HP PAVILION A1646X
When all else fails, you can do what I did, rather then spending a lot of money.
HP PAVILION A1646X
HP PAVILION A1646X
A Co-workers HP Pavilion wouldn't start-up after a power outage and Thunderstorm, and I was asked to look at it.
Normal Procedures
I do a normal, at least for me, look inside the computer and check out all the dust the fan sucked
in dirt socks, shoes etc.
In this case I was told the Computer had just been cleaned out. I verified if it was. Most people are not Geek's so they don't really know what to look for, but I was more concerned that maybe more damage was done by the cleaning job. Process of alimentation.
CPU Fan and Cooler Scoket775
I inspected the motherboard, power supply, memory, HDD, DVD, front bezel CPU, fan and Cooler and everthing else inside the Computer.
I disassembled the CPU fan, cooler from the CPU and cleaned them. Dust and Dirt seem to hide in the worst places. If you have your Computer by a floor heating and AC vent you can get this after a few months. It's normal.
I cleaned them up and got ready to start the HP for the first time.to see what was wrong.
CPU Cooler after cleaning I was out of compressed air, so I didn't do a good a job as I normally do.I wasn't driving 16 miles to the Navy Exchange Oceana to get some.
Motherboard Specifications
ASUS P5BW-LA (Buckeye) Specially made for Computer Manufactures
HP Pavilion Media Center a1646x Desktop PC Windows XP
Extend PC Life and Reduce Lockups by Decreasing Heat Inside Your Computer
» Resolving General Game Issues
» Windows XP, Me, or 98 Stops Responding or Becomes Very Slow after Connecting to the Internet
» Windows XP, Me, 98, or 95 Stops Responding
» Windows XP, Me or 98 Does Not Shut Down
» Resolving Startup Problems in Windows XP, Me, and 98
» Windows Vista Locks Up, Freezes, or a Blue Screen Error Opens
» Computer Does Not Start (Windows Vista)
» Modem Stops Working after the Computer Wakes from Sleep Mode in Windows XP, Me, or 98
And many more.
I tried to boot onto safe mode F8 no joy.
Didn't have Recovery Disks, Recovery Partition is on HDD. I tried F10 while booting up.
From the HP Recovery Console I used PC- Doctor to test HDD, Memory and just overall tests.. The HDD test Failed, So I got a second opinion. using what ever test program and HP webb site for answers.
The HDD is a Western Digital WD2000js SATA
I put two new spare SATA cables I had left over from when I Built my Last Computer .
On the Western Digital harddrive and DVD And tried to recover windows XP again. No Joy.
I reformated the HDD and tried to install Win XP via the F10 Recovery, Partition. (In case a Virus was prsent) It started to load then crashed. I set the Bios to default, NJ, I set the Raid to APIC NJ, I set it to IDE, 13 hours later at 72 %, it crashed and burned. I did get to install once then it crashed and burned. Shame. I tried a few more tests just to make sure. Note: I like to fix things not replace parts). Its more fun. If I worked for a Computer Repair Store, I would have to replace the parts, Time is Money, to Repair store's.
So I decided to install Vista, It installed in about 3 hours, I was able to download some updates, before it Crashed and burned again. So I did a few hours of re-search, and tried a few things. NJ. I took the HDD drive and put it into my (Build my Last Computer) link above, and Vista failed to install on my ASUS Computer. So I had a couple cups of coffee and I thought of other things to do. I didn't have a spare SATA HDD, I had even tried Linux, and Linux Live CD It worked. So I knew one thing the motherboard was good, and the memory
was good. The WD HDD HP Recovery Software, was trashed. No virus's Malware, Rootkits etc.. I could find.
After having a 5th cup of coffee, I decided to look into my Brown Bag, where I keep some of my spare parts, and I remenbered I had a IDE SIIG Controller that fits into a PCI slot. HA, and a spare HDD drive Maxtor 40 GB, I quit buying WD's after they started breaking down on other computers I repaired. My thoughts, was it going to work?
I installed the IDE Controller, installed the Maxtor HDD, formated, NTFS, Put Vista into DVD, one hour later Vista was installed and downloading windows updates. And all the new drivers came along with windows Updates.
Downloaded MSN Dial-UP from MSN web Site, Yes I know DialUP is OLD Tech. Cable or DSL is the fastest. Let me know how it works.
I know what your thinking Windows Vista,,, YAK, Well I was able to read Microsofts Tech site information Stop Sobbing.
Here is a list of Web Sites that I used for help.
I love HDClone it made life easy
This page was last updated: June 17, 2011
Hiren's BootCD Some great tools on this CD.
A few last words your Computer has a Hard-drive that's working, and Windows Vista.
I recommend you buy a Maxtor / Seagate 200 GB or better I don't know what you use the Computer for, and Windows 7, instead of going to HP and buying their Win xp Recovery Disks.
Recovery Disks. Give me a call when your ready and I'll Install the new HDD and what ever Windows OS you want..
Note: I ran over 10 different tests on the WD2000JS
HDD after awhile I started to get some real answers
that provided me with what I thought was correct information, The HDD was About dead. Continue reading.
The quickest way to fix this HP a1646x was to get a new Hard-disk Drive and upgrade to Windows 7.
I desided to do it the hard and cheap way, sence my time is not costing anybody anything. I work on my co-workers Computers for free. At 69 years old I use every minute of the day doing what I want to do.
Help those that need help has been part of my life for many years.
HP PAVILION A1646X
There are other Gadgets I could of used but I didn't
have any in my Brown paper bag.
Update 16 March 2011
I returned the HP A1646X back to the owners and asked them to try it out and told them what was needed. After a few weeks I got word that the HP A1646X didn't work. I was comfused, I was thinking "what was wrong", maybe the wall socket electrical power was bad, not enough voltage or other problems. I asked them to plug a light into the socket or another Socket in another room . The answer was. It still didn't work. I felt like a idiot. It worked for me before I gave it back to them. but things happen, right. so I decided to start over again.
I checked all the connections, went to HP web site to review their power supply troubleshooting issues.
Reviewed what I had done on another HP A HP Pavillion Elete M9426f desktop Computer. ( I replaced the power supply on that one.). The power supply was the same brand as this one. Now I had something to work on. The HDD where diffrent. Except for Brand name.
The green light was on, when the Computer turned on but the computer would not boot up, no video, black screen.
Now I get to use the power supply tester that my daughter gave me for xmas. I tested it with the power supply tester, the voltage was good.
Power Supply HIPRO
Ultra Power Supply Tester
Typical ATX Power Supply No SATA Connecters
I kept trying a few things, I don't quit until its fixed.
I must of tried to startup and restart the HDD a few times, I then took out the Loaner HDD drive and used my new USB 2.0 IDE/SATA Cable Adapter, and connected it to one of my computers to look at the Drive to verify the files were intact, Using a Start up Hirems CD with other tools, I didn't find any problems, I decided to do a Virus check for Rootkits.and etc.
I didn't find any. so I re-installed the HDD and tried to restart it again. Finally somthing happened the Computer wouldn't turn on and the green light on the power supply was out. I now had something to work with. I rechecked the power supply with my power supply tester and found out it was dead. I still wasn't sure so I pulled it out and placed it into a nother Test Computer I have and " No Power " used a diffrent power cord and " No Power " . Let's try a diffrent power supply in the HP a1646x. I didn't have a 24 pin power supply, so I tried a 20 pin, and the HP a1646x booted up... went online and got some updates. I wasn't finished yet. Lets try the original HDD drive
I Test installed the orginal WD HDD (didn't put into the computer) that I thought was wiped out, and put Vista DVD in and tried to install Vista again. In a couple of hours Vista was installed and updates were being installed. So it appears all along the power supply was messed up some way. I took the 24 pin power supply back to the owner and told her to get a new one, not the same brand HIPRO. because that was the second one in a few weeks that Dead that I worked on. Got the new Power Supply and installed it and now its been running for a couple of weeks with no problems. I guess I better return it to the owner.
I'll let you know if it works at the owners house.
If you geeks read this and see something I could of tried, plese let me know.
I installed Internet Explorer 9 just to try it out, hey it seems to work good. The overall power rating of the HP a1646x, I would give it a 8 out of 10, Vista loads good. There may be a few more tweaks I could do, but from experience, I have found that young people slap various programs that slow the computer down.
The manufactures of Software don't care if they lock up your computer, they know you will go buy another one, bigger, faster, more memory, with whistle and bells to galore, and then reinstall their Software, Search engines are the worse culprits, they add so much garbage to the tool bars.
