BIOS Updates forum

Hi there, first post here. I got a free Presario SR1033WM with a 2.8 celeron that I'm hoping will reduce the fighting between kids for the computers around here. There was no hard drive so I put one of mine in and started loading up win2k. It keeps shutting off at various points during the install and can't get all the way thru.

motherboard MS6577 V4.1
current bios 3.09
only bios offered on hp site 3.26

I'm wondering if I put the more current version of the bios offered on the hp site if it might help. the current version is listed for windows xp and they don't have one listed for win2k. I have look on the internet for a win2k bios but there don't seem to be any.

Also, the bios download from hp gives me a .exe file which I believe they want me to run in windows. Can I put that exe file on a bootable floppy to install it?

Incidently, I have an older, slower, smaller hard drive that I put in to see if it would allow the win2k install and it did! With that hard drive the computer runs and does not turn off. But I have some nice newer drives that I would rather be using to make this system useful.

Any thoughts, questions or help will be sincerely appreciated.

Thanks

Well, this sounds like http://www.badcaps.net to me.

Thanks, I have been doing a bit of searching on this and I saw that material on bad capacitors so I raced down expecting to see the bulging caps and leaks but to my surprise they look perfect. not a bulge or leak among them.

Also, I was thinking why would the old drive work so well if there were bad caps in there?

Less strain on the motherboard or power supply or whatever.

There's another showstopper, bad memory:
http://www.memtest86.com

With that out of the way, what are the brand/models of the harddisks used, where did they come from and have they been tested with the manufacturer utility?

I find it very odd windows downright crashes during the install when using a different harddisk, not something I'd suspect the bios for.

Thanks Edwin, Those are some good assignments for me, Man you're a taskmaster! I will try to post back here tommorrow with some results for you. Wish me luck.

Been there, done that, many times. Best of luck.

Okay, I've done some work and it's not looking too good.

Memory: I have three sticks of pc2700 that I have gotten free from friend's working computers. I tried each seperately in the presario and shut down occured in all cases. I tried to run the memtest but it would start up fine, run for about a minute and then shut down.

Hard drives: I have 8 name brand drives newer and older lying around all of which have served as slaves or masters in previous computers of mine. I can't test them out due to time constraints but I believe most if not all work. I tried each of them as master on this presario and the shut down occured the same with each.

I have two new power supplies, a 450 watt and a 550 that I've never used before but the shut down occurs with either of them in place.

My gut feeling tells me that this motherboard is bad. If you agree that this is likely then I would ask you, do you think that the cpu can be ruled out? If so I may just pick up a cheap board to replace this one and see if I can get the system running.

CPU overheating is always possible. Did you check the cooling for proper fitting (no air gaps)?

Thanks Edwin, I checked the chip and the thermal grease was very evenly applied and the fan was firmly held to it.

Oh, I forgot to mention, the old hard drive that was previously working with this board no longer works any differently than the other drives do.

hmm still sounds like a badcaps issue, have you checked all the capacitors thoroughly for any bulging at all? Checked the bottom ends too for any leakage?

No, but that's a good idea. I'll take the board out and have a real close look at it. Thanks

I have taken out the board and examined it up close and there really doesn't seem to be any visible problems. I did read on the badcap site that caps can still be bad without any bulging or leaks. I may just spring for a capacitor tester..

the bios for XP means it will support windows XP. And all previous versions as well.