Advice on a PeeCee

[JaXanim]

I've been given a PC/Pentium-something-or-other/Win95, which was running OK a few weeks ago. When I first tried it, I could hear the HD running but it wouldn't boot.

Later, I couldn't get any life out of it at all. Anyway, I checked all the innards and found that the power supply had blown. There were capacitor casings rattling around in the box.

So, I've just fitted a new 350watt ATX power supply and now the HD runs, but it doesn't boot, the floppy drive seems lifeless, there's no video output and no beeps at all.

Being completely PC illiterate, does this sound bad?

What should I check first? Any advice, apart from chuck it in the bin!

Cheers,

JaX

[JaXanim]

@Methuselas

The floppy light never comes on, even with the Win95 boot floppy in it (have that thankfully).

There are no obvious errors on boot, 'cos it doesn't boot!

All I've got is power to the HD and little else apparently.

The capacitors were definitely from the defunct power pack. They were inside the box when I opened it up and the remnants were still attached to the board.

All that seems to work atm is the on/off switch on the front panel. Well it switches on OK, but to switch off I have to use the power supply switch. I guess this means summat...?

Cheers,

JaX

[JaXanim]

@All

I think the mobo must have died. There's just nothing happening. No beeps, no floppy drive light, nothing.

It doesn't have a graphics card!

I'll see if I can get another mobo, but I've no idea what I need. It's a Packard Bell desktop with a CD Rom drive and that's about all I know.

Prob'ly easier to take it to local computer fixer and pay to have it fixed, eh?

Cheers,

Jax

[JaXanim]

Hmmm... I'm getting drawn into summat I vowed never to do, building a PC!

Well, if I only need a cheap mobo and if all the other stuff in the case will be OK with it, I'll have a shot.

I assume the CPU will transfer?

It's got a whacking great fan on top, but it's not connected, never has been by the look! There's a sort of spring clip/latch gizmo holding it all down. If I manage to get that off, how do I know which mobo I need for the cpu/RAM module, etc?

Sorry to seem so dim, but I've only ever owned Amigas. It's the way I was brought up.

Cheers,

JaX

[JaXanim]

Blimey, my freebee PeeCee is not what he thought it was!

I've just managed to get the unpowered hovercraft engine off the cpu and it turns out to be an AMD-K6-2 stuck in a Socket 7 socket. What speed would that little beauty be?

[EDIT: It's 300MHz]

How do I get it out of the Socket 7 socket?

The RAM card says it's PC100 DRAM 32Mb, which sounds familiar. Alongside, there's a second DRAM slot, which presumably will take another 32Mb stick?

[EDIT: I've got two 128Mb sticks of 168-pin 50ns EDO DIMM,
will they be any use? They are physically the same size as the old stick and fit in the socket]

The whole mobo is very thin and flimsy. I have to wedge a pencil under it to push the RAM back it. Scared of busting it, but that's academic now, I guess.

Sooo, I need another Socket 7 PC100 mobo, is that right?

Should I swap the AMD for something else? If so what? I'm unwilling to spend more than thirty quid on this box'a'tricks. Can I get a Socket 7 mobo and an old Socket 7 Pentium whatever for thirty quid?

And what about a graphics card? There seem to be plenty of spare slots of one type or another. Are these things tricky to set up? Is it beginning to sound like a fifty quid project? Is it worth it?

I do need at least a basic PeeCee for some important docs I've got to print.

As before, advice very welcome!

JaX

[JaXanim]

@mikeymike

Other than the power-on LED, there are no lights at any time. Not from the keyboard or floppy drive. The floppy drive was working before I got the machine. And there are no beeps either. There is no display output on the monitor which came with it.

Other than the HD spinning, the thing seems dead. Remember I fitted a new ATX box to replace the original, which had blown out at least two capacitors. That event probably killed the mobo, eh?

Cheers,

JaX

[JaXanim]

@spirantho

Blimey m8, that's a very generous offer!

I'll PM you on this.

Cheers,

JaX

[JaXanim]

@Holley

Two pounds-fifty eh? Then it looks like it'll all end up on our local Dumpit site's 'retail counter'!

I may go for a new case, especially with the help offered by spirantho. Depends if I can fit one of his mobos into the Dreaded Packard Bell box. I'll try that first.

Cheer,

JaX

[JaXanim]

@Mikeymike

Yes there's a fan, but it's never been connected to any power.

OK, I'll try your suggestion. Maybe if it works, I can use the mobo as a doorbell?

Cheers,

JaX

[JaXanim]

@Mikeymike

OK, I stripped it down to the completely bare mobo and switched on. Zilch! No beeps, only the sound of the power pack fan.

Once on, the on/off switch on the front of the case wouldn't turn off the power. The power fan kept running. The switch didn't switch off when held for thirty seconds (someone said it should)..?

When I turned off the power on the ATX box itself there was a weak kinda noise from the speaker. It wasn't a beep, more like a faint screech/death-throw..!

What's up Doc? It's dead isn't it..?

Cheers,

JaX

[JaXanim]

@odin

Now that's just silly. I think a doorbell would be much more useful!

Cheers,

JaX

[JaXanim]

@BouncyA

Yes, I kept the speaker connected throughout. It didn't beep, never has beeped and I suspect never will.

Remember the power supply had blown some internal components apart. I guess this is more than an inexplicable/probable cause.

I'm inclined to fix it to the front door as I said.

Cheers,

JaX

[JaXanim]

@Holley

OK that does it! I'm not gonna bore anyone any longer with this.

@spirantho

Let's do a deal and put the PB to bed, eh?

Cheers,

JaX

[JaXanim]

@Everyone

I'm really overwhelmed by the advice given here and the offers of help and parts. Thank you all very much.

I have decided that the defunct Packard Bell is never gonna get anywhere. If I can beg an old mobo/cpu somewhere, I'll try to refit it. If not, well it was interesting while it lasted!

I only need a simple PeeCee/Win95+ so I can use my new Epson to print off my WaveGuide manual. That's currently held on an even older 386/Win3.1 IBM box. It's is very reliable, but is now too old for printer support.

My old printer with Win3.1 support died a fortnight ago. And before anyone suggests transferring the files to my Amiga, I've looked at the options and the job is too complex, for me anyway.

It's in Lotus AmiPro format with about 15Mb of AmiPro graphics which I am not prepared to revamp into Wordworth or whatever. A free PeeCee seemed to be the solution. Well, there it is. If someone really will send me a mobo/cpu for the price of the postage, I'll gladly send them the money.

Thanks again.

JaX

[JaXanim]

@bloodmoney

The heatsink with fan attached was clipped to the CPU OK, but the power lead from the fan was rolled up with a rubber band around it. The plug had never been connected to the supply. This is definitely the condition as originally purchased. Would that be likely to eventually fry the CPU?

Strange thing is, the machine had been in very light use since 1996 or so.

ANYWAY, I'm getting rid of the Packouta Hell and cobbling together an alternative system (thanks to the generous spirantho).

I've no doubt I'll be back with updates/problems in due course.

Cheers,

JaX