Compaq Deskpro 2000

[Jeppie]

Hi all, I hope someone can help me with a problem i'm having with a Compaq Deskpro 2000. It's my friends computer, they had it given, and want to use it for basic things and the internet. Broadband installation disk required the PC to have at least 266Mhz Processor, so I have changed the Processor. They also wanted a newer version of Windows, (previuosly had Windows 98), so I have tried installing XP Pro, however i couldn't install it using the Compaq, so i have installed it on their HHD using another computer. Now, when i plug the HHD into the Compaq it has a black screen and comes up with various error messages such as 163-Time and Date not set (that's when i don't press anything on the keyboard), It only gives me the option to 'F1: Boot' but that doesn't do anything it just keeps going around in a circle! Also, I can't get into the BIOS setup. PLease, Please Help. Thank You!

[mjc]

With XP installling to the drive on another machine very rarely, if ever, works. You can copy the install files to the hard drive and run the installer from there, but that is about all you can do with it. The current install is probably worthless.

Does the machine actually meet the minimum requirements for XP?

For XP there is more than just processor speed and RAM to worry about...there are BIOS issues and requiremtents. Some machines just won't work with XP. There are also a couple of tricks to try to force it to work, but they need to done before starting the install.

Could you provide details about the machine's specs?

Also, what broadband are you trying to set up?

You can connect to most without using the supplied install disk, on almost any OS...I doubt that the install disk has the set up for Linux on it, but I also doubt that the broadband provider would tell a Linux user that there is no way to connect...those days are pretty much over.

[Jeppie]

Thanks for your reply mjc, I thought no-one would touch this topic with a barge-pole!!!

Anyway.. What info do you need on the spec, as there's only so much i can tell you about it you know the processor speed (it's an Intel Pentium II), there's 3 x 64MB RAM, that's about it at the mo as i can't get in to the setup.

I have not got the floppy or CD drive connected just the HHD. Nothing else is connected to the MB.

Telewest Blueyonder is the BB connection that they've had installed at home.

Thanks again.

[mjc]

Probably not going to run XP...if you can get it to install it will be sluggish to the point of being nearly useless.

What size hard drive?

If this machine was just going to be used to surf the internet/email/etc I'd personally be very tempted to just put Linux on it, set it up with FireFox and Thunderbird.

On their website, the minimum requirements are listed as 233 Mhz proc, 64 MB RAM, Win98se....

[Jeppie]

Thanks again for your help. I have no idea what Linux is/does. There are two hard drives, one's 4.?GB and the other is 2.?GB. Sorry I haven't got them with me at the mo so i don't know what they are exactly. I have a Windows 98 Disk, do you reckon it's worth just putting 98 back on it? at least i know that works.

[mjc]

Yeah...put 98 on it and go through the blueyonder site to set up the internet. The install disks probably only have the latest on them.

[Jeppie]

ok, thank you for all your help. :)