Replacement Motherboard

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smalls0224

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Hello All,

I think I need to get a replacement motherboard for my HP a642n. I need to know a good inexpensive motherboard to get me through senior year. I think I need a new one because the machine will not turn on and the power supply light only blinks when I connect it too the motherboard, (when connecting to anything else, it is fine.) Also, the light next to the power supply connection on the motherboard blinks as well.

I know at this point I should be looking for a new machine, but I really wanted to wait until I finished school first, so I'm keeping what I have for now.

So here are the specifications of my machine:
HP Pavilion a642n Desktop PC - Product Specifications

Remember, I bought this my freshman year, so I know it is very old.
Upgrades:
Added 512 MB Ram (Now have 1 GB)
Added Creative Audigy 2 Soundcard

So any advice would be much appreicated.
 
Thank you for the quick reply. Seeing as this will be my first motherboard replacement, will I need anything else than what comes with the board?
 
Nope...it comes with all the cables, and software needed. Note that you will have to reinstall Windows, whenever you replace a motherboard, as the Windows installed now, won't recognize the new motherboard. Oh wait....I just realized this is an ATX motherboard, and probably won't fit in your case. You would need a Micro ATX motherboard.

Here you go:
Newegg.com - BIOSTAR K8M800-M7A Socket 754 VIA K8M800 Micro ATX AMD Motherboard - Retail
...sorry about that.
 
Okay, when someone installed a replacement motherboard on my father's computer, it booted right up after putting in computer information. This was vista, however. I don't know where I'll be able to get another copy of windows xp pro at this point, I've long since lost the disks. Also, will I still be able to save the stuff on my hard drive?
 
I guess sometimes that can happen, without reinstalling Windows, but usually you have to. To be safe, I'd backup everything that's important, before you do this.
 
You don't have another computer or hard drive, you can back the files to? Well another way, is backing up the files on CDs.
 
Okay, I might do that or I'll just get an enclosure and save the hard drive if something goes wrong. Now I won't need any thermal paste or anything like that would I?
 
When you replace the motherboard, you would have to remove the heatsink, in order to transfer the CPU, to the new motherboard. It's really recommended that you re-apply thermal paste, because if you don't, there might not be proper contact, between the heatsink and CPU.
 
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