Compaq BIOS debacle

[walleys]

I have been learning all I can about tweaking BIOS settings (overclocking, etc.) only to find out that Compaq allows verrrry limited access to the BIOs. I am trying to tweak two different machines both Compaq and both AMD, a K6-2 and an Athlon. Any suggestions on how to get into some action here, people?

 

[MrGaribaldi]

Try to find out who has made the mobo, and if it corresponds to any other mobo that the manufacturer makes (i.e. Compaq only uses a special cut down BIOS).. If so, download a BIOS update from the mobo manufacturer, and install that...


NOTE!: By installing a different BIOS than the one which came with the board, you might end up with a dead mobo, in which case you'll have to call up Compaq and buy a new one (or find one somewhere else)... You also void your warranty doing this...

 

[JAV]

Walleys,

Ain't that nice of Compaq? I know exactly what you mean! I have a Compaq & you can't get into the settings, that I can find. Compaq won't help (you prolly know that) & their BIOS updates are few & far between. Mine is 7-24-2000.

Download this: http://www.powerleap.com/Products/ccp.htm & it has a tab ('system') that will identify the board, mfg & the BIOS # & date.

Best of luck,

 

[Vehementi]

:dead:

Compaq thinks they're protecting their users from accidentally "breaking" their computers, thus annoying their already annoyed tech support staff.

Find the sysbo manufacturer, if Compaq makes their own proprietary boards, you're screwed and Compaq is dumb. If it's a different manufacturer, go to their site and flash your BIOS.

 

[Rick]

Originally posted by Vehementi
if Compaq makes their own proprietary boards, you're screwed and Compaq is dumb. If it's a different manufacturer, go to their site and flash your BIOS.

Unfortunately, I think this is the case.

 

[Vehementi]

As I am too...

If it were me I'd actually buy a new sysbo. Using a sysbo from a company like Compaq is like using the internet with AOL. Both companies just don't know what they're doing, and is terrible for the people who know something at all about computers, but just fine for the people who don't really care. (Hehe - even my grandma used to use AOL, but she absolutely disses it now)

 

[Tedman]

And thats why we build our own computers nowadays. Because we know what we got and we can change what we got.

 

[StormBringer]

Companies like Compaq do crap like that to try and avoid customers who do stupid things like accidentally trash their computers. The problem is that when someone with half a brain decides to upgrade or has a problem after the warranty period, then they run into a headache trying to do so without having to buy the replacement from Compaq. The other reason is to keep the customer coming back to them for all their upgrade and replacement parts. It is a real pain trying to get a non-compaq motherboard or PSU to work in those machines, however if you change both, it is much easier. Well, that used to be the case, it has been a couple of years since I've dealt with a compaq.

 

[walleys]

Thanks, and...

Thanks for all the info, folks, even though it doesn't at all look good for me. Let me throw this one at all of you. Would I even be able to upgrade the CPU myself without access to the BIOS? I'm betting not. Any ideas?

 

[ss1]

If the BIOS can automatically detect new processor speeds then yes or if the processor speed is set by jumpers then you have a good chance of upgrading the processor sucessfully. However if not then its best to get a new Motherboard.

My recommendation: Get a new Motherboard. It could potentially save you some headaches.


ss1.

 

[Vehementi]

Althought I'm betting they won't work with a proprietary board like that, there are third party programs that allow you to change the CPU speed from inside Windows, like SoftFSB or the like.