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Question

Bios Number?

Jun 23, 2014 2:13AM PDT

Hi Forum.
About a year ago I upgrade ram from 1 to 2 gb and updated Bios. Since then the computer is running slow and the cooling fan races erratically. Playing video from files is ok, but not perfect. I can hear the fan pitch change. Same thing with youtube, ok, but not perfect. Embedded videos in websites that aren't connected to youtube are terrible, as is Hulu. I have a fresh Win-XP-sp3 install with all needed drivers and no improvement. I dont know if I got defective ram cards, or maybe it's the wrong bios(it was the only one at the intel or emachine websites). I would like to re-use the bios # that originally came with the PC, but don't know how. I saved the number, but don't know how to use it. I don't even know how to word the question for google. Is it the bios serial # that I saved? What else would make the PC fan race and slow everything down?
Thanks anyone.

Discussion is locked

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Clarification Request
What is this PC?
Jun 23, 2014 2:18AM PDT

Given it's XP it could be that old and slow. But here we have little to work with and then words about fans. Fan speed on newer PCs speed up when needed which can really upset some owners. Also, fans can age and do odd things. At about 5 years many fans need replacement. And then we have owners that didn't know.
Bob

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re
Jun 23, 2014 2:29AM PDT

I bought it in 07. There is definitely something wrong. Adobe reader sends it into a frenzy also. The fan was usually constant. I wish I could remember what I did with the old 512 chips. I'm not a gamer or anything, so I'm not using any high demand programs. It's a Pentium D 805 series. I have no additional programs reloaded yet other than Mozilla and an empty hard drive.
How do I use that bios number?

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I don't see any use for a BIOS number here.
Jun 23, 2014 2:37AM PDT

But given all we know is it's from 2007, that's old enough to know we have hardware maintenance that should be done. That is, cleaning, fan replacements, wipe off the old dry heat sink compound, apply fresh and then it should be much better.

Some folk do their own work, some have it done but the 2007 age means there's a lot to be done to keep it and you happy.
Bob

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Cleaned
Jun 23, 2014 3:04AM PDT

Inside is spotless. I even periodically remove the cover off the power supply and blow that out. All fans work great with plenty of torque.
Would failing heat sink compound give me choppy video and difficulty opening large photos and pdf's?
It seems like the computer strains to perform simple tasks, then in response the fan races to cool the overload.
I know that compound fails. Last year I attempted to remove the funnel, fan and sink, but it's held down with a half dozen little plastic clips. You need five hands to get them all up at once, plus everything is so brittle in there.
I really think it has something to do with either the new bios or the new ram chips. That's when things changed.

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At this old a PC
Jun 23, 2014 3:18AM PDT

One would not debate if the heat sink compound needs replacement. It's a 2 dollar material item and it gives us the chance to be sure the heat sink is on proper and more. Wish I could be of more help but given the story so far, there is work I would have done, and if the fans seem worn out, I replace those too. There are some owners that balk at such simple work which may be good for the industry. That is, they end up with a new PC versus a few dollars of compound and fans.
Bob

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Answer
Now that I'm clear about the million mile maintenance.
Jun 23, 2014 3:55AM PDT

There are what I call toxic combinations of protection software. Also there are odd things that happen with the browsers. You seem to have reloaded the OS but for XP this is far from trivial. Also, odd things like the XP DMA BUG was never squashed. That is, Microsoft's view was that owners were more than content with sorting out issues like that.

I'm not saying it's that but for me, a 2007 machine would get the time on the bench to do the usual going over with about 20 bucks of fans and heatsink compound before I'd consider much else. Why? After some thousand plus machines through the shops you learn a thing or two to save yourself time.
Bob

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Answer
Download, install and run 'Advisor' available at
Jun 23, 2014 11:22AM PDT

Belarc.com

After you run Belarc.....it will show you almost everything you ever wanted to know about your PC.

Under the heading 'Main Circuit Board"...it lists the BIOS version.

Let us know...more detail is needed about the system to help further.

VAPCMD