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Thread ID: 69571 2006-06-05 21:50:00 PC won't boot Mattbama105 (10507) Press F1
Post ID Timestamp Content User
460817 2006-06-05 21:50:00 I recently visited my grandparents house on vacation and discovered there pc would not boot. It's and emachines T1842. here are the specs I copied from the emachines website:

CPU: Intel® Celeron® Processor 1.80GHz (w/128KB L2 cache & 400MHz FSB)
Operating System: Genuine Microsoft® Windows® XP Home Edition2
Chipset: Intel 845GL chipset
Memory: 128MB DDR (PC2100)
Hard Drive: 40GB HDD
Optical Drive: 48x Max. CD-Rom Drive; 3.5" 1.44MB FDD
Video: Intel Extreme Graphics 3D (845GL shared)
Sound: AC '97 Audio
Network: 10/100Mbps built-in Ethernet
Modem: 56K ITU v.92-ready Fax/Modem
Peripherals: Multimedia Keyboard, 2-Button Wheel Mouse, Stereo Speakers
Ports/Other: 6 USB 2.0 ports (2 on front), 1 Serial, 1 Parallel, 2 PS/2, Microphone-In & Head Phone jack on front, Audio-In & Out, 3 PCI slots (2 available)
Dimensions: 7.25" W x 14.125" H x 16" D

Whenever I press the power button, nothing happens. While going through some of the other posts I believe it might be the power supply. There are no sounds, lights, or any other signals that it is getting power. I have tried the switching power cords with no luck. Does anybody have any ideas? If you believe it is the power supply, then can you help me choose a cheap one from CompUSA or tigerdirect that would work well with the system. I can only spend up to 30 or 40 dollars on this since i can get a new pc for around 200-300. I have found several for 20 dollars and wanted to know if they would work fine. I appreciate any help with this problem.
Mattbama105 (10507)
460818 2006-06-05 22:42:00 Before you panic - have you checked the power is on? My experience of old people and computers is that they often switch them off at the wall.

[edit: Welcome to Press F1 Mattbama105 :D]
Erayd (23)
460819 2006-06-05 22:44:00 Provide links to what you are considering Rob99 (151)
460820 2006-06-05 23:26:00 I have checked the power. I brought the computer to my house to diagnose the problem.

I have been looking for power supplies from two sources that were easy for me to attain.
TigerDirect (www.tigerdirect.com)

CompUSA (www.compusa.com)

Can someone please verify if they believe I am correct and it is the power supply. Thanks for any help
Mattbama105 (10507)
460821 2006-06-06 19:43:00 I replaced the power supply and discovered that was one of the problems. Now, when I turn on the power I hear strange noises coming from the computer. Also, the screen is black. What do you think the problem is now? I appreciate any advice that you give. Mattbama105 (10507)
460822 2006-06-06 21:46:00 Take the side/top off and power it on and make sure the fans are all going (and not blocked with dust).

With the power off, take a good look at the capacitors on the motherboard. Are any bulging, leaking? See badcaps.net (http://www.badcaps.net/) for examples...
gibler (49)
460823 2006-06-06 23:18:00 Take the side/top off and power it on and make sure the fans are all going (and not blocked with dust).

With the power off, take a good look at the capacitors on the motherboard. Are any bulging, leaking? See badcaps.net (http://www.badcaps.net/) for examples...

I had a computer to look at recently with the same symptoms, and I surmised that the power supply was the problem.

Being an non-professional and not having a spare power supply to try out with, I looked for an alternative cause and wondered about the switch itself so I took off the front cover and found the answer immediately.

The switch that the ON/OFF button on the front panel of the computer pushes against was itself broken. At least, the two 1mm plastic lugs that had held the switch in place were broken. They had over time given up and there was no contact between the button and the switch.

A blob of araldite glue and an overnight wait was all it took to fix.

Times like this make all these hours reading PressF1 posts worthwhile. You get lucky and you think you are brilliant and endowed with great powers of inspiration.

And of course the owner of the computer is too innocent not to agree


And the charge? The usual.......nothing, but donations of Cadburys Milk Chocolate gratefully accepted

;)
brig (1359)
460824 2006-06-06 23:39:00 My previous power supply did not have a switch. There have been no previous issues with this computer until the power supply failed. I replaced it and I have this blank screen issue. Mattbama105 (10507)
460825 2006-06-07 00:26:00 Now, when I turn on the power I hear strange noises coming from the computer.

whats the strange noises sound like?

unfortunatly sometimes wen a psu blows it can take out other parts of the pc. good luck.
tweak'e (69)
460826 2006-06-07 01:12:00 My previous power supply did not have a switch. There have been no previous issues with this computer until the power supply failed. I replaced it and I have this blank screen issue.

The switch I was referring to was the switch on the front of the computer case, not the one for the PSU at the rear.
brig (1359)
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