Please help with Compaq BIOS hacking

[Just_tweak_it]

Hi everyone! I'm new here but here's my problem. I have a Compaq Presario 7400 series computer and I'm trying to rid it of that limited Compaq proprietary BIOS. The motherboard is a Mitac 5114VU, so I downloaded that BIOS to try and flash over the Compaq one. However I can't seem to figure out how to do it. The flash utility tells me that the bios doesn't match the system part number. But I'm certain this definitely is the correct BIOS! I've looked all over the internet, and it seems other people have had the same problem. Any help with this issue would be greatly appreciated.

Regards,
Carl

[Repo Man]

I've seen OEM motherboards that were just different enough so that flashing the standard BIOS resulted in a dead motherboard. But if you're sure, you could give Uniflash a try, http://www.uniflash.org/ .

[Just_tweak_it]

That sounds like a good try, and I am certain that the motherboard is the same Camaro (Compaq) and the Mitac 5114VU. However upon taking a quick glance at the uniflash website, I noticed that it doesn't appear to support my motherboard's chipset. The chipset by the way is VIA MVP4. Any other ideas???

Regards,
Carl

[Rondog]

Build your next computer yourself. I have the Compaq 7480. Its the biggest piece crap infested computer on earth.

[Repo Man]

I'd be very surprised if it doesn't work. But if you want to see if somone has another suggestion, try here http://www.wimsbios.com/phpBB2/index.php .

[Just_tweak_it]

Originally Posted by Rondog

Build your next computer yourself. I have the Compaq 7480. Its the biggest piece crap infested computer on earth.

Well I have built myself a computer, and this Compaq AKA Mitac 5114vu is just an extra PC. I am fairly happy with it and it does pretty well considering it is dated by today's standards. I thought I would just try to get rid of the silly Compaq branded BIOS setup. FYI here is my little compaq's stats!!!

500 Mhz AMD K6-2
256 MB RAM
Windows XP Home SP2
Western Digital 20GB WD200BB (Primary 1)
Ricoh 8x8x32 MP7083A CDR/RW (Secondary 1)
Artec 16x-DVD DHM-G48R (Secondary 2)
IBM C50 2235-00N Color Monitor
Standard 8 MB integrated video

[Rondog]

Originally Posted by Just_tweak_it

Well I have built myself a computer, and this Compaq AKA Mitac 5114vu is just an extra PC. I am fairly happy with it and it does pretty well considering it is dated by today's standards. I thought I would just try to get rid of the silly Compaq branded BIOS setup. FYI here is my little compaq's stats!!!

500 Mhz AMD K6-2
256 MB RAM
Windows XP Home SP2
Western Digital 20GB WD200BB (Primary 1)
Ricoh 8x8x32 MP7083A CDR/RW (Secondary 1)
Artec 16x-DVD DHM-G48R (Secondary 2)
IBM C50 2235-00N Color Monitor
Standard 8 MB integrated video

Mines only 6mb onboard video
192mb RAM
Windows 98SE
:| CD-ROM
10gb HDD
But mines a 550mhz CPU

[Just_tweak_it]

I just wanted to let you guys know that I finally took the leap of faith and flashed my BIOS with the Uniflash utility and it worked like a dream!!! I was very pleased. Needless to say, I finally got rid of the silly compaq BIOS!
Upon flashing the BIOS however, I got some little errors when the machine boots up and powers on.
1. It tells me that the suggested cas latency is "2"
2. It tells me that the memory test failed.
3. It tells me that I don't have an 80 pin conductor cable installed for the primary IDE channel.

I reformatted the hard drive thinking that would help, but it didn't. :-( I hate reformatting, because it seems like it's all I ever get done. Soon my hard drive will learn to hate me because of it!!! LOL It seems like I reformat every other day with this machine. sheeesh....

What should I do about the memory? Any suggestions???

I'm really puzzled on the "80 pin conductor" primary IDE cable. I am almost certain that I already have this.

[Rondog]

Originally Posted by Just_tweak_it

I just wanted to let you guys know that I finally took the leap of faith and flashed my BIOS with the Uniflash utility and it worked like a dream!!! I was very pleased. Needless to say, I finally got rid of the silly compaq BIOS!
Upon flashing the BIOS however, I got some little errors when the machine boots up and powers on.
1. It tells me that the suggested cas latency is "2"
2. It tells me that the memory test failed.
3. It tells me that I don't have an 80 pin conductor cable installed for the primary IDE channel.

I reformatted the hard drive thinking that would help, but it didn't. :-( I hate reformatting, because it seems like it's all I ever get done. Soon my hard drive will learn to hate me because of it!!! LOL It seems like I reformat every other day with this machine. sheeesh....

What should I do about the memory? Any suggestions???

I'm really puzzled on the "80 pin conductor" primary IDE cable. I am almost certain that I already have this.

1. Change the memory's latency to 2 in BIOS. They may be ****ty computer but compaq dont skimp on there RAM quality.
2. 168pin Memory Test Fail - was that the error (ignore that, my compaq's been doing it for years)
3. 80pin connector my Athlon64 does this, but I dont care, I ignored it and everything stll works A-OK.



Can you please email me this BIOS you used, I would like to have a tinker with it, see if I can overclock a little.

[Just_tweak_it]

Yes I will do that. Let me know your email address.
BTW I found an even later BIOS, and used it afterwards, and it took care of the "80 pin conductor" error. I shipped the memory back to the manufacturer for a refund/replacement, so I don't know about the memory issue as of yet. Hopefully the newer BIOS will have fixed that as well.

Regards,
Carl

[Just_tweak_it]

The newer BIOS did not take care of the memory issue. I actually had the memory replaced, since it was warranted by PNY, and the replacement memory did the exact same thing. I was soooooo disappointed. The memory counts up, then says "memory test fail". Did the BIOS flashing cause this problem??? I can't imagine why.

[Just_tweak_it]

Oh I forgot to mention that the motherboard [B]will [B] pass the test if I put in a different "brand" chip. So I'm thinking that the issue could be compatibility or something. Apparently when the board had the "compaq" bios it could use the PNY memory, but after I put the "mitac" bios on the board, then the tables turned and it suddenly decided that it does not like PNY memory chips!!!

[FieroGT42]

Hey, I ran across this thread on Google looking for ways to de-crap-ify my old Compaq 7470. It's seeming a little slow these days even to use as a second computer.

Can someone email me the mitac bios? The overclocked version, if you ever got around to it, Rondog

Thanks!

[Rondog]

Sorry man. I dont have it any more. Email just_tweak_it. He might still have it. Sorry.

Keep in mind, we both had Compaq 7480's. Not 7470's.

Welcome To AOA. Enjoy Your Stay

[FieroGT42]

I'm willing to bet (nearly) all 7400 series were the same board. Thanks.

[Just_tweak_it]

I ended up trashing this board. It took me entirely too much time and effort trying to find the right memory for it. Once the "correct" memory was found ($73.00!!!) all was fine for the POST and Bios but once Windows XP was loaded, only half my memory was recognized. Not only that, but to add to the stress and confusion, the board did not want to accept my two hard drives. What a waste and headache! Now I'm on the lookout for a really really cheap mobo & memory bundle.

[www2000]

I got a Compaq 7478 free from a friend and wanted to get it up and running for the girls to use for school work. I only replaced the Hard Drive and Memory and added a Pioneer CD-RW to it. The new Hard Drive is a 20 Gig Western Digital, and the new memory is 256MB Chips for a total of 512. I dished out for the good stuff from Upgrade Memory
Guaranteed to work with the system.

I took out the modem and extra CD-Rom before I tried installing XP.
I found this forum and am thankful for the information as I got the new bios that allows me to get alot further than I have been getting.

I did the 0904 update with the 80 Pin Fix.
There's an AWEFUL lot of settings like the Gate A20 Option and when
you get toward the SDRam settings, they give you an aweful lot of settings, and if you don't know all of them, I guess your screwed!

I've been playing for 2 weeks on this blasted computer trying to get XP on it.
Can one of you whom were sucessful please give a general ideal of what you did that got you up and running with XP?

I've disabled all the cache options and shadowing options and I'm getting so darn close doing that! *Did the Fail Safe option in Bios first before disableing the Cache and Shadow options*
However, I've let it sit overnight in the Finalizing Installation and it said 17 Minutes at one point and 11 at another... It never finishes though and after the first reboot, I get a blue screen until I set it back at Optimized in the Bios and have the cache and shadowing back on.
It's a touch and go kinda situation but I've yet to get XP installed!

And 98SE is very buggy! I mean you lift your mouse off the pad to center it a bit more and it totally hangs the system! That's soooo very annoying!

Please help me and anyone else that wants to save a compaq for the kids to enjoy!

*Got XP installed - Faulty CD-Rom was holding me back. Now I just can't keep it from crashing all the time.*

** Otay. I got it all fixed up now. The crappy Stock Fan and Heatsink wasn't working for crap. Got a nice new one on and it's working great.
Also took it up to 100Mhz FSB instead of 97Mhz **

[shafmaster]

This is a new thing and cool. Seaching for info on this compaq 7478 that I have.
It has a 533 AMD 97 Fsb. I have a AMD 550 100FSB tat I want to install. This is the camaro 9951 aka mitac 5114VU. I need the jumper settings I have read the board and believe I have it but what would the VCC2 be set at? If the settings are avialable I would like to check my work.
Help would be great

[Hardisk]

Hi!
I've an old motherboard MVP4 Cam with Compaq Bios (Awful!)
I've tried to flash it with the last Mitac 5114 bios, ignoring the usual error message (mismatch...etc etc .)
After this operation , my motherboards seemed dead..Nothing to do!
After a few days , during a rare spare time, I connected again this mobo, without hard disk and cd-rom, but only with the flopy drive, thinking to
effect an 'autoflash' ..hoping ....
I switched my mobo on, then, having a lot of job, I forgot my mobo on...
After three or four minutes I heard a note noise: floppy disk was working!!!!!!! By mistake I've left in the drive another 'bios autoflash' for a mobo Asus A7Pro....MIracle! My bios was working again!!!
Then I flashed the right bios and now all it's working well!

This is for me a great mistery

Regards
Donald

[Just_tweak_it]

Did anyone ever figure this Mitac camaro board out? I see them once in awhile, and still think about my time as a youngster tinkering with it.