The highly rated HP Pavilion Slimline PC thread

Sab said:
I need to acquire one of these hex wrenches first. My only other problem I foresee is when I took out my current video card awhile ago, there was a little tiny white cable that connected it to the motherboard. I don't see anywhere on this video card where that would connect, am I missing something here?

Thank you so much for the little tutorial!
Click to expand...

That is the S/PDIF cable which allowed for the HDMI output to get an audio feed from the motherboard. Older nVidia cards had a hackjob workaround with required the cable in order to get sound via HDMI. All current cards, AMD and nVidia, have an onboard sound processor that allows them to output audio via HDMI and DP natively, negating the need for the S/PDIF header from the motherboard.

Though you don't have a HDMI output (your new card has a displayport output), so unless if you have a DP-->HDMI adaptor (passive ones will work), or a proper DVI-->HDMI adaptor (most will fail to work properly with audio), you won't be able to get audio out of your graphics card.
 
Installed, and working fantastically. Thank you again for all your help, you made my day!
 
Hi,

I have upgraded to a 450watt external PSU (yes ugly, but working great!) and upgraded my graphics card. Next step is upgrading the CPU...does anyone know if I can put in a AMD Phenom X4 9850 Quad Core Processor? It's a socket AM2+ so will that fit? Just don't wanna burn out the mobo or something. Thanks in advance!

PS> I have a s3500f with the M2N61-AR (Acacia) mobo

Edit> Nevermind, just talked to tech support and they told me I cannot upgrade the CPU without upgrading the mobo.
 
Last edited:
Mike7367 said:
Hi,

I have upgraded to a 450watt external PSU (yes ugly, but working great!) and upgraded my graphics card. Next step is upgrading the CPU...does anyone know if I can put in a AMD Phenom X4 9850 Quad Core Processor? It's a socket AM2+ so will that fit? Just don't wanna burn out the mobo or something. Thanks in advance!

PS> I have a s3500f with the M2N61-AR (Acacia) mobo

Edit> Nevermind, just talked to tech support and they told me I cannot upgrade the CPU without upgrading the mobo.
Click to expand...

If you check the first post, there's a list of supported processors. Unfortunately, as the support guy mentioned, the M2N61-AR will not work the Phenom X4 9850 (due to lack of BIOS support - not to mention the massive thermal design power).

However, there are CPU upgrades available that will work with your motherboard, if you desire to go quad-core. For example, after updating the BIOS to version 5.18, the M2N61-AR will support the 65 watt Phenom X4 9100e - 9350e processor line. Just make sure to keep cooling and power in mind.
 
Halsey said:
If you check the first post, there's a list of supported processors. Unfortunately, as the support guy mentioned, the M2N61-AR will not work the Phenom X4 9850 (due to lack of BIOS support - not to mention the massive thermal design power).

However, there are CPU upgrades available that will work with your motherboard, if you desire to go quad-core. For example, after updating the BIOS to version 5.18, the M2N61-AR will support the 65 watt Phenom X4 9100e - 9350e processor line. Just make sure to keep cooling and power in mind.
Click to expand...

Thanks a lot for the answer, appreciate it!
 
I was really impressed with the amount of helpful information in this thread; it was a great resource while researching some planned mods to my s5160f, so I thought I would post some pics of my results.

I really love this little PC. Quite a powerhouse in such a small package. It's primary function is as an HTPC. I bought it a year ago for the sole purpose of being able to finally tell Time Warner Cable to get f*****. This little slimline has paid for itself and then some so I thought it only fair that it should get a little upgrade :).

I'm not sure if specs were the same for all s5160f, but mine has a bluray drive, WMC remote, and a tv tuner. I wanted a better video card than the stock G210, which would occasionally give some stutter and lag when watching HD video.

I decided to try a GT430 even though I saw many comparisons to ATI/AMD's equivalent and the ATI/AMD card seemed to be the better card. The GT430 is a vast improvement of the G210, but the heat output from the 430 is exponentially greater than 210. Believe the hype. I saw 70C+ on a couple of occasions while watching OTA tv or a bluray. I cut a hole in the side case for a 120mm case fan and replaced the stock 92mm case fan with an adjustable one from Thermaltake. 120mm fan blows air into the case, 92mm fan blows air out. Both fans had a 3-pin motherboard adapter and a 4-pin molex. Since there are no molex connectors from the stock power supply, I bought two SATA to SATA+Molex adatpers. 92mm fan bolted in to stock bracket. I took measurements of the 120mm fan and used a CNC mill to cut the hole in the case side (I wanted a nice round hole, not the hack job I would have done with my dremel). The fans are a HUGE improvement in airflow, I haven’t seen the card top ~50C, even under load. Obviously, they produce more noise with all that flow, but not enough to be a nuisance even when watching a movie in a quiet room.

They also pull more power as well but no issues with the power supply so far, which was my primary concern.
Here are the parts I used:

Adapters - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16812198027

120mm case fan - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835119032

92mm case fan - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835106155

EVGA GT430 - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130579

Pics:

IMG_0269.jpg


IMG_0271.jpg


IMG_0272.jpg


IMG_0274.jpg
 
^^ Great job, minideez! I really like how that blue LED fan looks on the inside. :cool:
 
Ok, I'm definitely looking at that 92mm fan to replace the one currently in my system. My 9800GT can heat things up and that will likely bring welcome relief (as well as a cool blue glow).

Where did you place the speed control? Or do you simply set the speed to your liking and then close the case?

Also, did you use the vibration dampers? Or was there no space for them?
 
Yes, I just set the speed to my liking (about 2/3) and closed the case. I didn't use the vibe dampers, there wasn't really any room for them. I re-used the screws that held the stock fan in place. Also, for anyone thinking of doing the 120mm case fan on the side, there's very little room on the inside of the case cover where the power supply is, so keep that in mind when selecting bolts/nuts/fastening method. The nuts that you can see in the second pic are about all you can get away with.
 
Slimline s7700n freezing up.

I am trying to determine what is the problem with this computer. I got this computer from another person and they said that it would not always boot up and then would freeze up while using it.

Well what the person said turned out to be true. I found that running the original Vista was just about impossible to keep it running and little stress caused it to freeze up. Changing the operating system to WinXp gave me a little less freeze up but still if I stressed the machine a little it would just freeze up.. I never got a BSOD just freeze up.

I have read that the power supply in these machine are weak and prone to failure. Would this be and indication that the power supply is bad??

I have addition power supplies if this is the case, I know that you have to use an adapter to convert the 20 to a 24 mini atx connector, and I know that I can get one from Amazon for about $13.

I have no problems with have a power supply out side the case, good looks is not a problem just getting the machine to work is all that I am concerned with.

So is my assumption of a bad power supply correct? or Should I be looking at something else?

Thanks for taking the time to read my post.
 
My Galaxy 8600GT finally fried up on my 3300f, the fan was a little wobbly the last time I cleaned out the comp, it must have seized at some point and fried the entire GPU. I went ahead and got the Sapphire Radeon 5570 card and am pleasantly surprised so far, it runs cooler then the Galaxy ever did under max load (around 73 celcius to the Galaxies 88) and it is much, much quieter, and then quite a bit faster too. Ran some stress tests and have had no stability issues, so far. This is all on my 160 watt PSU.
 
gondorff said:
Slimline s7700n freezing up.

I am trying to determine what is the problem with this computer. I got this computer from another person and they said that it would not always boot up and then would freeze up while using it.

Well what the person said turned out to be true. I found that running the original Vista was just about impossible to keep it running and little stress caused it to freeze up. Changing the operating system to WinXp gave me a little less freeze up but still if I stressed the machine a little it would just freeze up.. I never got a BSOD just freeze up.

I have read that the power supply in these machine are weak and prone to failure. Would this be and indication that the power supply is bad??

I have addition power supplies if this is the case, I know that you have to use an adapter to convert the 20 to a 24 mini atx connector, and I know that I can get one from Amazon for about $13.

I have no problems with have a power supply out side the case, good looks is not a problem just getting the machine to work is all that I am concerned with.

So is my assumption of a bad power supply correct? or Should I be looking at something else?

Thanks for taking the time to read my post.
Click to expand...

Hi, gondorff! Welcome to [H]!

My gut instinct would be to check the memory and the hard drive first. It very well could be your power supply, but I'd rule out those first two before trying the power supply.

Check to see if your BIOS (that blue screen you see when you first turn your computer on) has a "Diagnostic" or "Memory Test" option. If it does, run it to check the integrity of your memory. My "Diagnostic" menu also has an option to scan the hard drive, if your computer does too I'd recommend you take advantage of that as well.

If your BIOS doesn't have a "Diagnostic" option, you can download a program called Memtest86 - it's an iso file, so you'll have to burn it to a disk (I recommend Infra Recorder or ISO Recorder) and boot your computer from it. There's an excellent guide on how to do that here.
 
Last edited:
I have an extra Loctite, 1GB DIMMs, DVD and HD that I'm thinking of using to build an HTPC with. I'm thinking of using an Apex or nMEDIAPC case. The only part I'm having trouble sourcing is an e4500 cpu. They are no longer in production and expensive on ebay. The first post indicates that I must use a Conroe based Core 2 Duo with the Loctite. Perhaps I should just sell the Loctite and get a better motherboard that's compatible with current cpu's or maybe someone here knows if I can use a Wolfdale or other currently available cpu. Do 1066 FSB chips run at 800 when inserted into earlier motherboards? I know this motherboard is limiting - it wouldn't run with an HD-5570 I wanted to use.
 
hi everyone
I upgraded my s3500f with a 9800gt and the sparkle 270W power supply (with the help of his forum of course) about a year ago with no issues and now im looking to get a little more out of my slimeline. Im looking at upgrading my CPU to one of the new intel i5 or i7's which means a new motherboard.I found this link some were on this thread but i forget how posted it and i think it will work-http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813135259. Now i have noticed that there are mini and mirco itx boards and i think i remember reading that slimlines are mini Itx right? Does anyone know of a better motherboard they can fit in a slimline?
Thanks
 
I was able to get a min i itx board into a s3000 series case. Stock motherboards are sometimes referred to as "mini itx" but jeremyshaw I believe refers to them as "mini dtx", which may be a more accurate description. The only problem I had was the location of the power supply connectors on the end of the board adjacent to where the optical drive is installed. It was a bit crowded to say the least, but I managed to resolve the situation. From what I saw on the Newegg site you referred, the board you were looking at has the power connecter on the side presumably next to the power supply. My guess is that would work out better. If you try, let us know how it works.
 
Still no answer to this!

Chicalolita said:
I have a Pavilion Slimline s3010.uk and the graphics are terrible. Tried putting in a new graphics card to the PCI-E slot, but it wouldn't recognise the new one or the old integrated graphics. I tried installing drivers first and disabling the old graphics, but then it just stopped recognising a monitor altogether. Help?
Click to expand...
 
My s7600n is running strong, but I wonder:

If you had to do it all over again, what would you build for a SFF PC desktop?

Would you still look at HP Slimline, now that it got big?
 
I'm thinking seriously to change my motherboard and CPU for the lastest Sandy Bridge technology. Do I have to install a new copy of Windows 7 or my original copy that came with my s5150t will recognize the changes?
 
I have the Vista operating system from my original s3020n installed on a Zotac GF6100-e-e board that replaced the HematiteXL board. As I recall, it took a call to Microsoft. It still IDs as an s3020n although I don't think HP recognizes it as such. It probably won't reinstalll from recovery disks or partition: whatever Microsoft did to activate it on the new board was "in place".
 
Chicalolita said:
Still no answer to this!
Click to expand...
There is no real good answer to this. It could either be a chipset failure, or simply the GPU not working for whatever reason. This thread has seen an unusual amount of these calls for help.
JHwangHF said:
My s7600n is running strong, but I wonder:

If you had to do it all over again, what would you build for a SFF PC desktop?

Would you still look at HP Slimline, now that it got big?
Click to expand...
I'd do it in a SUGO case. Or something like that. The HP Slimline's current form factor does have it's desk footprint space advantages, however, it's simply gotten too large, IMO, to reclaim the magic this series used to have (IMHO).
drpenicilin said:
I'm thinking seriously to change my motherboard and CPU for the lastest Sandy Bridge technology. Do I have to install a new copy of Windows 7 or my original copy that came with my s5150t will recognize the changes?
Click to expand...

Win7 OEM key will work. It's not supposed to, but it works, since the MS activation servers reset every 60-90 days.
 
http://www.pinnaclemicrogb.co.uk/newcart/search.php
search for SPI270LE

however, two things following:

It's expensive
And that PSU is noisey, so you WILL need to mod it with a nice 60mm fan.


However, I should note, you will also need the microfit adaptor to make the HP's teeny ATX connector work.


You may also run a normal PSU outside your case and simply hide it.
 
jeremyshaw said:
http://www.pinnaclemicrogb.co.uk/newcart/search.php
search for SPI270LE

however, two things following:

It's expensive
And that PSU is noisey, so you WILL need to mod it with a nice 60mm fan.


However, I should note, you will also need the microfit adaptor to make the HP's teeny ATX connector work.


You may also run a normal PSU outside your case and simply hide it.
Click to expand...

It's depressing. I wanted to upgrade because it was so noisy (fan is on pretty much permanently). Just wanted a new video card, but the only one I can find requires a PSU upgrade, the 8400 GS.
 
The 8400GS will NOT require a PSU upgrade, no matter what the "recommended PSU" rating is. The 8400GS, in both variants (G86 16SP and G98 8SP), draws less than 30W from the card itself. Recommended PSU ratings are for overall system power draw with generic low quality PSUs.

The recommended max for the 160W PSU from HP is 40W for the GPU (that's including an AMD quad core, though -.-).

EDIT: and there are stock HP Slimline S3000 models with an AMD quad core (power hog) and an 8500gt (a better card than the 8400gs, while drawing a bit more power), so... :p [model I am referencing is the S3430F]
 
jeremyshaw said:
The 8400GS will NOT require a PSU upgrade, no matter what the "recommended PSU" rating is. The 8400GS, in both variants (G86 16SP and G98 8SP), draws less than 30W from the card itself. Recommended PSU ratings are for overall system power draw with generic low quality PSUs.

The recommended max for the 160W PSU from HP is 40W for the GPU (that's including an AMD quad core, though -.-).
Click to expand...

So it'll work with the 160W PSU? Excellent, thank you! It suggests otherwise on Page 1 of this thread, so I was confused.
 
Chicalolita said:
So it'll work with the 160W PSU? Excellent, thank you! It suggests otherwise on Page 1 of this thread, so I was confused.
Click to expand...

the OP has not been fully updated in a while. I wanted to suggest some changes, but got too lazy to bother when my slimline became an office unit, instead of my primary machine.

anyhow, as I edited in rather late in my other post, there are stock HP S3000 slimline with an 8500gt (a more power hungry card than either 8400gs revision) and an AMD quad core (more power hungry than the Intel platform equivilent).

IF you can find a HD4350 or HD4550 at a similar price, however, I'd recommend it heavily over the 8400gs anyday. I had an 8500gt (a faster card vs either 8400gs variant), and it simply was outpaced in every respect by the HD4350. The HD4550 draws about the same amount of power as the G98 8400gs variant (25W overall), yet it is much faster than any of the cards mentioned on this post.


Anyhow, I keep on referncing "8400gs variant," and this is why:

8400gs (G98) 8 shaders <--newer, slower, less power hungry
8400gs (G86) 16 shaders <--faster, older, more power hungry to an extent
 
I have been plowing through all the posts here and have found some useful info. However, I am still faced with a confusing problem. The s3120n sounds as though it is booting into Windows, but I cannot see any video displayed when it starts. A friend of mine gave me this computer when she upgraded to a better system. So when I got it, the first thing I attempted to do was upgrade the video card. I had a pci-e video card left over from another system, so I installed it in the Slimline. I didn't test it first however, and after numerous failed attempts with no display, I uninstalled the onboard video drivers in Device Manager to force it to display to the pci-e video card. I know what you're thinking, and I know....

Now I have a computer that won't display any video at all at boot, and I don't have an extra pci-e video card to test with. Is there anything I can do? I have tried resetting CMOS by removing the battery, have rest it also using the jumpers. No help. I read a post on the HP site about restting bios defaults blindly by pressing F10 repeatedly, then F5, then enter, then F10, then enter. That didn't help either. Is there anything I can do short of replacing the MOBO or buying a low profile video card?

Any help is much appreciated.
 
Perhaps this is a trivial suggestion, you probably have already tried it. Have you removed your non-working video card and tried on-board video? I know they suggest that you go into bios to turn off/on on-board video when installing/uninstalling a video card in the PCIe slot. In my clumsy forays into video card installing/uninstalling, a video card in the PCIE slot turned off on board video, removing it turned it on no matter what I did in bios.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top