully my crusty geocities account will be better.

Decided to install Parallels Desktop 4.  As unlikely as I had hoped, the hard disk conversion to the new format screwed itself over.  So now I'm left with a truly POS installation of Windows.  Yet another reinstall that I have to do . . .

Compaq Presario 2116AH + Wireless

Managed to fix an old DSE wireless 802.11g adapter.  Basically two contacts of the USB port lost contact with the pads on the PCB boards.  Probably due to too the port being bent up and down too many times.  I basically did a hacked job at re-soldering the pins with an absolute shocker of a soldering iron.  The tip doesn't even exist.  It's shaped like a flat head screw driver.  If you've done any soldering on PCBs made for IC you'd understand that a lot of the pads are tiny, thin or clustered very close to each other.  I must have immersed a few components in globs of solder before I managed to make a "connection".  As an Engineer, I feel the responsibility to self-regulate my work and declare the work of poor quality and lacking professionalism!!!!  But the wireless adapter works and that's all I care.

I decided to reinstall the Windows on the Presario laptop since everything was running slowly and Internet Explorer was having issues connecting to the internet.  The internet settings must have screwed themselves up because the an IP address was being allocated to a hidden device; Yay!  Reinstall went well.  Legitimate copy.  No activation issues.  Yet.  Got Service Pack 3 installed with IE7 and WMP 11.  Running out of disk space though which ain't too good...  Hmm have yet to order parts for a new desktop.

Compaq Presario 5BW472

Started salvaging the parts to the Compaq and noticed the different headers coming from the motherboard.  Quite a few looked proprietary like ones for the status lights, front panel usb ports, and power button connector.  So I decided to check out the motherboard layouts from the one I might buy and the one of my current rig and found out that the connectors were proprietary and the Compaq power supply was missing the 2x2 pin power connector.  So, that basically means I can't reuse the case or the power supply.  I know have a few choices.  One is to find a new Micro ATX case.  Second is find a new ATX case and/or find a new ATX sized motherboard.  Third is to just get a stock standard base unit so we can get the standard shop warranty that my parents like so much.  Fourth is that we just get a laptop.  Hmmm

Compaq Presario 5BW472

Further to yesterday's achievements of borking the Compaq, I decided to turn it on this morning and to my surprise it POSTed and started booting Windows ME.  I decided to restart the comptuer and I was able to get into the BIOS and change some settings around.  I restarted the computer, placed the Windows ME setup CD into it but it fuxored again.  Took the CD out and restarted but remained fuxored at POST.  So in conclusion, it's still fuxored.  I'm going to wait a few hours before I try booting it back up.  If it fuxors after a few restarts then there's probably some hardware component with a half-life of a mayfly.

Compaq Presario 5BW472

Looks like the end of the road for our *trusty* Compaq Presario 5BW472.  Ever since Windows ME was reinstalled on it, the mouse went crazy.  Every time you'd move the mouse pointer it would move off in a different direction.  It was like moving the mouse over a slippery terrain and never knowing what the terrain was like.  Other times the mouse pointer would just freeze into place and the only way to navigate around Windows was through keyboard shortcuts.  Well today I decided to take a look at it and unfortunately I broke it even more.  I repeat, I broke it even more.  The machine won't even get past POST.  Stuck at the Compaq boot up screen.  Tried clearing the CMOS BIOS using jumpers and taking out the backup battery.  That made it worse as it now has to count up the RAM before fuxoring.  Tried unplugging all the I/Os but still fuxoring so it's nothing to do with the devices stopping the POST.  Trying to do a BIOS recovery flash but Compaq seems to have cleverly disabled that feature ...

Yay for 4 years of Computer Systems Engineering!