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Technology Stocks : Compaq -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: marquis103 who wrote (74563)	12/28/1999 5:23:00 PM
From: hlpinout	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 97611

Russ, This article doesn't address your model or specific problem but may help a little. -- Posted 28/12/99 11:48am by Mike Magee Frozen Presarios found in Compaq support glacier People who bought the Presario 5800 series in droves in the run up to Yule have bombarded Compaq with complaints of persistent system freezes whenever they try to use their machines. One user posted this message on Compaq's bulletin board: "I have not had a session with it [the 5838] that the system has not frozen up. When it freezes I can not even turn the system off using the power switch. This happens most of the time when I am online with Prodigy. Once it happened while using the Start button power down mode. Last night while using prodigy to down load McAfee's latest updates it hung up after using the modem performance window." Another, Australian reader, complained of the same problem saying: " I recently bought a Compaq Presario PC and my experience will interest anyone who has recently bought one or who is thinking of buying one. I loaded the same software I had on my old PC. The Compaq kept locking up. Not even Ctrl Alt Delete would kill that process and get the PC going. I would have to turn the power off and on (wait for scandisk, redo what I had been doing)" He said that Compaq's advice was to run the Quick Restore CD it supplies, which contains Win98 SE plus many proprietary Compaq programs which load on boot. He said: "Quick Restore formats your hard drive before re-installing Windows plus the Compaq programs. After doing that a few times (5 or 6 hours each time by the time I installed my software), with no improvement, I decided to try my old version of Windows. That didn't work because the Compaq needs some drivers that aren't in Windows. They're on the QuickRestore CD but not in a format that Windows can use. So I ran Quick Restore again." He said that when he logged onto the Compaq web site to see if there was any information about lockups. I was amazed to find there are hundreds of postings from customers with that exact problem. They run a few programs, try to logon to the Internet and the machine locks up. Compaq's solution is to use MsConfig to stop any programs from loading at startup. A customer pointed out that he didn't want to run his PC without the sound card software and without virus protection." Compaq does have a document on its support site which gives a solution to the freeze problem on Presarios, and which was called Lockups on Presario Models. However, we received an error message when we tried to access the page. Another consumer who posted a message on the Compaq support forum said that the problem could be solved by using a Windows 98 CD separate from the package and which does not load any of the Q drivers, which seem to drain system resources. We will be happy to post Compaq's response to these problems and are available by e-mail over the extended UK Yule festivities. ®

To: marquis103 who wrote (74563)	12/30/1999 6:37:00 PM
From: Scott D.	Respond to of 97611

More on the Presario freeze today: zdnet.com As hlpnout mentioned when this story first started to surface, they don't specifically mention Russ's model. But the problem sure sounds similar. Compaq FAQ: Lockups on Presario Models (FAQ3555) If you are not experiencing lockups, please disregard these instructions. Cases will not be created unless this issue applies to you and these troubleshooting steps have been taken. Clear out Startup from Programs, Startup. Clear out Startup, by running MSCONFIG and clicking on the Start tab and take the check out of Service Connection, AvconsoleEXE, VsecomrEXE, Vshwin32EXE, VsStateEXE, and McAfeeWebScanX. Click on Apply and OK. The system will ask to reboot do so now, then attempt to use. Does it work? Document the results. Go to web14.compaq.com, type in 12392 in the SP box, click go and install it per the instructions in the text file. Next go back to web14.compaq.com, type in 12527 in the SP box, click go and install it per the instructions in the text file. If this does not fix the lock up issue, the next thing we will do is crack open the chassis and verify that all cables, connections, and cards are seated fully and tightly. To open the chassis here is the link to show it: compaq.com From that page can connect you to other devices(such as hard drives, cd roms, ide cables, etc.) Document, if any cables were loose. Run your system does it still lock up? If it does not lock up, end all troubleshooting and continue on using your machine. If the previous issues do apply, then you must complete the above troubleshooting steps and have documented results before requesting a case. Please send an email to consumer@compaq.com with the subject line reading: "Forum Case Request". In the message include the following information: Your full name Your complete mailing address (No P.O. Boxes) Your home phone number Your model of Presario The serial number of Presario A brief explanation of the troubleshooting steps you have taken. A case will be created for you and referred to our case management group who will resolve the issue and contact you with such a resolution. Multiple emails are not necessary, this causes undue delay and your case may not be created in a timely manner as a result.