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  3. I have an very old HP computer that can not power up now

I have an very old HP computer that can not power up now

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  • J Johnny J

    Southmountain wrote:

    back up some personal data from it.

    If you haven't had any use for the data in 20 years, I'd say it's pretty irrelevant. Leave it and scrap the computer is my recommendation. :doh:

    Anything that is unrelated to elephants is irrelephant
    Anonymous
    -----
    The problem with quotes on the internet is that you can never tell if they're genuine
    Winston Churchill, 1944
    -----
    Never argue with a fool. Onlookers may not be able to tell the difference.
    Mark Twain

    R Offline
    R Offline
    Ron Anders
    wrote on last edited by
    #8

    Sorry I guess I have become very laptop centric. You can always take the drive out and use a caddy with a usb to connect the drive as an external disk to your current box. I like this one. [https://www.amazon.com/Thermaltake-External-Enclosure-Docking-ST0005U-C/dp/B01GF0OYI2/ref=dp\_fod\_1?pd\_rd\_i=B01GF0OYI2&psc=1\](https://www.amazon.com/Thermaltake-External-Enclosure-Docking-ST0005U-C/dp/B01GF0OYI2/ref=dp\_fod\_1?pd\_rd\_i=B01GF0OYI2&psc=1)

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    • R Ron Anders

      Sorry I guess I have become very laptop centric. You can always take the drive out and use a caddy with a usb to connect the drive as an external disk to your current box. I like this one. [https://www.amazon.com/Thermaltake-External-Enclosure-Docking-ST0005U-C/dp/B01GF0OYI2/ref=dp\_fod\_1?pd\_rd\_i=B01GF0OYI2&psc=1\](https://www.amazon.com/Thermaltake-External-Enclosure-Docking-ST0005U-C/dp/B01GF0OYI2/ref=dp\_fod\_1?pd\_rd\_i=B01GF0OYI2&psc=1)

      P Offline
      P Offline
      Peter_in_2780
      wrote on last edited by
      #9

      If the machine is that old, it may very well have PATA/IDE disks, not SATA.

      Software rusts. Simon Stephenson, ca 1994. So does this signature. me, 2012

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      • P Peter_in_2780

        If the machine is that old, it may very well have PATA/IDE disks, not SATA.

        Software rusts. Simon Stephenson, ca 1994. So does this signature. me, 2012

        R Offline
        R Offline
        Ron Anders
        wrote on last edited by
        #10

        Open it up and see first. I'll bet it's sata My thermaltake black-x came with an adapter for ide. But it's fiddly.

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        • J Johnny J

          Southmountain wrote:

          back up some personal data from it.

          If you haven't had any use for the data in 20 years, I'd say it's pretty irrelevant. Leave it and scrap the computer is my recommendation. :doh:

          Anything that is unrelated to elephants is irrelephant
          Anonymous
          -----
          The problem with quotes on the internet is that you can never tell if they're genuine
          Winston Churchill, 1944
          -----
          Never argue with a fool. Onlookers may not be able to tell the difference.
          Mark Twain

          Mike HankeyM Offline
          Mike HankeyM Offline
          Mike Hankey
          wrote on last edited by
          #11

          I agree, what could possibly be relevant after 20 years? Unless games for a retro build?

          The less you need, the more you have. Why is there a "Highway to Hell" and only a "Stairway to Heaven"? A prediction of the expected traffic load? JaxCoder.com

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          • S Southmountain

            desktop

            diligent hands rule....

            D Offline
            D Offline
            Dave Kreskowiak
            wrote on last edited by
            #12

            Change out the CMOS, if possible and give it a try to power up. It's likely not going to improve the situation. It's more likely you're got a bad power supply or motherboard, probably due to bad capacitors. If you really need the data, the cheapest way to get it is to take the drive out and put it into an enclosure or hard drive dock for your type of drive. It'll connect to a new machine over USB and you can get the data.

            Asking questions is a skill CodeProject Forum Guidelines Google: C# How to debug code Seriously, go read these articles.
            Dave Kreskowiak

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            • D Dave Kreskowiak

              Change out the CMOS, if possible and give it a try to power up. It's likely not going to improve the situation. It's more likely you're got a bad power supply or motherboard, probably due to bad capacitors. If you really need the data, the cheapest way to get it is to take the drive out and put it into an enclosure or hard drive dock for your type of drive. It'll connect to a new machine over USB and you can get the data.

              Asking questions is a skill CodeProject Forum Guidelines Google: C# How to debug code Seriously, go read these articles.
              Dave Kreskowiak

              N Offline
              N Offline
              Nelek
              wrote on last edited by
              #13

              Dave Kreskowiak wrote:

              the cheapest way to get it is to take the drive out and put it into an enclosure or hard drive dock for your type of drive. It'll connect to a new machine over USB and you can get the data.

              :thumbsup::thumbsup: exactly

              M.D.V. ;) If something has a solution... Why do we have to worry about?. If it has no solution... For what reason do we have to worry about? Help me to understand what I'm saying, and I'll explain it better to you Rating helpful answers is nice, but saying thanks can be even nicer.

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              • P Peter_in_2780

                If the machine is that old, it may very well have PATA/IDE disks, not SATA.

                Software rusts. Simon Stephenson, ca 1994. So does this signature. me, 2012

                N Offline
                N Offline
                Nelek
                wrote on last edited by
                #14

                Peter_in_2780 wrote:

                If the machine is that old, it may very well have PATA/IDE disks, not SATA.

                I still have a working USB 1.0 case from 2004 / 2005. The 32 GB HDD inside (an old seagate) is still working :)

                M.D.V. ;) If something has a solution... Why do we have to worry about?. If it has no solution... For what reason do we have to worry about? Help me to understand what I'm saying, and I'll explain it better to you Rating helpful answers is nice, but saying thanks can be even nicer.

                P 1 Reply Last reply
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                • Mike HankeyM Mike Hankey

                  I agree, what could possibly be relevant after 20 years? Unless games for a retro build?

                  The less you need, the more you have. Why is there a "Highway to Hell" and only a "Stairway to Heaven"? A prediction of the expected traffic load? JaxCoder.com

                  N Offline
                  N Offline
                  Nelek
                  wrote on last edited by
                  #15

                  Mike Hankey wrote:

                  I agree, what could possibly be relevant after 20 years?

                  I saved the data of my father-in-law after an issue with an indian call center with an aprox. 12 years old 32 Bit version of FileScavenger. Some old tools are priceless.

                  M.D.V. ;) If something has a solution... Why do we have to worry about?. If it has no solution... For what reason do we have to worry about? Help me to understand what I'm saying, and I'll explain it better to you Rating helpful answers is nice, but saying thanks can be even nicer.

                  Mike HankeyM 1 Reply Last reply
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                  • N Nelek

                    Mike Hankey wrote:

                    I agree, what could possibly be relevant after 20 years?

                    I saved the data of my father-in-law after an issue with an indian call center with an aprox. 12 years old 32 Bit version of FileScavenger. Some old tools are priceless.

                    M.D.V. ;) If something has a solution... Why do we have to worry about?. If it has no solution... For what reason do we have to worry about? Help me to understand what I'm saying, and I'll explain it better to you Rating helpful answers is nice, but saying thanks can be even nicer.

                    Mike HankeyM Offline
                    Mike HankeyM Offline
                    Mike Hankey
                    wrote on last edited by
                    #16

                    Awesome, definitely worth salvaging. Good luck

                    The less you need, the more you have. Why is there a "Highway to Hell" and only a "Stairway to Heaven"? A prediction of the expected traffic load? JaxCoder.com

                    1 Reply Last reply
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                    • D Dave Kreskowiak

                      Change out the CMOS, if possible and give it a try to power up. It's likely not going to improve the situation. It's more likely you're got a bad power supply or motherboard, probably due to bad capacitors. If you really need the data, the cheapest way to get it is to take the drive out and put it into an enclosure or hard drive dock for your type of drive. It'll connect to a new machine over USB and you can get the data.

                      Asking questions is a skill CodeProject Forum Guidelines Google: C# How to debug code Seriously, go read these articles.
                      Dave Kreskowiak

                      S Offline
                      S Offline
                      Southmountain
                      wrote on last edited by
                      #17

                      good info! thank you!

                      diligent hands rule....

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                      • OriginalGriffO OriginalGriff

                        That's far too broad a question for any kind of specific answer: "won't power up" could mean anything. Start with what it does do: Do lights come on? Does it beep? Do you get anything on the display? Does Windows try to load?

                        "I have no idea what I did, but I'm taking full credit for it." - ThisOldTony "Common sense is so rare these days, it should be classified as a super power" - Random T-shirt AntiTwitter: @DalekDave is now a follower!

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                        S Offline
                        Southmountain
                        wrote on last edited by
                        #18

                        no any light, no any beep

                        diligent hands rule....

                        OriginalGriffO 1 Reply Last reply
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                        • 1 1650

                          19 years :laugh: i agree, dropping the HDD into a temporary USB case or different box to retrieve the data might be most practical, unless you have other antique boxes you can scavenge parts from. Ha, you beat out my best roun'toit record. You are correct that the cmos battery will need changing first off. Count beeps if any, note any MB LEDs that light up, then search for beep codes and a MB Manual.pdf for that model. May very likely also need to borrow/swap out the PSU from a different old beater box, before buying a new one. Good luck ~John

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                          Southmountain
                          wrote on last edited by
                          #19

                          I moved from east coast to west coast....

                          diligent hands rule....

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                          • R Ron Anders

                            Sorry I guess I have become very laptop centric. You can always take the drive out and use a caddy with a usb to connect the drive as an external disk to your current box. I like this one. [https://www.amazon.com/Thermaltake-External-Enclosure-Docking-ST0005U-C/dp/B01GF0OYI2/ref=dp\_fod\_1?pd\_rd\_i=B01GF0OYI2&psc=1\](https://www.amazon.com/Thermaltake-External-Enclosure-Docking-ST0005U-C/dp/B01GF0OYI2/ref=dp\_fod\_1?pd\_rd\_i=B01GF0OYI2&psc=1)

                            S Offline
                            S Offline
                            Southmountain
                            wrote on last edited by
                            #20

                            thanks for the link!

                            diligent hands rule....

                            1 Reply Last reply
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                            • Mike HankeyM Mike Hankey

                              I agree, what could possibly be relevant after 20 years? Unless games for a retro build?

                              The less you need, the more you have. Why is there a "Highway to Hell" and only a "Stairway to Heaven"? A prediction of the expected traffic load? JaxCoder.com

                              S Offline
                              S Offline
                              Southmountain
                              wrote on last edited by
                              #21

                              you are right: games:)

                              diligent hands rule....

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                              • S Southmountain

                                no any light, no any beep

                                diligent hands rule....

                                OriginalGriffO Offline
                                OriginalGriffO Offline
                                OriginalGriff
                                wrote on last edited by
                                #22

                                First premise then is dead PSU or blown fuse. If you have a multimeter, I'd start by disconnecting all the PSU cables and checking the 5V and 12V rails. Nothing there means the PSU is dead or the plug fuse (if fitted, they are in the UK) is blown. If that shows good values, then the motherboard is fried and I'd try a USB IDE/PATA/SATA/ disk reader to see if it's still alive - I'd not connect it directly to any computer I actually liked, which is why I have one of those readers ... they are pretty cheap from Fleabay / Hamazon.

                                "I have no idea what I did, but I'm taking full credit for it." - ThisOldTony "Common sense is so rare these days, it should be classified as a super power" - Random T-shirt AntiTwitter: @DalekDave is now a follower!

                                "I have no idea what I did, but I'm taking full credit for it." - ThisOldTony
                                "Common sense is so rare these days, it should be classified as a super power" - Random T-shirt

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                                0
                                • OriginalGriffO OriginalGriff

                                  First premise then is dead PSU or blown fuse. If you have a multimeter, I'd start by disconnecting all the PSU cables and checking the 5V and 12V rails. Nothing there means the PSU is dead or the plug fuse (if fitted, they are in the UK) is blown. If that shows good values, then the motherboard is fried and I'd try a USB IDE/PATA/SATA/ disk reader to see if it's still alive - I'd not connect it directly to any computer I actually liked, which is why I have one of those readers ... they are pretty cheap from Fleabay / Hamazon.

                                  "I have no idea what I did, but I'm taking full credit for it." - ThisOldTony "Common sense is so rare these days, it should be classified as a super power" - Random T-shirt AntiTwitter: @DalekDave is now a follower!

                                  S Offline
                                  S Offline
                                  Southmountain
                                  wrote on last edited by
                                  #23

                                  Got it! Thank you OG!

                                  diligent hands rule....

                                  1 Reply Last reply
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                                  • N Nelek

                                    Peter_in_2780 wrote:

                                    If the machine is that old, it may very well have PATA/IDE disks, not SATA.

                                    I still have a working USB 1.0 case from 2004 / 2005. The 32 GB HDD inside (an old seagate) is still working :)

                                    M.D.V. ;) If something has a solution... Why do we have to worry about?. If it has no solution... For what reason do we have to worry about? Help me to understand what I'm saying, and I'll explain it better to you Rating helpful answers is nice, but saying thanks can be even nicer.

                                    P Offline
                                    P Offline
                                    Peter_in_2780
                                    wrote on last edited by
                                    #24

                                    I still have my old Dell Pentium-something tower that came with Windows ME (ptui ptui ptui). Late 2000. Installing XP when it appeared the next year was a lifesaver. Under a hundred gigs of 5.25 HDD, 3.5 and 5.25 floppies, CD... I think I stretched the RAM to 256MB. I upgraded the dialup modem to 56kbps. Ah, the good old days....

                                    Software rusts. Simon Stephenson, ca 1994. So does this signature. me, 2012

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                                    • S Southmountain

                                      this desktop was working in year 2001, but could not power up in 2002. Now I get some time to work on this PC and back up some personal data from it. any idea for not powering up? CMOS battery failed?

                                      diligent hands rule....

                                      J Offline
                                      J Offline
                                      jeanphi06
                                      wrote on last edited by
                                      #25

                                      I don't know if it related to your issue. But i had an HP Pavillion Laptop from 2005 who started to have strange behavior . He started to not power on everytime , sometimes it powered up , then the last day not , i had to wait few days and it powered up. The delay between the time i was able to power it increased with time until the moment it never power up again. I thought it was a problem with my power button. I bring the laptop to repair . And the guy check and say me nothing seemed to be wrong with power supply or button. But he just clear a persistant ram and the PC worked again. I got back the PC and it worked normally for 2 weeks.. and then started to have the same problem... And at that moment , i just thought about planned obsolescence. what i did , when i was able to start the PC , i went directly in the BIOS and changed the date . I went 10 years back. We were in 2016 , i set the date backto 2006. And after that , the PC worked again normally. The problem never occurs again. the PC worked till 2019 where it died but due to the graphic card.

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                                      • S Southmountain

                                        this desktop was working in year 2001, but could not power up in 2002. Now I get some time to work on this PC and back up some personal data from it. any idea for not powering up? CMOS battery failed?

                                        diligent hands rule....

                                        R Offline
                                        R Offline
                                        Rage
                                        wrote on last edited by
                                        #26

                                        Southmountain wrote:

                                        2002. Now I get some time to work on this PC

                                        :omg: :wtf: that's ... 20 years ago.

                                        Do not escape reality : improve reality !

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                                        0
                                        • S Southmountain

                                          this desktop was working in year 2001, but could not power up in 2002. Now I get some time to work on this PC and back up some personal data from it. any idea for not powering up? CMOS battery failed?

                                          diligent hands rule....

                                          R Offline
                                          R Offline
                                          rjmoses
                                          wrote on last edited by
                                          #27

                                          Odds are it is the power supply. Back around that time, there was a company out of Taiwan that made the majority of the capacitors used in PC equipment (I can't remember the name off hand). These capacitors had a life expectancy of about 5 years before they would swell and blow the top into a dome-like shape. Viewsonic was one of the companies that got nailed by this problem and actually sold a repair kit to replace the capacitors in many of their displays. You might "borrow" a power supply from some other piece of equipment and see if that makes a difference.

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