Compaq Presario 5333CL (vintage 2002) XP SP3

Tapping F10 has always been the key to get me into BIOS Setup. The post screen agrees it's F10.

Tried it today to check boot sequence, and it doesn't work anymore.

Don't think the keyboard is bad because holding down the F10 key prevents the PC from booting to Windows, so the F10 key seems to be functioning.

Tried unplugging my new wireless USB mouse and using original Compaq mouse PS/2 mouse, but no change. Keyboard is original USB that came with PC.

Tried a generic PS/2 Keyboard... no luck.

Something has changed.

Help!! Thanks...

Hi there, try booting your computer while constantly holding down the left control (CTRL) button. That should bring up a special menu, rom which you can choose before the machine continues booting.

"From which you can choose" Sorry for my mis-typing on my last post!

I'll try it right now.

Will this "special menu" have the solution to this problem?

Thanks...

Tried it on Compaq USB keyboard, nothing. Just booted to Windows.

Tried it again on generic PS/2 keyboard. This time the CTL key caused the screen to "hold" long enough for me to read a keyboard error message saying I had the wrong / or defective keyboard.

On this screen, it clearly said press F10 for Setup, so I let go of the Ctl key and pressed F10, but it just went on and booted to Windows.

Any idea why I can't get into BIOS setup?

Some viruses (and/or malware) can actually make changes to the bios code (bios = "basic input - output system). Try booting to a bootable CD (or DVD) such as a windows installation disk. Or perhaps download the "free" version of DrWebCureIt which can scan your entire hard drive for all viruses, malware and adware. Here is a link to download it:

Dr.Web CureIt! — ??????? ????????? ?????????! ??????? ???????, ?????? ?????????? ?????????! (http://www.freedrweb.com/download+cureit/)

Thank you.

Pehaps this is a better hyperlink, with English already pre-selected as the language:

Dr.Web CureIt! — download free anti-virus! Cure viruses, Best free anti-virus scanner! (http://www.freedrweb.com/cureit/?lng=en)

Tried it. No infection.

Does this problem sound like a corrupted BIOS?

If so, is flashing necessary or would just a reset do it?

Have you tried using a bootable CD or DVD? It may be that some software component such as might be found in a "service pack" is intentionally preventing you from getting into setup on the machine, to attempt to prevent somebody from "accidentally" messing up critical system settings. On any normal day, I would not think a BIOS was corrupted just because a function key is being ignored. Try using a bootable (software) CD (or DVD) and try getting into setup before the hard drive is accessed. Meanwhile, if you will tell me the OS (operating system) and the "service pack" level (if any), I may be able to give you better answers. I have been servicing computers for decades, from DOS 2.2 through Windows 7, inclusive, but detailed info always makes the job much easier and faster.

Thanks InfoGuy.

Compaq Presario 5333CL (vintage 2002) XP SP3

UPDATE: I've been experimenting with every conceivable combination all day. Made some progress that perhaps you can interpret.

I was finally able to get into the BIOS Setup as a one shot deal:

Unplugged AC power from PC
Removed lithium CMOS battery
Pressed PC's power button for 10 seconds to discharge capacitors
Pressed mobo's CMOS reset button (no jumpers)
Waited 45 minutes (Burger King)
Reinstalled lithium CMOS battery
Powered on PC
It went through a 4 minute DOS screen counting up from 0 to 1536MB in the upper left corner of screen
Then just held position.
Lower right corner had the same <F10 for Setup> message
Pressed F10 (fully expecting a Windows boot as was happening every other time for 2 days)
Shockingly, it opened the BIOS Setup which worked normally. (WOW!)

Thought the problem was solved. However... tried to access BIOS Setup in the prescribed manner, tapping F10 (which has always worked for me in the past on this PC). It went right back to the same problem of just launching Windows.

If I said the keyboard was unresponsive earlier, that was incorrect. The Function Keys are working.
The precise problem: Pressing or tapping F10 at the appropriate time, just causes Windows to boot up.

I haven't tried the "Remove Battery" procedure again, but for now will assume it would work again.
I suppose if I must, I can live with this, but it is troubling that this has happening.
I've considered flashing the BIOS, but that always makes me nervous. I have a functioning PC, and if I must access BIOS Setup, at least I know it's possible.

If you have any suggestions for a fix, it would be greatly appreciated! (Sorry for the long post, but wanted to give you all details to assist with troubleshooting)

Thanks again...

Ah-ha, OK. You have a Presario! My info tells me that, depending on the year of manufacture of the MB (motherboard, AKA mainboard), the machine might be configured to respond to a setup request via CTRL+ALT+ESC (control and alt and escape keys, all simultaneously). It is puzzling, however, that it has responded to the F10 key in the past, and that is, in fact, typical of Compaq NON-Presario models. The method is worth a try, if you have not tried it already.

Very interesting news update:

I extended the Post Delay from 0 to 5 seconds so I could actually read what was going on with the Post Screen.

Unfortunately, Ctl+Alt+Esc did not change the prompt "F10=Setup" to the title: "Setup".

However, pressing F10 on the Post Screen DOES change the prompt "F10=Setup" to the title of "Setup", just as it would going into the Setup screen. BUT... instead of going to the Setup screen, it launches Windows.

When I remove the battery, etc, I get the same prompt and it changes to the same title of "Setup" when I press F10, but it actually does go into "Setup".

So there you have it. The precise moment and conditions under which the problem occurs.

I'm beat and am going to crawl under a rock for the night. Thanks InfoGuy. If you have any other suggestions, I shall eagerly await them.

Thanks again...

One thing occurs to me that may have started the ball rolling on your unfortunate computer experiences. By any chance, did all the prolems start right after you installed any "Windows Updates" such as a service pack or security updates? I will offer two possible explanations at this point. The first is, if you are using a USB keyboard, the driver for the keyboard cannot be loaded from the BIOS, but can only be loaded from the hard drive, as a Windows driver. Thus, the TIMING of your key-press of F10 becomes very critical. Look for a small white box (or block) somewhere in the upper right area of the screen, as the machine begins to boot, and don't touch the F10 key until that box appears. You may only have about a one-second window of time in which you can access the setup. If you hit the key BEFORE the USB driver is loaded by Windows, the system will not see your keypress because the keyboard is not yet fully active, not having the driver active yet. If you hit the F10 key after the white box (if any) disappears, then your keypress was probably too late to access the BIOS setup routine. If no white block (or box) appears at all, you may have a corrupted (possibly hidden?) partition on the hard drive, which also serves as the partition from which the OS (operating system) can be "restored" to factory conditions. You know, the "factory reset" conditions with all your data and customization settings completelly wiped out, and also with all the programs you personally installed completely gone without a trace! There is a free analytic utility called Tesdisk (from CG Security) which you could download and run, but with XP on SP3, you would have to run Testdisk in a "DOS window" to be effective. Testdisk can analyze hard drives for lost partitions and restore them (if recoverable at all), but with a hidden partition, revival gets a little tricky, and the sequential steps you take to restore the partition have to be very precise. Before we jump off the deep end, let's first see if the little white box pops up during the boot process. You may simply have a timing issue with the F10 keypress!

Thanks for all the detailed info, InfoGuy. I really appreciate it.

Please take a look at paragraphs (sentences) 2 and 4 on my last post. It seems that this may have already answered your questions. If not, I may be misunderstanding something. Please let me know... and thanks again.

Mitchsc, I understood sentence 2, which was, "Unfortunately, Ctl+Alt+Esc did not change the prompt "F10=Setup" to the title: "Setup". I also understood sentence 4, which was, "When I remove the battery, etc, I get the same prompt and it changes to the same title of "Setup" when I press F10, but it actually does go into "Setup". If you are using a "cache" (temporary files in memory) so that the computer does not have to re-read the hard disk, then the computer will use the temp. file to save HD access time. But if you disconnect the battery, then all the "cache" (temp. files in memory) are totally wiped out, and the BIOS is FORCED to re-read the hard drive to get the info. So, there could be corruption or severe fragmentation in a hard drive partition, or there could be cache memory locations with "stuck bits."

Hi InfoGuy. I apologize. I wasn't clear in referring to my paragraphs by number. I really must learn how to do the quotes on this forum.

I was responding to your previous post where you were alluding to the very short time in which to press F10.

I had mentioned that I changed the post screen time from 0 to 5 seconds, which now gives me plenty of time to press F10. (There is no white block in the upper right corner) I had also commented: "However, pressing F10 on the Post Screen DOES change the prompt "F10=Setup" to the title of "Setup", just as it would going into the Setup screen. BUT... instead of going to the Setup screen, it launches Windows."

So, it would seem that the keyboard is active, and it is changing the prompt to indicate it is going to go into Setup, but it just boots to Windows instead.

Your last post describes some things that are beyond the scope of my knowledge. The very last thing I want to do is a fresh install. That is my absolute last resort. I don't have a copy of Windows on a CD, just the Recovery Disk which pulls a fresh copy of Windows off my D partition. But the last time I tried to use it, I had some problems getting access to that function. So I may be stuck there too.

Can you recommend anything I can do at this point to fix this problem, short of a fresh install?

BTW: I keep a clone of my entire HDD on a separate drive in my desk. It has never been used other than to add new programs and Windows Updates. No user files on it. Just XP, programs, and configurations. If I ever have a crash, or my PC slows way down, I just pop in the "Master HDD" and clone it back to my "Everyday HDD". Then just restore my files and I have a totally fresh drive. Unfortunately, I popped in my Master HDD to test this BIOS Setup issue, and it did the same thing. (maybe that is useful info?? )

Do you think it's more likely to be a Windows / HDD problem, or could it possibly be a corrupted BIOS? I was considering flashing the BIOS to see if that would solve the problem. What do you think?

Thanks... IG

Update:

I don't know if this is related, but it certainly is a coincidence.

Now I can't boot from my CD/DVD drives. It just goes on to Windows.

On 4/7, I did a RAM test and it booted fine from the CD, so this is quite recent.

Geez!

Does your computer have a PS2 jack on, through which you could connect a PS2 keyboard? If something corrupted the USB driver (software file(s), early launch (in the boot-up phase) may not be possible. At this juncture, I would consider a "brute force" method of going into setup. You can "simulate" a defective keyboard by holding down serveral keys at the same time, until the system "hickups" (complains of defective hardware). Atthough the scenario never made any logical sense to me, that is the way it works anyway! The system will detect a "defective keyboard" (stuck keys), probably flash a brief error message on the screen, and go into setup, expecting you to FIX the problem using your "defective" keyboard! At that point (provided all is well with both the USB driver and the USB keyboard), you should be able to change the boot sequence. My suggestion would be that the internal hard drive should be the very last device to boot, and a floppy (if present) should be the first device, and a usb device (such as a bootable USB stick (flash drive), and CD or DVD should all precede the hard drive, in booting sequesnce. You may be able to prevent the computer from booting to the hard drive at all by deselecting it altogether, which is the ideal situation whenever you need to troubleshoot by separating hardware and configuration problems from software and operating system problems. Try the brute force method of going into setup first. If that works, AND, in setup, the computer is fully responsive to commands (sequential keypresses), then you can use the USB keyboard. But that seems unlikely to me, because how can the USB keyboard even be active without a Windows driver loaded? If you have (or can borrow) a PS2 keyboard, try using that instead of the USB keyboard. The USB keyboard may, however, be loaded by the BIOS, especially if it came OEM that way. Finally, try tapping F8 instead of F10, and see if you can access other Windows boot options (such as safe mode and command prompt). Keep me posted, and I will try to help you. If I misunderstood your references before, I apologize. But as far as I know, I left questions "on the table" that received no response, such as, is there any correlation between Microsoft updates and the onset of your inability to access setup? But since I say a lot most of the time, trying to explain things, my questions may have gotten "lost in the shuffle" so-to-speak.

First off, thanks for hanging in with me. I really appreciate the help. I will address each of your questions in order, and hope it will make some sense. At this point, I'm lost.
1) Yes to PS/2. In fact, when there is a hardware change of any kind, or a "stuck key" (see below) I must hit F1 to accept. My USB keyboard is unresponsive to this F1 prompt. Must use PS/2 keyboard (only for this one prompt).
2) I've done the "stuck key" trick. It prompts me to press F10 to get into Setup, but this just launches Windows. (The key press DOES switch the prompt from "Press F10", to the word "SETUP" just as it normally would before entering Setup, but it goes to Windows instead)
3) I set the boot sequence to CD, Floppy, HDD, USB. Still won't boot with a bootable CD.
4) Both the PS/2 and the USB keyboards are responsive in Setup. (Just a reminder, the ONLY way I can access Setup at this time is to remove the CMOS battery. That gives me one shot to get in. After that, every key press on both keyboards launches Windows.)
5) Since this may be a BIOS problem, and I can barely access Setup, I'm hesitant to disable the HDD in Setup. Although I fully appreciate the value in this troubleshooting. I was wondering if I could just unplug the HDD to achieve the same result. Please let me know about that.
6) The USB keyboard is active before Windows loads (except in that one situation of a stuck key or a hardware change, where it asks me to press F1 to Accept. In that single situation, I must use the PS/2 keyboard.)
7) Will get back to you on tapping F8. I remember getting into Safe Mode, but it may have required the PS/2 keyboard. I don't remember now.
8) It's been months since I went into setup and there have been many "High Priority Windows Updates" since then. I wouldn't have a clue if one, or which one, may have caused this. I have a laptop and two other PC's that are all getting the same updates, and have not been affected this way. As mentioned previously, I was able to boot from my MemTest86 CD on 4/7, so if the inability to boot from CD is related, that narrows the time frame. I find it odd that my boot sequence starts with my CD drive, but it won't boot from there.

Hope I got it all this time.
Thanks again IG...

Addendum:

Can get into Safe Mode tapping F8 only with PS/2 keyboard. Not with USB keyboard.

Within the Safe Mode menu screen, there is a link to Setup with F10. However, pressing F10 takes it right into a Windows boot.

I have to ask. How many beeps your hearing when the computer boots up ?

ZERO ! (on the problem Compaq)

But then I booted up my working Dell, and it didn't beep either.

I assume the beeps do not come from the speaker, but from the "beeper" on the mobo. My speakers were off.

CD: I just took a look at the mobo, and I see an icon for a small spkr about 1/2" in dia. No spk on mobo in that location. Can't see one anywhere else on the mobo either.

Funny, I remember hearing beeps on boot up, but it may have been another PC. Can't remember now. Never paid much attention to them.

Here's an interesting site with beep codes for different BIOS mfgrs: http://www.computerhope.com/beep.htm

At this point, I am unclear as to whether you actually tried the brute force method of going into setup or not. At least for me, the brute force method of forcing a setup session entails continuously holding down MULTIPLE KEYS simultaneously.. . The more, the merrier! But it should be at least FOUR keys! That way, it does not look to the system like a single stuck key, but it looks more like a failing (or already failed) keyboard. You repeatedly mentioned stuck key, in the singular, strongly implying a single stuck key, which can often occur in real life because of some foreign object (such as a sticky crumb of food) is not allowing that single key to return to the non-depressed state on its own. I believe you are correct about disconnecting the drive. I also believe you could accomplish the same result by disconnecting the power supply instead of the drive cable. Do you know whether you are using an IDE interface to the mainboard (AKA motherboard)? IDE stands for "Integrated Drive Electronics." They are normally 39 pin cables. But such IDE cables have a fairly low MTBF (mean time between failures) when connected and disconnected repeatedly, because the wires work loose from their respective insulation displacement terminals, due to excessive movement or stress during the connecting and/or disconnecting process. Then they can become intermittent because they are position-sensitive or stress-sensitive (meaning the wire needs some physical tension on it to make a good connection anymore). From your description of not booting to CD's anymore, that could actually be your problem with that computer! Have you connected and/or disconnected any drives very often on that computer? Cables are fairly cheap, so replacing them might be a very cost-effective attempt at correcting the problems. If it does not fix the problem, then at least you have not invested very much in the attempt.

1) You are correct. I have not used mutiple keys to simulate a stuck keyboard. I shall try that and report back.

2) I disconnected the Data and Power connectors to the HDD. Got an error with no options to get into setup, or boot from other drives. Will try just disconnecting the Molex power connector to HDD, just for kicks.

3) I do have IDE cables and drives. And yes, I have swapped around the IDE HDD connectors multiple times over the years when cloning HDDs. I have a few new IDE cables. Will try swapping in a new one. Certainly hope you are correct on that possibility. What an easy solution that would be!

Wouldn't a bad cable trigger some sort of error message?

Thanks. I'll be back soon...

A bad or intermittent cable may, or may NOT trigger an error message from the computer. It depends on which pin(s) are involved. Many of the (typically 39) pins are involved with data addresses (location of particular data on a disc drive). If a line in the address block is (briefly?) disconnected it may only result the drive going to a wrong address for part of a file. If that were to happen, it might read only part of a (fragmented) file, and the file (which may be a critical driver file) won't be fully functional but it may be partially functional... such as, a particular keyboard key might not work right. It sounds logical to me! If it were my computer, don't think I would eat another bite (or byte either, for that matter) until I swapped out ALL the IDE cables for known GOOD ones! I would certainly replace the IDE drive cable(s) for the CD drive(s), since your computer won't boot to that drive type, as is! Once ALL the IDE drive cables have been replaced, I suggest that you do not even try to boot your machine again at all, until you have tried accessing setup via a PS2 keyboard, using the F10 key, during the boot-up phase! I believe you are well on the way to correcting your computer problem now. Keep me posted. Good luck!

OK, here we go. I have info:

1) I have been using a PS/2 keyboard all day today.

2) I tried holding down multiple keys at boot up. Get the same error message as holding down a single key: "Error 3B 301 You may have a stuck key or defective keyboard. Correct the problem and reboot...".

3) Tried just disconnecting the Molex power cable to HDD. Same error as unplugging data cable. Cannot get into Setup from these error screens.

4) Replaced IDE cable to HDD (but not to DVD drives since I was focusing on getting into Setup).

5) Changed my 2 DVD drives from Cable Select to Master / Slave to try and force a CD boot. No luck.

6) I learned something new that may have meaning to you: I did another CMOS reset by removing the battery. As expected, I can enter Setup with F10 when I 1st power on, just as before. Here is the new info: When I "Save Settings and Exit" Setup, it goes back to the normal Post screen. If I hit F10 again, before it boots to Windows, I can get back into Setup an unlimited number of times. However, once I let it boot to Windows, I cannot get back into Setup (F10) unless I remove the CMOS battery again to reset. This I was not expecting.

So, there is something about booting to Windows (or HDD) that shuts me out of Setup.

That's it for now. Hope you have some ideas for me.

PS: I don't want to bias your thinking here, but I spoke with an acquaintance that ownes a computer repair shop. Gave him all the same info. I know this sounds like the easy answer, and I hope he is wrong, but he thinks the mother board is going bad (whatever that means... ).

Update: Found a way to boot from CD or Floppy Drives.

Resetting the CMOS by removing battery ALSO allows me to boot from CD or Floppy as long as I don't launch Windows first (exact same situation as accessing Setup).

Also stumbled on something else. If I swap the HDD for a clone HDD I keep, the PC sees it as a "hardware change" and that situation ALSO allows me to access Setup or Boot from CD or Floppy, without resetting BIOS. Still must not launch Windows, or the "window" of opportunity is lost.

So what do you make of all this?

Did you have Windows System Restore enabled on your computer, pryor to the time when the computer first started refusing to go into setup? Can you name a date on which that the problem first started occurring? If so, launch System Restore, then look at the dates for which System Restore points are available. Do any of the dates predate the onset of the problem? If you are unsure, then pick the earliest date available, and restore the system to that date. System Restore should be fully reversible, especially if you set a backup (UNDO) point before you do the restore operation. Then reboot (using a PS2 keyboard), and try accessing setup again during boot-up (using the F10 key). Does the machine go into setup? If so, your problem could be the result of some obscure Microsoft update or tweak to your operating system, which was released AFTER your earliest System Restore point was created. But if it does NOT go into setup, then your problem could be a bad or intermittent motherboard -- or perhaps just a defective BIOS chip (integrated circuit). Would now be a good time to point out that you can probably buy a new BIOS chip that is different (probably better, with more options) than your OEM BIOS?

I'm not 100% on this one, but it is possible that it might be a sticky key somewhere on your keyboard. Try tapping every key on your keyboard 3 times and see if there is progress.
If not and you 'can boot to your operating system, try downloading a BIOS update from HP's website and flash your BIOS.
Warning, flashing BIOS is not supposed to cause problems but have seen on very rare occasions that they do. For example, if the problem is your main board or a BIOS problem, the update might fail and cause your main board to not work permanently... So do this entirely at your own risk!

Last warning, your power adapter should always be plugged in and pray the power doesn't go out otherwise you might damage hardware.

Anywhay, here is a link - > http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/softwareCategory?lc=en&dlc=en&cc=us&document=&product=93223&

IG:

I keep a Master Clone HDD as an emergency system backup. The last time I Updated the Clone was several months ago. I have since used Setup, and CD Boot. Installed Clone to see if problem was date or HDD related. Same problem on Clone HDD. So this should equal your suggestion (a very good one) to try a system restore.

I don't know much about BIOS chips.
1) Does a BIOS chip just plug in, or is it soldered? 2) Also, is it pre-programmed with the BIOS firmware? 3) Do I need to get a certain BIOS to work with my PC?

What's your opinion about flashing my current BIOS?

Grant:

Thanks for the keyboard suggestion. I have already swapped it out. No change. And for the reasons you gave, I am very hesitant to flash the BIOS. I'm afraid I may kill what's left of my BIOS.

Need Help with New Angle PLEASE:

Since yesterday, putting the PC in Standby mode is turning the PC off. (Hibernate still works). Also, it's not the keyboard button, as it does the same on the log-out dialog box.

When I power back up, all programs that were open, go into a recovery mode (ie: Windows), almost as though the PC was shut off with power button as opposed to a proper shut down sequence.

Obviously, these 3 problem are all related. Up until now, the 2 original problems made sense that they could both be a BIOS issue.

I don't know what sequence of events must take place to put a computer in Standby, but I do know that the power is shut off to many circuits and the HDD, but the RAM is kept powered on.

The way things are going, I am ready to trash this machine, but I was just wondering if the symptom profile (all 3) might fit a power supply problem? I could handle that repair.

Feedback on this would be greatly appreciated, as I'm facing a fork in the road here. Trash, or new power supply???

Thank You All!

The problem you are experiencing could possibly be a power supply problem, but I seriously doubt it, since all PC power supplies that are multiple output power supplies are SMPS (switch mode power supplies). So the likelihood of just one voltage feed going out, but not affecting any other voltage feeds would be minimal.
In a previous post I made in this thread (which is no longer there, for some reason), I asked if you could tap F8 and get into safe mode. I never saw a response to my question, but if you can actually boot to safe mode, you could run SFC (System File Checker) by left clicking on Start, then Run, then type in SFC. A scanner will then be triggered that tests all the Windows System files and offers to replace any incompatible or corrupt files. What you described on your hard drive sounds like hard drive corruption (perhaps even miss-written files). Did you ever try System Restore, which I also suggested in a previous post? Very frequently, System Restore can correct that type of malfunction, as long as the file system is basically still intact. When I stopped getting responses from you, I did not know quite what to do, but I am responding to your latest discovery on your computer. If the file system is corrupt, don't despair! Just download the latest version of CG Security's Testdisk, and run it under a DOS window, to rebuild the boot sector of the hard drive. I can help you with that, step by step, but sequential steps depend on intermediate results, for an effective rebuild. Also, there are self-booting OS's that you could download and burn using a different computer, which include several "outside looking in" utilities that run completely independent of your hard drive, and can even run without any hard drive installed. One such diagnostic and repair CD is hyperlinked below:

http://www.hirensbootcd.org/download/

Hi InfoGuy.

Thank you for your kind offer of help, especially the step by step... I may need that as I am unfamiliar with what you have just described.

Let me take a moment to clarify a couple things. I can get into Safe Mode with a PS/2 keyboard (my response on that was posted on pg2 5/26 at 4:10pm PT)

I didn't do a System restore, because I don't know when these "BIOS Setup" problems started. But I did install a Clone of this HDD that I last manually updated about 8 months ago when everything was working, and it is now displaying all the same problems. So my assumption is that this is equivalent to an 8 month old System Restore. (my response the system restore question was on pg4 5/28 at 12:11pm PT)

I have actually never stopped communication with you. In fact, I had posted a response on 5/28 (same as system restore answer) and ended with a question of my own about flashing the BIOS, and never got an answer to that.

I can tell you that I have had some problems on this site with posts not showing up for some reason. That was reported to admin. Another issue is not always getting emails when someone answers in the thread, so I check the site manually every day. Perhaps that is what you are experiencing. As you may know, at the very 1st post (at top of each page) you can select the page number of the thread. We are up to 4 pages now. I also see that you are new to the forum, so you may not be aware that this is actually the "NEW" version of the site. You can access the "original version" (which many people prefer) by going into Settings at the very top right of each page, and in the lower left corner, select "Take me back to the Old Style". You may like it better, and I have never lost a post there. I hope this is helpful.

I shall run the SFC, and am excited to learn something new and useful. I wasn't aware of that function. So thanks for that. But let me ask you this. Installing my "Master Clone HDD" (which has never been in use, kept only as a hard drive backup) updated 8 months ago, and working perfectly at that time, but displaying all of the current problems now. Doesn't that tend to rule out a corrupted file system?

Again, thanks IG. I truly appreciate your continued help and quick responses. Just a heads up. I have some non-PC issues I am dealing with right now, and it is possible that a day or 2 may slip by before I can get to some of these things, but I'll do my best to keep this dialog moving along as quickly as possible.

I'll wait to hear your thoughts on the "Master Clone" = an 8 month old Sys Restore.

Cheers...

If you are experiencing the same lack of getting into your BIOS (for setup) using a hard drive clone from a time when getting into the BIOS was easily accomplished, then you are correct. In that case, the problem is probably NOT hard drive corruption. May I suggest, then, that you download and burn (as slow as you can, for accuracy), the FREE Hiren's Boot CD, perhaps using a different computer? What I would recommend at that point, would be to REMOVE all hard drives from the Compaq Presario on which you experienced the problem. Then boot to the newly created CD (Hiren's Boot CD V14.0). It will have its own self-contained operating systems. The first screen you see (after the CD boot event) will be various choices from which you can select using your up/down cursor keys on your keyboard. The first TEST I would run would be a complete memory diagnostic test. If no errors are discovered, then I would run a keyboard test (however, you may have to run that test in DOS mode instead of Mini XP mode). You could have a flaky keyboard interface (on the motherboard) which would fault any perfectly good keyboard! Or you could have a dirty or loose fitting connector at the keyboard jack on the machine -- but probably not, because that would not explain faulty operation when using a USB keyboard. Have you checked (or replaced) the CMOS battery? CMOS stands for Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor. That would be the battery that is supposed to maintain the setup configuration while all power is removed from the machine. If very weak, setup retention will be questionable, and if the voltage is too low, certain setup parameters may actually change without any user intervention, leaving other setup choices undisturbed! When running tests from the bootable CD, no hard drive is needed because all the software (including all device drivers) are furnished by the bootable CD. It is sounding more and more like the problem you have is actually a (rare) hardware problem, if you actually replaced the IDE drive cables and the problem still persisted. If you have ever experienced an electrostatic shock when putting your fingers over (whichever) keyboard, that could have damaged the motherboard's electronic interface to the keyboard. Or it could still actually be a power supply problem, especially if it was subjected to on/off/on/off power cycling due to storm-induced AC power failures. I would have to look again, but I think there is a BIOS testing routine on that CD as well. Good luck!

1st thing I did was change the CMOS battery.

So based on your most recent post, would you suggest I not bother with the System File Checker?

I'll get to the Boot CD as soon as possible. My wife's PC got all fouled up today doing a simple program update. I've been running back and forth between hers and mine. I can't believe the luck I am having these past 2 weeks!

Thanks IG...

For a direct answer, no, I would not bother with SFC (System File Checker) at this time. The point seems moot if an older hard drive clone (from the functional past) is showing the same failure symptoms as your present hard drive. I do not now believe that the problems you are now experiencing originated in (or on) your hard drive.

As for Microsoft Updates, far be it from ME to ever recommend that everyone DISABLE "automatic updates" simply because in the past 12-18 months, Microsoft Updates have BROKEN far more situations than they ever FIXED! They throw together a bunch of patches, but after getting massive negative feedback, they have to patch their previous patches to undo damages or disablements caused by the so-called update! For that reason, I try to stay behind the curve (of Microsoft updates) by at least 90 to 180 days. Usually, Microsoft finally gets few things right around 1/4 to 1/2 of a year after an update release. As for installed program updates (as opposed to Windows system updates), ALWAYS set a System Restore point BEFORE following through with any program update! That way, if anything goes haywire, you can drop back to the way everything was JUST BEFORE you did the (possibly flawed) update. Updates are kind of like new inventions. Some work, and some DON'T work!

I have had virtually no time to work on my PC in the past 24 hrs, and probably won't until tomorrow.

One interesting thing however. Just because I could squeeze this in to an extra 5 minutes I had, I decided to reseat all the connectors from my power supply. Surprise! my Standby Mode started working again.

I'm not sure if it was a connector, or all the pressing and pulling that stressed the mobo and caused a cold solder joint to make a temporary connection.

The BIOS Setup and ability to boot from CD is still not working.

InfoGuy:

I finally had time to read up on Hiren's Boot CD. It looks like there are 1000 utilities in there. How would I know which ones to use to do your recommended tests?

BTW, I already ran MemTest86 and MemTest86+ and the RAM is all good.

Thanks...

Mitchsc, since you said you already did memory tests, I assume you already obtained or burned a Hiren's Boot Cd. Good news on the memory tests! Before going much further, I wanted to give you a couple of hyperlinks related to your situation. The first involves ways to access the BIOS:

BIOS_Entering (http://www.techadvice.com/tech/B/BIOS_Enter.htm)

The above website shows a different method for getting into Compaq Presario's BIOS seetings, which is different than on other Compaq computers. Have you been just tapping the key, or holding it (or THEM) down continuously?

Another interesting thing I ran across was the following website that describes similar situations to what you have experienced with your 5333CL Presario.. . That one was the same model as yours:

Cannot access Bios on Compaq 5333CL : General BIOS Questions - Wim's BIOS Page (http://www.wimsbios.com/forum/topic6075.html)

The above website refers to a "diagnostic partition" on the hard drive -- that is, IF it has one (or HAD one)!

I am looking into ways to modifiy a Compaq Presario BIOS via another access method... more to come soon, hopefully!

From the following web address:

http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/searchResults?tmp_product=Compaq+Presario+5333CL+D esktop+PC&product=93223&tmp_qt=bios&lc=en&dlc=en&cc=us

... I clicked on an internal link that took me to the next link that you will find below.

As promised, here is a link that specifically addresses your model of computer, straight from HP. Please compare the BIOS access method they mention versus the year of your computer!

http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/document?docname=bpb11735&cc=us&lc=en&dlc=en&product=93223&tmp_track_link=ot_search

(From the top of this page, your entry):
"Compaq Presario 5333CL (vintage 2002) XP SP3"

From the above hyperlinked HP web page:
"NOTE: Pressing F10 opens the BIOS of Compaq Presario desktops 2001 and earlier."

In that same paragraph, it says,
"Pressing F1 opens the BIOS of . . . and 2002 models of Presario desktop computers."

So, is yours really a vintage 2002? If so, how do you really know?


To me, it does not look like F10 is the appropriate ACCESS method, but it is probably the correct EXIT (save changes) method, wouldn't you agree?

Here is another Compaq Presario BIOS accessing procedure:

How to Enter the BIOS on a Compaq Presario | eHow.com (http://www.ehow.com/how_5899164_enter-bios-compaq-presario.html)


... and yet another one here:

How to Access Compaq Presario Laptop BIOS Settings | eHow.com (http://www.ehow.com/how_5797132_access-presario-laptop-bios-settings.html)

Here is yet another hyperlink that specifically mentions your model 5333CL, but this one talks about a jumper setting on the MoBo!

How can I patch my BIOS to be compatible with a new processor stepping? - Yahoo! Answers (http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20090218161445AA6azTP)

IG:

Wow, thank you for all the research and links, etc. I really appreciate it. You're 4 posts ahead of me, so I'm going to go through each one and answer any questions you have.

I didn't burn Hiren's Boot CD to do the memory tests. I just downloaded and burned MemTest86 & MT86+ directly.

When I said "vintage" it was an approximation. I purchased the PC Jan 8, 2002. Not certain of the mfg date.

My PC has always accessed BIOS Setup by tapping F10. I have it in my notes, and have done it many times. It also says right on my Post Screen "F10 for Setup". So there is absolutely no doubt on this one. Also, as mentioned previously, if I reset the BIOS by removing my CMOS battery, I can access the BIOS Setup one time (by tapping F10). Can also boot from CD one time after battery removal and replacement. Holding down F10 never worked on my system. Give a stuck keyboard error. I had to tap.

I never heard of a diagnostic partition, but that doesn't mean anything :). I don't think it's a HDD issue, because I keep a clone of my HDD dating back to the last fresh install in 2008. I installed the clone, which accessed BIOS in the past, and it doesn't work either. There is no way that could have become corrupted sitting in my desk drawer. So I think the "partition" idea is out too.

As far as the BIOS reset jumper, Funk5000 is not the fellow with the 5333CL. He sounds like a well meaning person making a general suggestion. I know that many mobos use jumpers to reset BIOS. My particular mobo has a reset button, labeled and everything. Resetting the BIOS has not been an issue for me. Also, perhaps there is more than one version of mobo in a 5333CL?? I don't know. The person asking for help said he had an AMD processor. Mine came factory with a P4.

Well IG, again, I can't thank you enough for all your time and help. At this point, I'm not sure what else is left to try, other than flashing the BIOS. But the risk outweighs the gain. I could totally hose the PC if things don't go well. At least now, the computer is more or less functional. And who knows, it may just up and die tomorrow and my problem will be solved.

If you come up with anything else, I'll be here.

Cheers...