HP Compaq Presario User Manual

Compaq Presario Desktop Products

Warranty and

Support Guide

1 Year Parts and Labor

1 Year Technical Telephone Support

24 Hours a Day, 7 Days a Week

IMPORTANT NOTE

If you experience a problem with your new Presario, DO NOT RETURN YOUR COMPUTER TO YOUR RETAILER. At Compaq, we take pride in our ability to service your needs. We are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. We have specialists available to help you with your technical support questions as they arise via the Web or phone (see Contact Numbers chart within this document). As our valued customer, we want to make sure that your support needs are met and any issues resolved as quickly as possible.

This document includes warranty information for the United States, Canada, and the Caribbean.

The information in this document is subject to change without notice.

Before contacting Compaq Customer Support Center, it’s important to have the following information handy. Please take a moment to write down your product information for future reference.

Model Number: _____________________________________________________________________

Serial Number: _____________________________________________________________________

Purchase Date: _____________________________________________________________________

System or Product Number: ______________________________________________________

Don’t Forget to Register!

Click “Register with Compaq” on your desktop or go to: http://register.hp.com

Registration is quick, easy and offers:

•E-mail updates containing notifications about product enhancements, the most recent support alerts, and driver updates specific to the product(s) you own.

•The HP newsgram, our monthly online magazine packed full of product news, support tips, project ideas, and much more. Visit us at http://subscription.support.hp.com

Where to Get Help

HP offers a wide variety of service and support options, which are available around the clock for Compaq branded products that are either in or out of warranty.

Options to use when you need help:

1Check the setup poster and the user documentation for help with setting up and using your PC.

2Use the support tools right on your PC.

Help & Support Center for help with hardware and software questions. Click Start and then click

Help and Support.

PC Tune-up and Repair for tools to keep your PC running smoothly. Click Start, All Programs,

PC Help and Tools.

SW Repair Wizard guides you through options to resolve software issues. Click Start, All Programs, PC Help and Tools.

3Compaq Customer Care Web support. For product information, driver updates, troubleshooting and much more, go to: http://www.compaq.com/consumersupport

4Chat online with a qualified support specialist to solve your problem. Available through the Help & Support Center on your PC.

5If you have not solved the problem, you can contact us by phone 24 hours a day, seven days a week, in English, Spanish, and French (Canada only) at:

1-(800)-652-6672 [1-(800)-OK Compaq] or

905-206-4357 (local to Mississauga)

When you call please have your product model number, serial number, and date of purchase available. Telephone support is free during your limited warranty period.

Software Support

America Online

U.S.: 888-346-3704 Canada: 888-265-4357 www.aol.com

Apple — iTunes www.apple.com

AT&T WorldNet

800-400-1447 www.att.net

CompuServe 2000

800-944-9871 www.compuserve.com

Corel www3.corel.com

Detto Technologies

866-338-8663 www.detto.com

EarthLink

dial-up customer service 800-890-6356

dial-up technical support 800-890-5128

broadband customer service and technical support 888-829-8466

www.earthlink.net

InterVideo

510-651-0888 www.intervideo.com/home

Microsoft Network

800-386-5550 www.support.msn.com

Symantec — Norton AV www.symantec.com/techsupp

Quicken Basic (Intuit)

900-555-4688 www.intuit.com

Veritas

(only CD-RW and DVD+RW/+R models)

www.veritas.com

Yahoo! — User Support www.yahoo.com

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Troubleshooting

For help on problems you may be experiencing when you install your PC, refer to the following pages for possible solutions.

Symptom describes the sign or warning message for the type of problem.

Problem identifies one or more reasons why the symptom may have occurred.

Solution describes what you should do to try to solve the problem.

Look up the description of the symptom or problem, and try the solution listed. Some of the symptoms listed may not apply to your PC. For problems relating specifically to the monitor or printer, refer to the equipment documentation.

Display (Monitor)

NOTE: If you encounter display (monitor) problems, refer to the documentation that came with your monitor and to the common causes and solutions listed in this table.

Symptom	Problem	Solution
Screen is blank, and monitor	Monitor power cable is not	Reconnect the power plug on the back of the monitor and on the
power light is not lit.	connected to the monitor or to	wall outlet.
	the wall outlet.
	Monitor is off (not turned on).	Press the On button on the front of the monitor.
Screen is blank.	Screen saver is enabled.	Press any key or move the mouse to make the screen display
		visible again.
	PC is in standby mode.	Press the Standby button (select models only) or press the Esc key
		on the keyboard to resume from standby mode.
	PC is in hibernation mode or	Press the On button to turn on the PC.
	is off.
	Monitor connector cable is	Inspect the monitor video connector for bent pins. If no pins
	not properly connected to	are bent, reconnect the monitor connector cable on the back
	the back of the PC.	of the PC.

Hard Disk Drive

Symptom	Problem	Solution
PC seems to be locked up	Program in use has stopped	Use the Windows Task Manager to close any programs not
and not responding.	responding to commands.	responding or to Restart the PC:
		1 Press the Ctrl, Alt, and Delete keys on the keyboard at the
		same time.
		2 Select the program that is not responding, and click
		End Task.
		Or
		Click Shut Down, and then click Restart.
		If this does not work, press the On button for 5 or more seconds
		to turn off the PC. Then, press the On button.

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Internet Access

Symptom	Problem	Solution
Cannot connect to the	Internet Service Provider (ISP)	Verify Internet settings, or contact your ISP for assistance.
Internet.	account is not set up properly.
	Modem is not set up properly.	Reconnect the modem, verifying connections.
		Note that your PC may also have an Ethernet network interface
		(also called a network interface card, or NIC) that connects to a
		LAN (local area network). Although it looks similar to the modem
		connector, the RJ-45 Ethernet network connector is not the same.
		Verify that you are using the modem connector. Do not connect a
		telephone cable to the NIC. Do not plug a network cable into a
		telephone service line; doing so may damage the NIC.
	Web browser is not set up	Verify that the Web browser is installed and set up to work with
	properly.	your ISP.

Keyboard and Mouse

	Symptom	Problem	Solution
	Keyboard commands and	Keyboard connector is not	Turn off the PC by using the mouse, reconnect the keyboard to
	typing are not recognized	properly connected.	the back of your PC, and turn on your PC.
	by the PC.
		Program in use has stopped	Restart or turn off your PC using the mouse.
		responding to commands.
		Keyboard is damaged.	Press the Help ? button on the keyboard to open the Help and
			Support Center, or contact Support for replacement details.
	Wireless keyboard does not	Keyboard batteries are low or	Replace the two AA alkaline batteries in the wireless keyboard;
	work after installation, or is	empty.	then set the ID channel by pressing the Connect button on the
	not detected.		wireless receiver and then on the keyboard. Refer to the
			documentation that came with your wireless set.
	Mouse does not respond to	Mouse connector is not	Turn off your PC using the keyboard:
	movement or is too slow.	properly plugged into the	1 Press the Ctrl and Esc keys on the keyboard at the same time
		back of the PC.		to display the Start menu.
			2	Use the Up arrow or Down arrow key to select Turn Off
				Computer, and then press the Enter key on the keyboard.
			3	Use the Up arrow or Down arrow key to select Turn Off,
				and then press the Enter key.
			After the shutdown is complete, plug the mouse connector into
			the back of your PC and turn on your PC.
		Program in use has stopped	Restart your PC by using the keyboard. If possible, save any
		responding to commands.	open files and close open applications before restarting.
		Surface in use for roller-ball	Use a mouse pad or other rough surface for the mouse.
		type mouse is too smooth.
	Mouse does not work after	Mouse is not connected	Try unplugging and then reconnecting the mouse cable to
	installation or is not	properly.	your PC.
	detected.
		Wireless mouse batteries are	Replace the two AA alkaline batteries in the mouse; then set the
		low or empty.	ID channel by pressing the Connect button on the wireless
			receiver and then on the mouse. Refer to the documentation that
			came with your wireless set.

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Power

Symptom	Problem	Solution
PC will not turn on or start.	PC is not securely connected to	Ensure that cables connecting the PC to the external power
	an external power source.	source are plugged in properly.
	Monitor is not connected or is	Connect the monitor to the PC, plug it in, and turn it on.
	not on.
	Line voltage selection switch is	Set the line voltage selection switch to the correct setting for
	not in the proper position for	your country/region, or refer to Support.
	your country/region
	(115VAC/230VAC).
	Wall outlet is defective.	Test the outlet by connecting a different electrical device to the
		outlet.
Invalid system disk	A diskette has been left in the	When drive activity stops, remove the diskette and press the
Or	drive during startup.	spacebar. The PC should start up.
Non-System disk or disk
error message displays
PC appears locked up and	PC is not working.	Press and hold the On button until the PC turns off.
won’t turn off when the On
button is pressed.

Recovering From Software Problems

The PC uses the operating system and installed software programs during normal operation. If your PC works improperly or stops because of the software, you may be able to repair it.

The Software Repair Wizard (select models only) is an icon on the desktop or in the Organize software program, or in the Help and Support Center. To start the wizard, click the icon or click Start, choose All Programs, PC Help & Tools, and then click Software Repair Wizard.

Click the Software Repair Wizard icon to repair software problems with programs, printers, or peripherals that stop working, or to resolve erratic PC behavior. Repair options include using the Compaq Application Recovery or Compaq System Recovery programs.

You need recovery discs (CDs or DVDs) for some repairs that use the Compaq Application Recovery program or the Compaq System Recovery program. The PC does not include recovery discs in the accessory box, but you can make your own recovery CDs or DVDs; see “Creating Recovery CDs/DVDs.”

CAUTION: It is strongly recommended that you create your recovery discs before you need them.

You should also make the Compaq Recovery Tools CD. This CD contains utilities that allow you to make changes to your hard disk drive, including removing the recovery partition.

See “Using the Recovery Tools CD.”

There are several methods to fix your PC, including using the System Recovery program. Try these methods in the order listed here, or refer to the table that follows the list.

•Restart When you restart the computer, the PC starts over using the operating system and software in its memory. This is the simplest repair for your PC; just click

Start, choose Turn Off Computer, and then click Restart.

•Turn Off Computer When you turn off the computer and then turn it on again, you force the PC to copy the operating system into its memory and to clear some tracking information. This may eliminate some problems that can remain after performing a Restart. To turn off the computer just click Start, choose Turn Off Computer, and then click Turn Off.

•Driver Rollback This Microsoft Windows XP feature is part of the Windows Installer program used with the Add or Remove Programs utility in the Control Panel. It can revert to the previous version of a driver program if an installation fails when you are installing a new version of the driver program. For more information, type Rollback into the Search box in Help and Support.

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•

•

System Restore This Microsoft Windows XP feature allows you to bring your computer configuration back to a previous time when a current software problem may not have existed. The feature does this by creating a “restore point” where it records the PC settings at that time and date. The installation of some software automatically sets a restore point for you, but it is recommended to manually set restore points, especially before installing or downloading additional software. When using Add Programs from the Add or Remove Programs feature under the computer Control Panel, the operating system automatically creates a restore point before it adds the software. If you experience a problem that you think may be due to software on your computer, use System Restore to return the PC to a previous restore point. For more information, type System Restore into the Search box in Help and Support.

Application and Driver Recovery If the problem with the PC seems to be with only one program or one driver, it may be that the application program or the driver program is damaged. You can reinstall individual factory-installed application programs and driver programs by using the Compaq Application Recovery program (select models only); see “Application Recovery.”

•System Recovery Use the Compaq System Recovery program as a last resort to reinstall the software. Perform System Recovery using the hard disk drive partition first; see “System Recovery.” If necessary, next perform System Recovery using the recovery discs and choose Standard Recovery; see “System Recovery Using Recovery Discs.” Finally, if necessary, perform System Recovery using the recovery discs and choose full System Recovery.

Before using the Compaq System Recovery program or the Compaq Application Recovery program, use

System Restore.

NOTE: Your PC hard disk drive contains the System Recovery image in a partition area of the disk drive. The PC does not include recovery discs in the accessory box, but you can make your own recovery CDs or DVDs; see “Creating Recovery CDs/DVDs.”

When your PC stops working correctly, the Restart, Turn Off Computer, and Driver Rollback methods (described above) may resolve the problem. After you have tried these three methods, if needed, try the remaining actions, using the table that follows as a quick reference.

For the specific PC problem, try the method listed as #1, then #2, and then #3.

		Application	System Recovery	System Recovery
	Microsoft	Recovery	from the hard	from the recovery
Problem/Status	System Restore	program	disk partition	CDs/DVDs
You installed a new application or	1
device driver
An application does not work	1	2	3
A device driver does not work		1	2
PC stops responding or does not work	1		2	3
You replaced the hard disk drive or				1
removed the partition

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