"Zed Rafi" <backuplm2@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1153935118.016029.231690@s13g2000cwa.googlegr oups.com...
> Hello all,
>
> My brother's computer crashed a while back, and i've been lazy about
> repairing it. I've now gathered the courage to starts buying the
> replacement parts and repair the damn thing.
>
> The computer completely crashed; it displays a blank screen upon power
> up (no bios text or anything). After opening up the case, i noticed
> brown goo had seeped out of some of the capacitors on the MOBO, so i
> figured the MOBO is the problem.


What the heck is it with HP motherboards and bad caps? It seems like every
time I see leaky caps the board was from a Pavilion! Are they trying to
manufacture the stuff to fail???


> anyway, the specifications of his computer are here:
> http://tinyurl.com/juy2y
>
> the spec page on the HP site does not mention the socket type of the
> MOBO, so it's kindda hard for me to choose a replacement
> motherboard.... I want to buy it off ebay. Could someone point out to
> me which characteristics i should be looking for in a replacement
> motherboard?
>
> anyway, i've also been told that HP cases are not compatible with
> non-hp motherboards (size and power-up/reset buttons)... is that
> correct? does that go also for the PSU?
>
> thanks a lot for your time and help


Personally, I hate HP mid-towers. Those cases drive me nuts. They always
seem cramped and always collect tons of dust and other crap. I don't know
about the buttons, but sometimes you are really pressed for layout space in
there. I wouldn't try to put a non-HP board in one of those things. You'd
end up losing a fraction of a inch somewhere and it wouldn't fit. You'd
have RAM sticking in your power supply or CD drive or something.

It should be a Socket A if that helps.

I'd get a new mobo, and a new case, then just flop everything into the new
case and do a repair install or whatever you need to do. If you get the
right board, and a good heat sink & fan you can even overclock it a little.
No miracles, but it would be worth doing since you're shopping for a new
board anyway.

Good luck!

~e.