Help a newbie upgrade his machine

[Jessica58]

I have a couple of questions.

1. I recently bought a new processor for my Presario 5150, I read that you can up the speeds on the 5150 to 550 and this is what I am trying to do. However, the heat sink that comes with the processor has a 3 pin Fan plug and the only spare pin socket is a 2 pin. My question is this, is there an adaptor out there that converts a 2 pin male socket to a 3 pin male socket, and if so where can I get it?

2. I also bought a new hard drive a 40 GB Samsung. As suggested on this board, I updated my BIOS with the latest version for the 5150. However, the latest version was made in 1999 and I don’t know if there is a more recent version. Even after installing the new hard drive, my computer only recognizes 32GB of the 40 hard drive and give me all kind of weird errors when I try to load Windows – While Initializing device CONFIGMG: Windows Protection Error. You need to restart your computer. But as soon as I unplug the hard drive, the errors go away? Why is this happening? Is the hard drive too big for the computer? And if it is, what is the largest sized HD I can get without screwing things up?

3. Can the 5150 run Windows 2000? And if it can, is it recommended that I do a clean install or do I upgrade. I tired to upgrade and it gave a weird error. I tried to do a clean install and it gave me the blue screen of death.

4. Can I upgrade the Video card? Is this possible or advisable?

Please help someone out there…

Current config of my computer is

AMD K6-2 @ 400 MHz, max 550 MHz
256 MB RAM (planning on adding another 64 MB – is this wise?)
8 GB HD (looking for at least 20 more GB – which brands?)
4 MB video card (can I upgrade this?)


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If it ain't broke please try and fix it

[BigBlue66]

Hi Jessica,

As for the heatsink fan, was the old fan only a two-pin? Not sure about an adapter, but what you might do is find a fan with a four-prong power connector so you can use a lead from the power supply.

An older Compaq like yours probably stores part of the BIOS on the harddrive. Have you used a Restore disk with the new harddrive?

One way around the size limitation is to use third party Dynamic Drive Overlay software. However, I'm not sure that would work with a Compaq, because of the BIOS that's on a partition on the harddrive.

Maxtor, Seagate, Fujitsu and Western Digital are all good names for harddrives.

Yes, you should be able to upgrade the video card. Go for one that has at least 32mb of memory, supports hardware acceleration, Direct 3D and Open GL.

Adding more RAM is generally a good idea. Make sure you read the motherboard manual for the maximum amount of memory that's supported and the size and speed each DIMM slot supports.

Hang tight for some more opinions concerning the 40Gb harddrive.

Cheers,

Big Blue 66


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Reach high, for stars lie hidden in your soul. Dream deep, for every dream precedes the goal.
- Pamela Vault Starr

[ranchdog]

Hey Jessica....

http://web14.compaq.com/falco/detail.asp?FAQnum=FAQ2096 Compaq site. Some HDD information.

You could swap Heatsink fans that way you wouldn't have a pin compatability problem. The third wire is for rpm sensor. Usually blue. Or you could do what I do and snip off the ends (save some wire) and get out my trusty little soldering gun. Black to black and red to red. I use a small shrink tube to make the new connection neat. Tape works if done neatly. Terminate the blue one. I'm to impatient to send off for adaptors.

Going to a 550 CPU make sure the Mboard is configured properly. Set the jumpers for a 5.5 multiplier and Bus Speed of 100. Should be a silkscreen on the Mboard for all the jumper settings.



Luck.

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......Indecision may or may not be my problem......
...... Kickin' A Rock....

[This message has been edited by ranchdog (edited 12-03-2001).]

[Jessica58]

Thanks for the input...I will make sure the jumper settings are what they shoud be. I am running @ 400 MHZ because I am afraid of frying my processor because i am using the wrong heat sink. The heat sink i am using now has no fan and it was orignally designed for the 350 MHz processor.

I have already order the RAM, so I will be up to 320 MB. As for the Video Card, I don't know what kind I should get or if the current card sits on the MOBO or not.

So i guess i'd have to reupdate the BIOS since i wiped the HD clean.

Thanks again, i am open for more suggestions.




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If it ain't broke please try and fix it

[ranchdog]

Tried to post this as a link but couldn't get the link to work.

Check this out.

Go to Storage Troubleshooting Forum. Scroll to the bottom. Go waaaay back to Page 7. 3/18/01 and look for the post: Error Msg when copying files while adding new HDD. By Alex666. Compaq solutions for adding a large HDD. And Stuff.

Luck. http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/wink.gif

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......Indecision may or may not be my problem......
...... Kickin' A Rock....

[This message has been edited by ranchdog (edited 12-03-2001).]

[ranchdog]

And check at Radio Shack for the 3-2 pin or 3-4 pin adaptors.

The 3-4 pin adaptors are the pass thru type.


Luck.

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......Indecision may or may not be my problem......
...... Kickin' A Rock....