Computer Help Needed

[james ungehajer]

Could anyone steer me to a website as my computer fan is not working, i will try a fix myself as the option to take the computer to the geek squad at Best Buys or another computer store is not an option for certain reasons at the present time.

A step by step instruction on how to fix the problem would be great appreciated. I only can stay online for a short time until my computer shutdown.

Thanks Jim

 

[Gerania]

*Exactly* what kind of computer is it. What brand, what type, what year, etc. Think of it like fixing a car. You need to know what replacement part you need and how it goes out/in.

 

[james ungehajer]

*Exactly* what kind of computer is it. What brand, what type, what year, etc. Think of it like fixing a car. You need to know what replacement part you need and how it goes out/in.

Gerania

Compaq Presario 5000 desktop, 2 years old.

Is there a way to use a jumper to run the fan.

Thanks Jim

 

[whitingrider]

Jim, I would assume this is a very easy swap. Open the cabinet and remove the fan, go get another and replace it. Then again, it may just need a good cleaning since the fans suck in alot of dust.
Tom

 

[MarkBNJ]

Unfortunately these machines don't always use stock parts, and the bundle boxes from Compaq, HP, Dell, etc., are the worst offenders in using non-standard stuff. A typical back of the case fan is an 80mm, but there are many systems that use 90mm or 70mm fans, and some that use 120mm fans.

What I would do is open the case and remove the fan. It will be held on by four hex screws at the corners, at most, and will be connected to the motherboard or a feed from the power-supply using a standard two or three-prong plug. The three-prong plugs have a separate connector for sensing fan RPM, so if you have one of those and don't get a matching unit, your system BIOS may complain that the fan isn't working even when it is. Make sure you unplug the machine from the wall, and always touch the metal parts of the case prior to handling anything else inside.

Once you have the fan out head to Radio Shack or any local computer dealer and see if they can match it up. A good place to hunt one up online is Newegg.com.

However, I would not be surprised if the Compaq used a proprietary form factor for the fan. Either a non-standard diameter or non-standard thickness. In that case your only option is to call the OEM and order one if you can (and if they can tell you which one to order), or find a similar junk PC from the same MFG and remove its fan.

 

[james ungehajer]

Thanks everyone for their help, when my friend comes over this afternoon we will make an attempt. As a footnote, the fan has been making noise for about a month now.

Jim

 

[Teegate]

Here is what happens when the fan does not run.

Guy

 

[james ungehajer]

Unfortunately these machines don't always use stock parts, and the bundle boxes from Compaq, HP, Dell, etc., are the worst offenders in using non-standard stuff. A typical back of the case fan is an 80mm, but there are many systems that use 90mm or 70mm fans, and some that use 120mm fans.

What I would do is open the case and remove the fan. It will be held on by four hex screws at the corners, at most, and will be connected to the motherboard or a feed from the power-supply using a standard two or three-prong plug. The three-prong plugs have a separate connector for sensing fan RPM, so if you have one of those and don't get a matching unit, your system BIOS may complain that the fan isn't working even when it is. Make sure you unplug the machine from the wall, and always touch the metal parts of the case prior to handling anything else inside.

Once you have the fan out head to Radio Shack or any local computer dealer and see if they can match it up. A good place to hunt one up online is Newegg.com.

However, I would not be surprised if the Compaq used a proprietary form factor for the fan. Either a non-standard diameter or non-standard thickness. In that case your only option is to call the OEM and order one if you can (and if they can tell you which one to order), or find a similar junk PC from the same MFG and remove its fan.

Mark

Where the wires from the fan connect into the motherboard, is that called the heatsink ?

Jim

 

[james ungehajer]

Here is what happens when the fan does not run.

Guy

Guy

We have delayed opening up the computer until tomorrow, my friend is coming over with all the necessary tools. After seeing the youtube video it ought to be interesting. I can stay on the computer about a half an hour, then i have to shut it down.

Jim

 

[MarkBNJ]

James, sorry I didn't see this earlier. There can be various fans connected to various pins. The most common scenario in bundled boxes is to have a three-wire connector from the fan assembly on the back of the chassis down to a three-pin header on the motherboard. This connects to a voltage circuit over which the BIOS has control, so fan speed can be adjusted.

The header may or may not be located near a heatsink. Typically three components have heatsinks mounted to them: the processor chip itself, the northbridge controller (smaller chip located near the processor), and the graphics processor. In some systems certain power transistors will also have heatsinks.

You shouldn't normally have to mess with heatsinks to disconnect the fan from the motherboard header, but it's possible that the header is physically underneath the heatsink or cooler for the processor. If this is the case, then make sure your friend is experienced at removing and remounting processor heatsinks. If he has not done it before, then I advise against it. If this is the case I will be happy to provide detailed instructions if you will post a pic of the motherboard and heatsink arrangement, but there will be some risk involved.

Speaking of which, post a pic anyway if you can. It will help a lot.

 

[james ungehajer]

James, sorry I didn't see this earlier. There can be various fans connected to various pins. The most common scenario in bundled boxes is to have a three-wire connector from the fan assembly on the back of the chassis down to a three-pin header on the motherboard. This connects to a voltage circuit over which the BIOS has control, so fan speed can be adjusted.

The header may or may not be located near a heatsink. Typically three components have heatsinks mounted to them: the processor chip itself, the northbridge controller (smaller chip located near the processor), and the graphics processor. In some systems certain power transistors will also have heatsinks.

You shouldn't normally have to mess with heatsinks to disconnect the fan from the motherboard header, but it's possible that the header is physically underneath the heatsink or cooler for the processor. If this is the case, then make sure your friend is experienced at removing and remounting processor heatsinks. If he has not done it before, then I advise against it. If this is the case I will be happy to provide detailed instructions if you will post a pic of the motherboard and heatsink arrangement, but there will be some risk involved.

Speaking of which, post a pic anyway if you can. It will help a lot.

Mark

My neighbor who builds computers did a diagnostic on my computer today, the power supply where the rear fan is, is causing the problem, a new 500 watt unit will cost me $50. Thank you and everyone else for their help.

Jim

 

[Sue Gremlin]

My husband Joe does Geek-squad type work, only he doesn't charge an arm and a leg and he gives actual customer service. If you need help, I can give you his number.

Edit: I missed the last post here. Glad you worked it out.

 

[MarkBNJ]

Mark

My neighbor who builds computers did a diagnostic on my computer today, the power supply where the rear fan is, is causing the problem, a new 500 watt unit will cost me $50. Thank you and everyone else for their help.

Jim

Ah, yeah, I should have mentioned the PSU fan. Usually if that fan isn't working the PSU is dead, which is why it didn't occur to me.

Glad you got it worked out!

 

[james ungehajer]

I will be back online now, i had to get a new motherboard, i am now running at 2.2 gigs, also a new case for the motherboard.

I now have an ASRock 4Core Dual-SATA 2 LGA775 VIA PT880 Pro/PT880 Ultra ATX Intel Motherboard.

Also an Intel Core 2 Duo E4500 Allendale 2.2 GHz LGA 775 65 W Dual-Core Processor Mode.

The case is a Rosewill R222-P-BK Black Steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case.

All of the above was purchased from Newegg. The case was only $20.

Still at 500,000 ram though (DDR), if i want to upgrade to 2GB, which is (DDR2), it will cost me $145. I wonder if i could play the game called Crisis, at my present configuration.

Jim

 

[RednekF350]

I will be back online now, i had to get a new motherboard, i am now running at 2.2 gigs, also a new case for the motherboard.

I now have an ASRock 4Core Dual-SATA 2 LGA775 VIA PT880 Pro/PT880 Ultra ATX Intel Motherboard.

Also an Intel Core 2 Duo E4500 Allendale 2.2 GHz LGA 775 65 W Dual-Core Processor Mode.

The case is a Rosewill R222-P-BK Black Steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case.

All of the above was purchased from Newegg. The case was only $20.

Still at 500,000 ram though (DDR), if i want to upgrade to 2GB, which is (DDR2), it will cost me $145. I wonder if i could play the game called Crisis, at my present configuration.

Jim

I feel I just read a Chinese arithmetic problem.

 

[MarkBNJ]

I will be back online now, i had to get a new motherboard, i am now running at 2.2 gigs, also a new case for the motherboard.

I now have an ASRock 4Core Dual-SATA 2 LGA775 VIA PT880 Pro/PT880 Ultra ATX Intel Motherboard.

Also an Intel Core 2 Duo E4500 Allendale 2.2 GHz LGA 775 65 W Dual-Core Processor Mode.

The case is a Rosewill R222-P-BK Black Steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case.

All of the above was purchased from Newegg. The case was only $20.

Still at 500,000 ram though (DDR), if i want to upgrade to 2GB, which is (DDR2), it will cost me $145. I wonder if i could play the game called Crisis, at my present configuration.

Jim

Sounds like you graduated from the GeekSquad's training academy . Nice rig! As for Crysis, that would depend much more on the graphics hardware than processor and ram. Most of the people playing Crysis at the higher end settings are running one of the later nVidia or ATI GPUs like the 8800GTX, which is somewhere between $400 and $500. If you have an onboard 256 meg GPU it won't run the game at much more than minimal settings.

 

[james ungehajer]

I feel I just read a Chinese arithmetic problem.

All i wanted to know from the computer repair guy was if my computer would be faster, when he started reading out those specs, he lost me completely.

Jim

 

[james ungehajer]

Sounds like you graduated from the GeekSquad's training academy . Nice rig! As for Crysis, that would depend much more on the graphics hardware than processor and ram. Most of the people playing Crysis at the higher end settings are running one of the later nVidia or ATI GPUs like the 8800GTX, which is somewhere between $400 and $500. If you have an onboard 256 meg GPU it won't run the game at much more than minimal settings.

Mark

I only have a 6200 overclocked nividia card, Crysis will have to wait. Thanks for all your input, and everyone else much appreciated.

Jim