Compaq C300 laptop not posting after CPU upgrade

Akagi

Akagi

Akagi

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@ mods - I put this here rather than in the Laptops & Tablets sub-forum as I thought I would get better technical advice here

Hi guys, so I have an old Compaq C300EU laptop sitting here which is getting a CPU and RAM upgrade.

The original CPU & RAM configuration was a Celeron 420 1.6GHz with 2x 512MB DDR2.

The CPU & RAM I have fitted are a Core Duo T2250 1.73GHz with 2x 1GB DDR2.

Keeping all the hardware the same (including having the new RAM installed) the system works absolutely fine with the Celeron 420 installed, but there is no display-output to the screen with the Core Duo T2250 installed.

I have checked the manufacturers service documentation, and the CPU I am trying to fit is indeed listed there.

Can anyone offer any advice? Is there a CMOS button or battery in a laptop that I should use to reset the CMOS? Is it possible that I need a BIOS update? Do laptops even have updated BIOS' released for them?

Thanks all. This is not my machine, and I was planning on giving it back to the owner this evening, which unfortunately is not going to happen now.
 
You my need to check your BIOS revision and see of there is a newer version out also are you sure the cpu is ok.
 
RJC said:
You my need to check your BIOS revision and see of there is a newer version out also are you sure the cpu is ok.
Click to expand...

I bought the CPU from a seller on a popular auction site with 100% positive after over 10K sales. It came packaged very well in an antistatic bag with a pin protector, and aside from one very slightly bent pin which I quickly remedied, it looked perfect. Possibly even un-used.

The system behaves in exactly the same way with each CPU installed (as far as I can tell) upon power-up, aside from the lack of display output with the T2250 installed.
 
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biuro74 said:
Read this :)

http://www.notebookforums.com/t/182950/compaq-presario-c301nr-core2duo-upgrade-possibly

Some laptop vendors treat customers really like something bad in a**, once they decided to upgrade CPU. Samsung, HP&Compaq - all the same, like info about upgrade was big Top Secret, or engeneers just lost mobo plans ;-)
Click to expand...

Looking at the official service manual / documentation for the C300EU (the exact sub-model of C300 I have) it says under 'Removal & replacement procedures > Processor > Processor spare part number information'


"All processor spare part kits include thermal paste.
Intel Celeron 430 1.73-GHz 435766-001
Intel Celeron 420 1.60-GHz 430202-001

Intel Core Duo T2250 1.73-GHz 430851-001
Intel Core Duo T2300 1.60-GHz 430848-001
Intel Core Duo T2050 1.60-GHz 430850-001
Intel Core Duo T1400 1.83-GHz 430200-001"
 
Steps for removing battery...

"1. Remove the RTC battery from the socket on the
system board."

Wow thanks! Care to explain how I get this damn clip undone?!
 
Carefully! Those battery holders tend to by quite brittle. Almost as if they never intend you to replace the battery... A very thin flat head screw driver, pry the metal retainer away from the battery and lever said battery up. Be careful of the plastic surround, it's an absolute pig of a job to replace the holder and bodging it back together will be a 50/50 thing :D
 
d_brennen said:
Carefully! Those battery holders tend to by quite brittle. Almost as if they never intend you to replace the battery... A very thin flat head screw driver, pry the metal retainer away from the battery and lever said battery up. Be careful of the plastic surround, it's an absolute pig of a job to replace the holder and bodging it back together will be a 50/50 thing :D
Click to expand...

As you posted that about 8 minutes ago, I probably decided to use a tiny flatheaded screwdriver at around the same time you suggested it. :p

Tis out now :)
 
Left the battery out for about 10 minutes, put it back in with the new CPU, nothing.

Because i'm short of ideas, I have taken it out again and i'll try again in a slightly longer period of time.
 
Came across this whilst scanning the web for a solution. Same site as biuro74 linked to. It seems to come down to which mobo and chipset you have.

I have bought a T2250 (1.73 GHz/ 533MHz FSB/ 13x multiplier) to replace the Celeron M 420 (Yonah 65nm 1.0V - 1.3V) and... nothing. Machine starts but no POST. This is consistent with the experiences of others with laptops based on the Compaq C300/G3000 designs. YES the bios does cover machines that have Core Duos in it (the maintenance manual makes that clear).
There are two different mainboards they put in these laptops, the one is built around the intel 945 chipset, the other around the intel 940GML chipset. The laptops that are Celeron M 4xx all have the intel 940GML board. I believe that the laptops that come with chips other than Celeron M 4xx, like those with "Merom" Celeron M 5xx, have the intel 945 mainboard in them. I have scoured the internet, far and wide, and NO ONE has been able to run a dual core CPU in place of the Celeron M 4xx in a 940GML board... BUT quite a few of success stories with Core Solo's, specifically the T1350 (1.86 GHz/ 533 MHz). People have tried all sorts of stuff: Core Duo T2050 (same speed and multiplier as the Celeron M 420), Core Duo T2250 (1.73GHz/ 533) and also Pentium Dual-Core T2060. None of those worked for anybody in 940GML based computers, it seems. The T5200 Core 2 Duo, while physically compatible and 533 MHz FSB, doesn't work either (needs intel 943GML or intel 945).

I could be wrong, but perhaps the intel 940GML chipset does not allow for two cores to connect to the front side bus? Or it could be HP/Compaq blocking the use of dual-core CPU's in their 940GML laptops?
At any rate, I'll have to sell the Core Duo T2250 and get a Core Solo T1350. I am interested in the speed throttling to save battery power.
Click to expand...
 
If you can, hook up the power switch (is it a ribbon cable type?) and hold it down for 30 odd seconds with the battery out. This closes the circuit and allows any remaining juice to dissipate. Aside from that, it may be a case of trying another CPU :( Laptop manufacturers are really mean, the chip may be on the support list but not released so never implemented? I've read of people editing their bios to work around CPU support, but the potential for bricking is immense

E: the above sounds about right :(
 
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Oh well this is just fantastic :(

Might go scouting on eBay for the other type of motherboard.

*edit* WOW people are asking stupid money for them... This is ridiculous.
 
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Dear Mr. Acme

I have a question regarding presario C300 notebook. I have same notebook as yours. if i upgrade its CPU with Intel Core Duo T2250,
My notebook has a performance of Intel Core Duo T2250 without the display ??
I am willing to sacrifice my display. and connect its display to external Monitor. and use old presario C300 as DESKtop PC of core duo T2250.

thank you in advance.
 
No bud it didn't boot up at all, the lack of display was just a symptom of that! :(

And the laptop wasn't mine but I'd be surprised if it isn't in the bin by now :p
 
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