Compaq Armada 1500C series User manual

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Preface ix
p
reface
This Maintenance and Service Guide is a troubleshooting guide that can be used for
reference when servicing the Compaq Armada 1500c Series.
Compaq Computer Corporation reserves the right to make changes to the computer
without notice.
Additional information is available on the Compaq Armada 1500c Series Illustrated
Parts Map.
Symbols
The following words and symbols mark special messages throughout this guide:
!WARNING: Text set off in this manner indicates that failure to follow directions in
the warning could result in bodily harm or loss of life.
CAUTION: Text set off in this manner indicates that fa
ilure to follow directions
in the caution could result in damage to equipment or loss of information.
IMPORTANT: Text set off in this manner presents clarifying information or specific
instructions.
NOTE: Text set off in this manner presents commentary, sidelights, or interesting points
of information.
Technician Notes
!WARNING: Only authorized technicians trained by Compaq should attempt to
repair this equipment. All troubleshooting and repair procedures are detailed to
allow only subassembly/module level repair. Because of the complexity of the
individual boards and subassemblies, no one should attempt to make repairs at the
component level or to make modifications to any printed wiring board. Improper
repairs can create a safety hazard. Any indication of component replacement or
printed wiring board modifications may void any warranty or exchange allowances.
!WARNING: The computer is designed to be electrically grounded. To ensure
proper operation, plug the AC power cord into a properly grounded electrical outlet
only.
CAUTION: To properly ventilate your system, you must provide at least 3 inches
(7.62 cm) of clearance on the left and right sides of the computer.

xPreface
Serial Number
When requesting information or ordering spare parts, provide the computer serial
number. The serial number is displayed on the rear of the computer.
Locating Additional Information
The following documentation is available to support the computer:
■ Compaq Armada 1500c Series documentation set
■ Microsoft operating system user’s guide
■ Service Training Guides
■ Compaq Service Advisories and Bulletins
■ Compaq QuickFind
■ Compaq Service Quick Reference Guide
■ Compaq Armada 1500c Series Maintenance and Service Guide
■ Compaq Armada 1500c Series Illustrated Parts Map
Compaq Internet site at http://www.Compaq.com

Computer Product Description 1-1
chapte
r
1
COMPUTER PRODUCT
DESCRIPTION
1.1 Computer Features and Models
The Compaq Armada 1500c Series is a line of multimedia notebook computers with
advanced modularity, processors, and video graphics. This full-function, Celeron-based
series of notebook computers allows full desktop functionality and connectivity
through the use of an optional Convenience Base II.
Figure 1-1. Compaq Armada 1500c Personal Computer

1-2 Computer Product Description
1.2 Standard Features
The Compaq Armada 1500c Series models have the following standard features:
■ 266- or 300-MHz Celeron processors with 128-Kbyte embedded cache memory
■ 32MB of synchronous dynamic random access memory (SDRAM), expandable to
160 MB
■ 4.0-, 5.0-, or 6.0-GB, 2.5-inch (12.7mm) internal hard drive
■ 12.1-inch Color Thin Film Transistor (CTFT) SVGA or 12.1-inch Dual Supertwist
Nematic (DSTN) SVGA display
■ Nickel Metal Hydride (NiMH) modular battery pack
■ SoundBlaster−compatible audio controller with internal stereo speakers and internal
microphone
■ Full-size 101 key compatible keyboard including 12 function keys, 8 cursor control
keys, inverted-T cursor control keys, and embedded numeric keypad
■ Four user-programmable keys
■ Touchpad pointing device
■ Power Sources include the following:
❏ Internal Nickel-Metal Hydride (NiMH) modular battery pack
❏ External AC adapter
■ Power management and security features
■ Two standard device slots that will accommodate two type I or II PC Cards, or one
type III PC Card, PCMCIA, and CardBus cards
■ 176 pin expansion connector provides the interface to the convenience base options
■ Rear-panel ports provide connections for USB, parallel and serial, external monitor,
and keyboard/mouse
■ Integrated 56Kbps modem (North America only)
■ CD-ROM Drive or DVD-ROM Drive
■ Quick Restore CD
1.2.1 Software Fulfillment
Replacement software can be ordered directly from Compaq Computer Corporation.
Both the model and the serial numbers of the computer are needed to identify the
specific software available.

Computer Product Description 1-3
1.3 Options
The computer supports the following options:
■Convenience Base II pass through model
■Convenience Base II with Ethernet
■Memory expansion boards
■Li-Ion battery pack
■Aircraft/Automobile adapter
■External battery charger
■PCMCIA modem
■AC power cords
■Hard drive upgrade
■Internal DVD-ROM drive
1.3.1 Convenience Base II
The computer supports the following convenience base models:
■Convenience Base II pass through
■Convenience Base II with Ethernet
1.3.2 System Memory Options
The computer supports optional 16-, 32-, 64-, and 128-MB memory boards. The
memory boards are 66-MHz SDRAM without parity. System memory can be expanded
to 160 MB of DRAM.
Table 1-1 describes the possible memory configurations for the computer.
Table 1-1
Memory Configuration
SODIMM Module Present Total System Memory
No SODIMM present 32 MB
16 MB 48 MB
32 MB 64 MB
64 MB 96 MB
128 MB 160 MB
Any EDO in Celeron 32 MB (EDO not usable)
If an EDO memory module is placed into a Celeron system, a POST error message may
be printed to the screen. The new message will read “This expansion memory type
(EDO) is not supported.”

1-4 Computer Product Description
1.3.3 External Battery Charger
The External Battery charger has the following features:
■Two battery charge slots
■Accepts both NiMH and Li-ion modular batteries
■Charges one battery in 3 hours or less
1.3.4 External Keyboards and Pointing Devices
Supports Compaq or Compaq-compatible PS/2 keyboards and pointing devices
1.3.5 External Monitors
The computer supports VGA Monitors up to 1280 x 1024.
1.4 Design Overview
This section presents a design overview of the computer. The overview is limited to
field replaceable parts. All replacement parts are listed in Chapter 3.
1.4.1 System Unit
The computer is a traditional clamshell design with a display unit attached to a system
unit. The computer opens to reveal a backlit LCD display and a full-sized keyboard.
The display is designed for a continuously adjustable tilt angle.
1.4.2 Internal Boards
The system electronics are integrated on seven printed circuit assemblies: the LED
status board, I/O fixture connector, audio board, system board, modem board, and the
DC-DC converter board. An optional memory board is available that expands the
system memory up to 160 MB.
■The LED status board connects the system board to the display cables and supports
the status LEDs.
■The DC-DC converter board creates the system voltages (3.3v and 5.0v) from the
battery or from the 14 VDC external power supply output.
■The system board integrates the processor, memory, local bus video adapter,
PCMCIA/CardBus adapter, and audio controller.
Processor
The processor located on the system board is a 266- or 300-MHz Intel Celeron
processor with 128-Kbyte embedded cache.
Memory
Base memory is 32 MB with, 16, 32, 64, or 128 MB of optional expansion memory.
Base memory is onboard memory built into the system board. Expansion memory
consists of one memory expansion board available as a user-installable option.

Computer Product Description 1-5
Cache
128-Kbyte cache is integrated with the Celeron processor. It is not user upgradable.
Audio Controller
The audio controller is located on the system board. The audio amplifiers and
connectors are on the audio board printed circuit assembly.
PCMCIA/CardBus and Video Adapter Controller
The PCMCIA/CardBus adapter is based on the Texas Instrument PCI1225 PC to
CardBus controller unit. The local bus video adapter is the Chips and Technologies
69000 controller.
■The serial-parallel port board expands the serial and parallel signals from the system
board to the serial and parallel expansion connectors.
■The audio board supports the microphone and headphone jacks, the volume control
switches, and the amplifier and equalization circuitry.
1.4.3 Video System
The standard video subsystem consists of:
■12.1 inch STN SVGA display
■12.1 inch CTFT SVGA display
■An inverter to supply AC power to the LCD back-light system
■A standard external VGA connector for use with CRTs and other VGA-compatible
displays

1-6 Computer Product Description
1.5 External Computer Components
The external computer components are illustrated and described in this section.
1.5.1 Front and Left Side Components
The front and left side external components are shown in the following figure and
identified in this section:
1 Display latches
2 Power connector
3 RJ-11 connector (on some models)
4 PC Card eject levers
5 PC Card slots
6 DualBay compartment
7 Power/Suspend light
8 Battery charge light
Figure 1-2. Front and Left Side Components

Computer Product Description 1-7
1.5.2 Right Side Components
The right side external components are shown in the following figure and identified in
this section:
1 Battery bay
2 Stereo/speaker headphone jack
3 Microphone jack
4 Volume control buttons
5 CD-ROM drive or DVD-ROM drive
6 Cable lock provision
Figure 1-3. Right Side Components

1-8 Computer Product Description
1.5.3 Rear Components
The rear components are shown in the following figure and identified in this section:
1 Serial connector
2 Serial number
3 Parallel connector
4 External monitor connector
5 Docking connector
6 Airflow vents
7 USB connector
8 Keyboard/Mouse connector
Figure 1-4. Rear Components

Computer Product Description 1-9
1.5.4 Bottom Components
The bottom external components are shown in the following figure and are identified in
this section:
1 Docking latch receptacles
2 Docking alignment guide
3 Modem compartment
4 Diskette drive
5 Diskette drive release latch
6 Battery with traction grip
7 Docking restraint latch recess
Figure 1-5. Bottom Components

1-10 Computer Product Description
1.5.5 Status Panel Lights
The status panel lights are shown in the following figure and are identified in this
section:
1 Hard drive light
2 Diskette drive light
3 NumLk light
4 Caps Lock light
5 Scroll Lock light
Figure 1-6. Status Panel Lights

Troubleshooting 2-1
chapte
r
2
TROUBLESHOOTING
Follow these basic steps when beginning the troubleshooting process:
1. Complete the preliminary steps listed in Section 2.1.
2. Run the Power-On Self-Test (POST) as described in Section 2.3.
3. Run Computer Setup as described in Section 2.5.1.
4. Run the Computer Checkup (TEST) as described in Section 2.6.
5. If you are unable to run POST or Computer Checkup, or if the problem persists after
running POST and Computer Checkup, perform the recommended actions described
in the diagnostic tables in Section 2.5.
Follow these guidelines when troubleshooting:
■ Complete the recommended actions in the order in which they are given.
■ Repeat POST and Computer Checkup after each recommended action until the
problem is resolved and the error message does not return.
■ When the problem is resolved, stop performing the troubleshooting steps and do not
complete the remaining recommended actions.
■ Refer to Chapter 5, “Computer Removal and Replacement Procedures,” for removal
and replacement procedures that are recommended.
■ If the problem is intermittent, check the computer several times to verify that the
problem is solved.
The following table describes the troubleshooting actions:
If You Want To: Then Run:
Check for POST error messages POST
Check that computer components are recognized and
running properly Computer Checkup (TEST) under Compaq Utilities
View information about the computer and installed or
connected devices View System Information (INSPECT) under Compaq Utilities
Perform any of the following:
■Check the system configuration.
■Set the system power management parameters.
■Return the system to its original configuration.
■Check system configuration of installed devices.
Computer Setup

2-2 Troubleshooting
2.1 Preliminary Steps
IMPORTANT: Use the external power supply when running POST, Computer Setup, or
Computer Checkup. A low battery condition could initiate Hibernation and interrupt
the test.
Before running POST and Computer Checkup:
1. Obtain established passwords. If you must clear the passwords, go to Section 2.2.
2. Ensure that the hard drive is installed in the computer.
3. Ensure that the battery pack is installed in the computer and the power cord is
connected to the computer and plugged into an AC power source.
4. Turn on the computer.
5. If a power-on password has been established, type the password and press Enter.
NOTE: The key icon appears on the display when he computer is turned on to indicate
that QuickLock/QuickBlank has been initiated. Type the power-on password to exit
QuickLock/QuickBlank. If the password is unknown, it must be cleared (see Section
2.2).
6. Run Computer Setup (Section 2.5). If a Setup password has been established, type
the password and press Enter.
7. Use the Hotkey (Fn+F10) to adjust brightness to midrange and leave the display
open.
8. Turn off the computer and all external devices.
9. Disconnect external devices that you do not want to test. If you want to use the
printer to log error messages, leave it connected to the computer.
NOTE: If a problem only occurs when an external device is connected to the computer,
the problem could be with the external device or its cable. Isolate the problem by
running POST with and without the external device connected.
10. Use Compaq Utilities to test these ports.
To run Compaq Utilities:
a. If you are running Compaq Utilities from the hard drive, turn on or restart the
computer. Press F10 when the cursor appears in the upper right corner of the
screen. If you do not press F10 in time, restart the computer and try again.
If you are running Compaq Utilities from diskette, insert the Compaq Utilities
diskette in drive A. Turn on or restart the computer.
b. Press Enter to accept OK.
c. Select Computer Checkup (TEST).
d. Select Prompted Diagnostics.
e. After “Identifying System Hardware” completes, select “Interactive Testing” and
follow the instructions on the screen.

Troubleshooting 2-3
2.2 Clearing Passwords
The power-on password prevents use of the computer until the password is entered.
The setup password prevents unauthorized changes to Computer Setup. To clear the
passwords, you must remove all power from the system board. If you do not know the
passwords, use the following procedure to clear the password:
1. Remove all battery packs from the battery bay and DualBay, if applicable.
2. Disconnect the external power supply.
3. Remove the real-time clock battery.
4. Wait five minutes.
5. Reconnect the external power supply.
6. Restart the computer. During Power-On Self Test (POST), a “162 System
Options not set” message appears.
7. Shut down the computer, then disconnect the external power supply again.
8. Replace the real-time clock battery.
9. Install the battery pack(s).
10. Proceed with the troubleshooting procedures.
2.3 Power-On Self-Test (POST)
The Power-On Self-Test (POST) is a series of tests that run every time the computer is
turned on. POST verifies that the system is configured and functioning properly.
To run POST:
1. Complete the preliminary steps (Section 2.1).
2. Turn on the computer.
If POST does not detect any errors, the computer beeps once or twice to indicate that
POST has run successfully. The computer boots from the hard drive or from a bootable
diskette if one is installed in the diskette drive.

2-4 Troubleshooting
2.4 POST Error Messages
If the system is not functioning well enough to run POST, or if the display is not
functioning well enough to show POST error messages, refer to the Troubleshooting
tables in Section 2.6.
If POST detects an error, one of the following events occurs:
■ A message with the prefix "WARNING" appears, informing you where the error
occurred. The system pauses until you press F1 to continue.
■ A message with the prefix "FATAL" appears, informing you where the error
occurred. After the message, the system emits a series of beeps and stops.
WARNING messages indicate that a potential problem, such as a system configuration
error, exists. When F1 is pressed, the system should resume. You should be able to
correct problems that produce WARNING messages.
IMPORTANT: When a WARNING message includes the prompt to "RUN SCU," press
F10 to run Computer Setup. (Computer Setup replaces the SCU utility.)
If you receive one of the error messages listed below, follow the recommended action.
Table 2-1
Warning Messages
Message Description Recommended Action
CMOS checksum invalid, run SCU CMOS RAM information has
been corrupted and needs to
be reinitialized.
Run Computer Setup to reinitialize
CMOS-RAM.
CMOS failure, run SCU CMOS RAM has lost power. Run Computer Setup to reinitialize
CMOS-RAM.
Diskette controller error The diskette drive controller
failed to respond to the
recalibrate command.
If there is no diskette drive in the
system, run Computer Setup to
properly configure the CMOS-RAM to
show no diskette drive present. If the
problem persists, or if a diskette drive
is present, complete these steps until
the problems is solved:
1. Power-down the system and
check diskette drive
connections.
2. Replace diskette drive.
3. Replace system board.
Diskette track 0 failed The diskette drive cannot read
track 0 of the diskette in the
drive.
Try another diskette. If the problem
persists, you may need to replace the
diskette drive.
Continued

Troubleshooting 2-5
Table 2-1 Warning Messages Continued
Message Description Recommended Action
Diskette information invalid, run SCU The drive parameters stored in
CMOS RAM do not match the
diskette drives detected in the
system.
Run Computer Setup.
Hard disk controller error The hard drive controller failed
to respond to the reset
command.
Check the drive parameters. Turn off
the system and check all related
connections.
Hardware information does not
match video card, run SCU The video adapter type specified in CMOS RAM does
not match the installed
hardware.
Run Computer Setup.
Keyboard controller failure The keyboard failed the self-
test command. Replace the system board.
Keyboard failure The keyboard failed to respond
to the RESET ID command. Replace the keyboard. If the problem persists, replace the system board.
No interrupts from Timer 0 The periodic timer interrupt is
not occurring. Replace the system board.
RAM parity error at location xxxx A RAM parity error occurred at
the specified (hex) location. Press F1
ROM at xxxx (LENGTH yyyy) with
nonzero checksum (zz) An illegal adapter ROM was located at the specified
address.
Check the external adapter (such as a
video card) to determine if it is
causing the conflict.
Time/Date corrupt - run SCU The time and date stored in the
real-time clock have been
corrupted, possibly by a power
loss.
1. Run Computer Setup.
2. If problem persists, replace
auxiliary battery.
3. If problems persists, replace
system board.
Unexpected amount of memory, run
SCU The amount of memory detected by POST does not
match the amount specified in
CMOS RAM.
Run Computer Setup.
Hard disk xx failure (or error) A failure or an error occurred
when trying to access the hard
drive.
1. Run Scan disk.
2. Check disk in DOS and
Windows 95 or later.
3. If problem persists, refer to
Table 2-10.
Unsupported memory module An EDO memory module was
installed in the memory
expansion slot.
Remove the EDO memory module
and replace with SDRAM memory
module.

2-6 Troubleshooting
Fatal errors emit a beep and may display a FATAL message. Fatal errors indicate
severe problems, such as a hardware failure. Fatal errors do not allow the system to
resume. Some of the Fatal error beep codes are listed at the end of this section.
Table 2-2
Fatal Error Message
s
Message Description Beep Code
CMOS RAM test failed A walking bit test of CMOS RAM location 0E
(Hex) - 3F (Hex) failed. 3
DMA controller faulty A sequential read/write of the transfer count
and transfer address registers within the
primary and secondary DMA controllers failed.
4
Faulty DMA page registers A walking bit read/write of the 16 DMA
controller page registers starting at location
80 Hex failed.
0
Faulty refresh circuits A continuous read/write test of port 61h found
that bit 4 (Refresh Detect) failed to toggle
within an allotted amount of time.
1
Interrupt controller failed A sequential read/write of various Interrupt
Controller registers failed. 5
ROM checksum incorrect A checksum of the ROM BIOS does not match
the byte value at F000:FFFF. 2
RAM error at location xxxx RAM error occurred during memory test. None
Table 2-3
Fatal Error Beep Codes
Beep Code Beep Sequence Description Recommended Action
0 S-S-S-P-S-S-L-P The DMA page registers are
faulty. Replace system board.
1 S-S-S-P-S-L-S-P The refresh circuitry is faulty.
2 S-S-S-P-S-L-L-P The ROM checksum is incorrect.
3 S-S-S-P-L-S-S-P The CMOS RAM test failed.
4 S-S-S-P-L-S-L-P The DMA controller is faulty.
5 S-S-S-P-L-L-S-P The interrupt controller failed.
6 S-S-S-P-L-L-L-P The keyboard controller failed.
7 S-S-L-P-S-S-S-P Graphics adapter is faulty.
8 S-S-L-P-S-S-L-P Internal RAM is faulty. Replace memory board or
system board if memory on
system board is faulty.
S = Short, L = Long, P = Pause

Troubleshooting 2-7
2.5 Compaq Utilities
Compaq Utilities contain several functions that
■ Determine if various computer devices are recognized by the system and are
operating properly.
■ Provide information about the system after it is configured.
Compaq Utilities include the following programs:
■ Computer Setup
■ Computer Checkup (TEST)
■ View System Information (INSPECT)
To access Compaq Utilities:
1. Turn on or restart the computer by clicking Start ⇒Shut Down ⇒Restart the
computer.
2. Press F10 when the blinking cursor appears in the upper-right corner of the display.
3. Select a menu option.
2.5.1 Computer Setup
Computer Setup contains utilities that give you an overall picture of the computer
hardware configuration and aid in troubleshooting. These utilities also allow you to set
custom features such as security options, power conservation levels, and startup
preferences.
If you are running Windows 95 or later, the computer automatically recognizes and
configures the system for new devices. If you have a configuration problem, or want to
view or reset configuration settings, you can use Computer Setup.
NOTE: If you are running Windows 95 or later, you should use Computer Setup only to
adjust system features such as battery conservation level. Windows 95 or later may
override other configuration changes.
If you are running Windows NT, the computer does not automatically recognize new
devices added to the system. All devices ordered with your system have been
configured for you. Use Computer Setup to view settings for a new device you have
added or to reset configuration settings for preinstalled devices.
Computer Setup provides two methods of viewing the computer configuration: by type
(factory setting) or connection.