^^^Topic :)

My weirdest hardware moment:

Around 2 years ago, my dad bought himself a used Comcrap Deskpro. Advertised specs were a Pentium 4 1.8GHz, 256MB of RAM, 32MB video card, and all that of other wonderful stuff. Well, one day, he asked me if I could come over to his place to install a wireless G network card.

I came over, cracked open the PC, and noticed something very fishy. Something was definitely weird with the way that processor looked. It was a black cartridge that looked very similar to a P3. I asked my dad about it, and he told me, "no, that's a P4. Just boot it up and see for yourself."

I was quite curious by this point. The processor was indeed reported by Windows as a Pentium 4, 1.8GHz cpu. I tried to go into the BIOS, but found that the partition on the HD that held the setup program was deleted. Snap. Gotta hate Comcrap. So I went onto google, searched for cartridge-style P4s, and came up with nothing.

I went back into the computer case, and pulled out the processor. Damn! On the cartridge was the Pentium 4 logo, a hologram sticker that looked exactly the same as the one on my P3-1000 cartridge, and along the top read familliar P4 markings. I couldn't get over how much like a P3 this cartridged P4 was!

So I concluded that it was just a proprietary Compaq-style P4, and was about to put it back on the mobo when a thought hit me. I quickly drove home, collected my slot 1 P3 motherboard, and drove back to my dad's place.

I carefully lowered the "Pentium 4" into my P3 motherboard, making sure that it would fit properly. When it snapped into place, I powered it up. Wow, it actually started, which meant that it had to be a P3. Indeed, my BIOS identified the chip as a "Pentium III Coppermine CPU at 733MHz."

We called the original owner of the machine and managed to get him to confess (he had re-marked the plastic casing, and somehow setup Windows to report it as a P4-1800). We agreed that if he payed my dad $400 (which is what my dad payed for it) and gave him a nice flat panel monitor, we wouldn't take the issue to court.

Your turn. Share some of your weird hardware moments.

That's a hard act to follow jack. I've had some moments with older stuff like oc'ing a P60 and such but, I sure can't match your remark from a PIII to a P4...not even close.

I've built and worked on 8088's up to modern machines and simply haven't seen anything like you describe.

Skip

How about the old ATX trick that many of the proprietary companies pulled? For example: they would advertise a computer as an ATX with the latest Pentium processor. I mean everything looked like a P2 or P3 outside the cabinet, including the ATX power supply to the way you plugged in your keyboard and mouse in back. Once you opened the computer you were lucky to find an Intel 200 processor as you would more than likely find a 166 MMX or worse along with 72 pin sim ram on a socket even motherboard. That is disgusting but not as disgusting as yours. Good on you for taking care of your dad.

If windows could be altered to show a P-III as a P-IV I wonder if it could also be made to show some yet-to-be invented cpu--something like a pentium VI running at 10 Ghz.

Hi,

My first work computer in the job I currently have arrived by courier in white van in a box with no packaging whatsoever. Just computer base unit n large empty box. I refused to even take it out of the box.

The replacement rattled when we picked up the box. When I looked inside the processor fan fell out.

I phoned IT. to complain that they had sent me a dud. They asked me how I knew it didn't work.

If you want me to switch it on then put it in writing??

The replacement did actually work but was very slow.

IT sent me an "Intel P4 inside" metallic sticker to put on it.

I tried this with tape but it didn't make it any faster.

With WIN 98 on a very slow P3, with little memory. It could take an hour to get it to run each day.

I eventually gave up completely and used it for the only thing it was any good for.

A Paperweight

When asked what what was wrong with my computer I would dimply tug on the piece of paper it was holding down on my desk. "Nothing it is working fine at doing the only thing it is any good for"

Imagine No e-mail or anything elese. I just didn't use a computer at work anymore.

I eventually got a better machine

The name of the company I work for ends in SH. They have an IT department. Says it all.

Ceri