I recieved (for free) a HP Pavilion 3266 w/all original configuration... Intel Pentium with MMX, 233 MHz, 32 MB 66MHz SDRAM DIMM....factory floppy 3.5, and factory cdr drive.....was running Win95 with really no problems in its history. I decided to make a Linux machine, didn't do so hot on THAT....so, it goes downhill from here....I bought a new hard drive, a 20 GB ultra ATA, did a clean install of win95 again, bought an ethernet card, installed no prob hooking up to my other system. THEN i decided to upgrade to Win2000Pro...began getting memory error messages all over the place...so, what's a girl to do but go buy some more memory? Techie(?) at store recommended a PNY 64 MB SDRAM DIMM for my needs. after installed, I must have done something VERY wrong in CMOS because I am left with a machine that : will not even POST, powers on/off from back of tower ONLY, shows green LED for power, but no orange LED for hard drive activity, cd drive opens/closes/spins disk, but only intermittent LED, floppy LED is on all the time, but will not spin. the fans run, the power supply has no smells or anything ominous, i can feel the hard drive running, but the activity LED never flickers. i have tried everything i can think of, a very experienced friend of mine came over and we spent hours going through the whole system, checking cables, seatings, removing everything and trying to reach POST, nothing. we couldn't find much documentation on HP site about manual settings, jumpers and switches....anyone willing to take a jump at this? I do have a nice working system, can i hook the hard drive up as slave, and FDISK reformat it safely?? (even though i dont know how to do that) please, any advice would be appreciated....oh, power supply is a 300W, should have been enough? thanks in advance! kerrysue

I'd start by clearing out the CMOS settings, making them go back to the default ones. This is done by unplugging the AC power and removing the button-cell battery for a minute or two, or finding the CMOS Clear jumper (usually near the battery).

Well, actually I'd start by going back to the hardware config that used to POST successfully, but I guess you've done that.

Hey,

Kenja is on the right track with clearing the CMOS, however, you might need to leave the battery out for longer than a couple of minutes, possibly an hour.

Please explain exactly what you did when you installed the new memory, to the finest detail possible. Someone may be able to pinpoint an error in the process somewhere.

Additionally, the LED on the floppy drive should not stay on constantly. Did you mess with the ribbon cables for any particular reason? Make sure that Pin 1, usually the striped side of the ribbon cable, is connected to the Pin 1 on both the motherboard and floppy drive. In other words, if you did mess with the ribbon cable, take it off again and flip it around.

Go to www.bootdisk.com (http://www.bootdisk.com) and download a boot disk for your particular system. I would suggest formatting the drive and reinstalling 95. That old system may not even support 2000. If you can boot to the floppy disk that you will create from directions on bootdisk.com, then you can format the harddrive and start over. Make sure to download a boot disk that provides for CD-ROM support. You will have to do all this on whatever computer you're using to post here. Download the appropriate file for the bootdisk, WIN 95 I assume, and follow the directions for making a bootable floppy disk.

Also, remove the new 64mb stick of memory and go back to the 32mb stick. It's possible that the motherboard will not support a 64mb stick. After that, remove the battery for an hour or so. Reinsert battery and try to boot. If possible, go into BIOS setup. Choose to load Default values and then Save and Exit. Depending on the BIOS, the choices might be Fail Safe or Optimal values.

Also, I am curious. When you installed the larger harddrive, did you have to use DDO software to get the system to recognize the full amount?

Please post back with your progress.

Big Blue 66

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Life = Karma, or is it, Karma = Life?

I tried removing the CMOS battery, which i had also replaced with a new one, and removed the jumpers which seemed to be relevant (JBAT) and (JCLK)but didn't leave batt. out too long...maybe 10 min.? still nothing....so, now it is out and will stay out for a while longer....as for memory install, I literally followed manufacturers direction...went to CMOS, I think it was a F10 command(save settings and exit)whereupon system reboots.
never did after that. the ribbon cables on floppy were originally with twist closest to floppy, which now gives NO LED, if i turn around, twist opposite floppy, the LED is steady. The new memory stick is long outta there...figured that was the cause of at least some of my woes....already did the www.bootdisk.com (http://www.bootdisk.com) thing, i have been lurking on this forum for quite some time now.....so, i have a bootable disk at the ready...and, much to my shame to admit i did NOT run the floppy disk that came with the MAXTOR hard drive, it should have been done(obviously) should i have used a PCI adapter? I just want it to work at this point. such a good lesson for a student to learn!!!! document document document and follow ALL directions....I do have the original Restore cd from HP....think that will do any good? and what about setting up as a slave drive on my working system to FDISK and reformat the hard drive and start over? this has been suggested by some of my friends, makes me a bit nervous...and thank you for your replies....this has me in a tizzy....losing face fast.....I know just enough to get into trouble at this point, but i know alot more about the inside of my computer than i did before

OK, the new RAM is out, is the old RAM back in the original slot?
If there is a DIMM 0, that will be the first one. If not, it is DIMM 1.
You followed manufacturers instructions for installing RAM and this took you into BIOS to make changes????? If you made changes to the BIOS to accept the new RAM, then your old will no longer be readable. With an older HP (highly proprietery) these changes might render this machine useless. Removing the CMOS battery and letting the machine set for a bit should clear all that up and , if the original RAM is installed in the original slots, you should be back in action.
If you are not getting anything still, I would start to lean towards a damaged MOBO or RAM due to Electro-Static-Discharge http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/frown.gif
Good luck

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Please let us know if what we suggest helps. This helps us help you better.

OK, I can't tell if you've tried this yet, so maybe it's worth a shot.

Pull everything but motherboard, CPU, memory and video card. See if it will POST and you can get into BIOS. If you can get that far, (make sure a keyboard is plugged in too...) set BIOS defaults. (or Optimal)

Then add ONE component at a time, starting with floppy. Check the markings on the motherboard, pin #1 is usually marked with either a 1 or a triangle. The red or blue stripe on the cable goes there. If the floppy LED stays lit, flip the end connected to the floppy drive, it's backward. Then on to the hard drive.

The BIOS on that machine is probably limited to 8GB or less, you'll need to use MaxBlast to get the drive to work, and sometimes they will not work at all, DDO or not. If you add hard drive and get no POST, remove it and go back to the original drive.

Then go from there, add things one at a time. Don't try to install win2000 again, some of the components may not be compatible. You can check the MS hardware compatibility list, I don't have a link handy right now, but it's not too hard to find. If everything in the machine is on that list, it should run win2000. Except that it's a proprietary HP...that may be a problem in itself...I wouldn't chance it...

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I am hanging my head in shame as i post this, I took it in to the shop...i tried everything that you pros have said, and i think it was just beyond my scope and also my tool supply.....i needed a POST card and a power supply tester...ect. someday, i will have all that stuff, but for now...I will post back with the answer, although i am positive it is something you all have touched upon....thanks so much and i am sure i'll be back....kerrysue

I am hanging my head in shame as i post this, I took it in to the shop...i tried everything that you pros have said, and i think it was just beyond my scope and also my tool supply.....i needed a POST card and a power supply tester...ect. someday, i will have all that stuff, but for now...I will post back with the answer, although i am positive it is something you all have touched upon....thanks so much and i am sure i'll be back....kerrysue

[Attempt at a cheer-up]:
Have you read this thread (http://www.pcguide.com/ubb/Forum4/HTML/000081.html)?

I like this (http://www.pcguide.com/ubb/Forum10/HTML/000224.html) one also. (Thanks, Lucias) http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/smile.gif

[This message has been edited by kenja (edited 11-16-2001).]

Thanks...I laughed..I cried...I feel better!! nothing from repair guys yet.....must have whiz-banged it up, i guess!!